The semi-weekly mountain Democrat. (Placerville, El Dorado Co. [Calif.]) 1860-1860, 1860-08-22

with courage aud power Of uttcTance, he
was locked up to as the ablc-t debatcr in
Congress. Preserving some Of the habits
of the lawyer, he was redundant in words,
and cumulative in argument ; but his
warmth ard sincerity kept him from the
ahectations Of Il redaht or rhctorician.
Forbcarance was no longer in season; the
irrcprcssiblc talent Of preserving, per.
emptory assertion was wanted the more
he was borne along by his own vehement
impulses, the better now his country,
humanity, the age, the hour, demanded
that the right should be spoken out, his
high excitement bad not the air of pass
ion, but Appeared as it was, the clear per.
ccption of the snblinity Of his task
" hen, in the life Of statesman, were six
months of more importance to the race.
than these Fix months in the career y!
John Adams?
THOMAS JFFfERsoS.
The resolution Of Congress changed Tie
Old thirteen British Colonies into free and
independent States 1t remained 10 set
fort the reasons for this act and the prin.
ciplcs which the new people would 0w II
as tInir guides OF the Committee ap.
puitcd fcr tha. duty; Thomas Jcilcrson
of Nirginia had received the largcstnum-
bcr 0, votes, and was in that manner sin.
glcd out to d:aft the confession Of inith Of
the rising empire. He owed this dis,inc-
ton to RESPECT for the colony which he
represented, 10 the cnnsnminatr ability Of
the State papers which he had already
written, ard TO that general favor which
follows merit, modcstv, and a sweet dis
position; but the quality which specially
fi.tcd him for thc task WIS the syrnFH.-
thctic character Of his nature, by which
he was able with instructive perception to
read the soul Of the nation, and having
collected in himself its best thoughts and
noblcst feelings, to give them out in clear
and bold words, mixed with 80 little Of
himself that his country as it went nfung
with him, found nothing but what it re-
cOgniZcd as its own. NJ Inan cf his cen
tury had more trust in the collective rea.
son and conscience Of hi, fellow men, or
better knew how to take their counsel {:
ard in return he came to be Il ruler over
the willing in the world Of opinion. Born
to an independent fortune, he had from
his youth been mn indcia:igablc student.
OF calm temperament aud philoNophc
cast Of mind, always temperate in his
mode Of life, and dccurous in his manners,
Lc was perfect master Of his passions
He was Of delicate organization, ard fond
of elegance; his tastes were refined; Ia
boiious III his application TO business or
the pursuit Of knowledge, music, the
most spiritual Of all the pleasures Of the
| senses, was his favorite recreation; and
he took Il never failing delight in the beau.
~ Of the various scenery Of rural lilr,-
| building himself home in the lovcliest
region Of his native state lie was an ex-
pert horseman; and he also delighted to
| roam the mountains on foot The range
| of his knowledge wnS very wide; he was
| familiar with the literature Of Greece and
| Rome; had an appetite for mathematics
and mechanics and loved especially the
natural sciences scorning nothing but
metaphysics. British governors and olli.
cial> had introduced into Williamsburgh
the prevalent free thinking of Eng'shmen
Of that century, and jefferson had grown
up in that atmosphere; he was not only
batter of pricst.craft, but Of superstition
and bigotry and intolerance he was be-
licvcd to be Indifferent to religion, yet his
instincts all inclined him to trace every
fact to n general law. and to put faith in
ideal truth; the world Of the senses did
not bound his aspirations, and he believed
more than hc was himself aware Of
He was an ileaiSt in his habits Of
thought and life, as indeed is every one
who has an abiding and thorough conf
lcncc in the people; and he was kept SO
IN spite of circumstances by the irresisti-
bic bent Of his character. lie had great
power in mastering details as well as in
Scarchin" for general principles. lliSpro.
fcssion was that of the law, in which he
was mcthOdical, painStaking and success
ful at the same time he studied law aS
science, and was we'll read in the law OF
nature and of nations. Whatever he had
to do, it was his custom to prepare him.
self for it carefully and in public life,
when others were in fault, they often found
that he had already hcwrd ont the way
so that in council, men willingly gave him
the lead, which he never appeared to
claim, aud was always able to undertake.
But he rarely spoke in public; and was
less fit to engage in the war Of debate,
than calmly to sum up its conclusions.
1t was beautiful trait in his character
that he was free from envy; and had he
kept silent, John Adams would have been
| deprived of the best witness to his great
ness as the ablcSt advocate and defender
of independence. 4 common object now
rivetcd the two statesmen together in the
closest bonds. cannot find that at that
period Jefferson had any enemies; by the
general consent of Virginia, he already
stood first among her civilians. Just thr-
| ty.three years old, married, and happy in
his family, afilucnt, with bright career
before him, he was no rash innovator by
his character or his position; if his con-
victionS drove him TO command indepen-
dcncc, it was because he could no longer
live with honor under the British ConSti-
tuition, which he still acknowledged TO be
the best the world had thus far SEEM
His enunciation of general principles was
fearless; but he was no visionary devoteO
of abstract theories, which, like disem-
bodied souls, escape from every embrace {;
nurscling of his country, the offspring of
| his time, he set about the work Of prac-
tical statesman, and his measures grew so
naturally out Of previous law and the
facts of the past, that they struck deep
root and have endured.
We esteem most things according To
their intrinsic worth; it is strange that
man should be an exception to the rule.