The Placer herald., 1861-07-06
Opinions of Thomas Jefferson on Questions
now before the PEOPLE.

now before the People.
The following are extracts from the wri'
tngs Of Thomas Jefferson. They may be
read with profit by candid thinking men:
Vol. 4, PAGE 800.
With respect 10 our State and Federal
Governments, do not think their relations
correctly understood by foreigners. They
generally suppose the former subordinate to
the latter. But this is not the case. They
are co ordinate departments Of one simple
and integral whole. TO the State govern
ments are reserved all legislation and admin.
istraion in affairs which CONCERN their own
citizens only, and to the Federal Govern
ment is given whatever concerns foreigners,
or the citzens of other Sates-these func-
tons alone being made federal The one is
the domestic, the other the foreign branch of
the same government; neither having control
over the other, bnt within its own depar,
ment. There are ona or two exceptions only
to this partition of power. But, You may
ask, if the two departments should each
claim the same subject of power, where s
the common umpire to decide ultimately be-
tween them! In cases of little Importance
or urgency, the prudence of both parties will
keep a'oHf from the questionable ground.
But if it can neither be avoided nor com.
promised conve.ton of States must he
called to ascribc the doubtful power to that
department which they may think best
VoL. 4. PAGE All.
Whilst the General Assembly (of Virginia.
thus declares the right retained by the States
rights which they have never yielded, and
which the States will never voluntarily Weld,
they do not mean to raise the banner of dis,
affection or Of separation from their sister
States. co paris with themselves to this
compact. They know and value too highly
the blessings of their Union, as to foreign
nations and questions arising among them.
selves to consider every nfraction is to be
met by actual resistance. They respect too
affertionai ely, the opinions of those roeseoo
ing the same rights, under the same instru-
ment, to make every difference of construc
ton ground of intermediate rupture as
among the greatest calamitics which could
befal them; hut not The greatest. There is
one yet greater, submission to government
Of unlimited powers 1t is ly when the
hope of avoiding this shall become absolute
lv desperate, that turther forbearance could
not he indulg ge,.
VoL. /, PAGE 292.
I'll at majority, then. has q right to depute
to a convention, and to make
the Constitution what they think will be
best for themselves. X II
this avanue be shu, to the call of suh'rance,
it will M Ike itself heard through that of
force, and we shall go On as other pations
are doing, in the endless circles Of oppres
sion, rebellion, reformation, and oppression,
rebellion, reformation again; and SO on, for
ever.
Vol. 1, PAGE a1i.
have been blamed for saying that prev
alence of the doctrines of consolidation
would one day call for reformation or revoiu
tion. | answer by asking. if a single State
of the Union would have agreed to the Con
had It given all powers to lhe Cen
eral Government? IF the whole opposition
to it did not proceed from a jealousy and
fear of every State, of being Subjected TO the
other States, in matters merely its own?-
And if there is any asp to believe the
States more disposed now than then, to acl
luiesce in this general surrender of all their
rights and powers to q consolidated govern
ment, one and undivided!
PAGE 302.
government held together by the bands
Of reas' n only, requires much compromise of
opinion; that things even salutary should
not he crammed down the throa,s Of dissent,
ing brethren, especially when they may be
into c,r.,, t> Eo v,;ll;po1 L., al lloxva1
and that q great zeal of indulgence is neces
sary to strengthen habits of harmony and
Vol. 4, PAGE 325,
But this momentous question, III ke fire.
bell in the night, awakened me and filled me
with terror considered it at once the
knell Of the Union. 1t is hushcd, indeed, for
the moment But this is reprieve only,
not a final sentence
A geographical line, coinciding with a
marked principle. moral and political, once
and held up to the angry passions
of men will never be ob!iterated; and every
new irritation will mark i, deeper and deeper.
regret that am now to die in the belief
that the useless sacrifice of themselves by the
generation of l776, to acquire self govern
ment and happiness to their country, is to
be thrown away by the unwise and unworthy
passions of their sons, and that my only con.
ISOLATION is to be that live not to weep over
it,
Vol. 4, PAGE 322.
The old schism Of Federal and Republican
threatened nothing, because it existed in
eyery State, and united them together by
the fraternism of party. But the coincidence
of marked principle, moral and political,
with geographical line, once conceived, !
feared would never more be obliterated from
the mind; that it would be recurring on
every occasion, and renewing irrtatiops,
"a Z. l,;clIo su..h noturol and NOR.