, 1859-07-08


cry of mo more slave States" and so /
has gone on ever since, until now the cry i:
no more free States without negro suffrage
and negro equality And thus we trac,
down the dividing line between Jefferson
and sectionalism, until we find the now mis-
called Republican" party, doing just wha
the opponents Of Mr.. Jefferson did 10 1909
when they voted against the admission o
free Ohio, viz: voting against the ndmis
sion of free Oregon because she will moi
consent to absorb the negro race in hel
white body polite. And this they do upol
the nvowed doctrine that Congress has the
power to make or amend Constitutions for
the new States and for Territories, SO as tc
regulate the political status and condition
of their inhabitants.
Now, that was the very heresy in the
Federal Government most denounced by
Mr.. Jefferson, touching the power of Con,
greSs to limit the sovereignty Of Missouri
10 1921. 'The real question:" said he, in
his letter to John Adams, is-"are our
slaves to be presented with freedom and q
duggerl for if Congress has the power To
regulate the condition Of the inhabitants
of the States, it will be but another exer-
else of that power to declare that all shall
be free"
And this heresy so denounced by Jeffer-
son, is the precise doctrine to-day, of Mr..
Stewards 'irrepressble conflict" TO make all
free or all slave States
He who moves step in that direction,
travels farther and farther from Jefferson.
Why, the only event that ever raised ii
donbt in the mind Of that calm philosopher
of the perpetuity Of the Union, was the
attempt made by the North in the Missouri
controversy to draw sectional line be-
tween free and slave States. Like FIRE
bell in the night, it awakened and filled
him with terror" From the battle of
Bunker Hill to the Treaty Of Paris, said
he, we never had so Ominous a question
geographical line, drawn in the opposing
moral aud political views of sectional par
ties, and held up to the angry passions of
men with every local irritation to make il
deeper and deeper, until it should become
the line Of separation of the States. And
this idea, once suggested, would brood in
the minds Of all those who prefer the graf
ication Of their ungovernable passions to
the peace and union of the country. The
old schism Of Federalists and Republicans
threatened nothing like this, because it ex-
sted in every State, and united them by
the fraternization of party. But this sec
tional division of parties on geographical
lines was blow at the grand experiment
in America which is to decide whether man
is capable Of self-go, ernment Nay, it was
treason against human hope.
Such were the best considered views Of
the illustrous sage in the calmness Of his
retreat, and near the close Of that grand
life which be had given to his country
And these warnings and rebukes, then SO
solemn and momentOus, to whom and to
what do they now apply, with renewed
force, but to the leaders and the purposes
of that sectional party of to-day, calling
itself Republican" and yet aiming to shat
ter the Republic into angry, disjOinted and
hostile considerations, on either side Of a
geographical line?
If they indeed respect and venerate
Thomas Jefferson, let them heed the admo-
milton that comes to them from him, as If
uttered but yesterday.
Would they said he, "but weigh the
blessings they will throw away by disunion,
against an abstract principle more likely to
be effected by union than by secession, they
would pause before perpetrating this act Of
suicide on themselves, and of treason
against the hopes Of the world" And still
more suggestive Of the present, among his
last words ever uttered were "the hope
that the mass Of his honest brethren of the
Northern States would discover the use de-
signing men were making of their best feel
ings, and see the precipice to which they
are led, before they take the final leap"
These are the lessons Of wisdom I'd Of
warning to his couutrymen which come
down to our time, aud, as if special lega-
cy, TO the young men Of America, from the
great statesman whose advent US the ApOs-
tie Of Freedom under Government, Of Lib
erty t0iIhiR Law, you to-day commemorate.
Taking these principles Of popular gov
ernment and Of an united Republic Of iDde-
pendent and expanding States for their
guide, the party which has nearest followed
the teachings Of Thomas Jefferson has new
er failed, and never can fail, to be the party
Of Union, Of State Rights and of National
greatness; and no party, class, or section re-
pudiating them, in their relations to the
whole country, can justly claim to be either
Jeffersonian, National, Democratic or Re
publican.
have the honor to be, with great re-
spect,
Your obedient servant,
b. +. HALLETT.