The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-08
Hor ths Mountain Democrat.
Thomas Jefferson.

EDFT0RS DEMOCRAT: l never rise IrOtn
the perusal Of the earlier history Of the
Republic without being impressed with a
new enthusiasm for the men whose names
shine out on all its glorious pages. In all
the aaes Of IN advancing civilization, du-
ring ell the centuries of struggle for civil
liberty, no body Of men made their age so
luminSns or left their impress in so pro-
nouDced manner upon the great tide Of
political sentiment.
How brave we're theyl-how public
spiritedI-how modest and yet how reso.
lutte, persevering and capable Men OF
nobIest mould, lofty in thought, bold and
swift and sure in action. The least inge.
NOUS amongst US know how brilliantly,
how completely, how successfully they
solved the great and difficult problem of
the Revolution. The greatest Of our mod
ern statesmen may well shrink from any
comparison with the giants Of that age.
The statesmen of the Revolution were
neither supercIGous nor superficial; they
we're not naughty pretenders to great abil
tiles Party nor faction did not waft them
into an evanescent greatness. No fanat-
les, no uneasy radicals were they; but
deep, sober, earnest men. Independence
was the crown and eonsummatiOn Of their
efforts; and the Constitution the fruit of
their superior wisdom.
Among the many famous names which
thus illuminate the golden age Of our coun.
try's history, it is hard to single out one
for especial regard for peculiar worship.
While this admission is true, | always
fondly place the name Of the author Of the
Declaration Of Independence first on the
list Of our Immortals. And who, indeed,
Of mankind but might glory in sitting at
the footstool Of JEFFERSON, and learn from
him the great and automatic truths Of the
Democratic principle Of Government
What Scion and CliSthenes were to
Greece, he was to America. He was more.
Besides being statesman and lawgiver, he
vas q prophet also, for the Declaration of
Independence in itself was the prophesy
and assurance of the success Of the Revo-
luton.
The texture of his mind was in singu.
lar contrast to that Of many Of his great
compeers, while they were true to their
country, to virtue, and to the general idea
of liberty. Still many of them were not
fully emancipated from the influence of
custom, power and privilege. Jefferson,
on the contrary, emerged into the full noon
and splendor Of freedom, and burst every
bond of tyranny, and declared independ-
ence in every domain of thought and &C.
ton. His great, calm and intrepid mind
impelled him to subvert every system
which trammeled the mind as well as the
body Of man; for with him the main object
Of all science was the freedom and happi-
ness of man.
Thus it is apparent that among all the
statesmen Of the Revolutionary period,
Jefferson was the truest to fundamental
Democratic principles.
No department of human thought es-
capped the scrutiny of his clear and origi-
nal mind. Religion, politics, mental and
moral philosophy, science-all were sub
jected to the action Of that fiery furnace.
But all his speculations were guided and
controlled by mind practical and useful
in all its developments. They bore no re-
latiOn to the vague and visionary ideas of
the common herd Of political or philoso-
phical dreamers; for the light that led him,
the idea that animated. him, the end he
had in view, elevated him to the spheres
where move alone the Amounted Of our
race. His enemies endeavored to stigma.
tie him as the Philosopher" yet of all
Presidents he was the most rational and
reasonable. If he was the most phioso-
phical, he was also the most practical
He disabused the world of the vulgar no.
ton that q man Of ideas cannot be good
administrator.
Jefferson's success as President forever
cast ridicule on the practice Of making our
rulers out Of the keepers of corner stores.
With his example before Us, let US forever
Danish the thought that We must be guild
ed by mere experience that VIC must
never diverge from the beaten track of
custom, and that we must feel our way for
all the acts we perform As if, indeed,
error had not more beaten paths than
truth; as if, indeed, there were no lessons
in navigation but those taught by the poor
timid and ignorant coaster. While the
fact is, truth has many untrodden regions,
and there are seas to be navigated Of which
we have no chart. Yet if experience be
qualification for power or high position,
he possessed even that in its most exalted
and extensive sense. The experience OF
all nations he made his own, and from
their history he gathered what was best
and wisest for his own country.
There was nothing in the science Of hu-
man government Jefferson had not faith
Omed, from the factious Democracy of
Greece, from the bold and indomitable Re-
public Of Rome, from the brilliant though
evnnescent Italian Republics Of the Ne
dieval period, to the absolute and limited
Monarchies of modern times.
Fortunate was it for the destiny Of the
Republic that he was its third President
Fortunate Was it that when parties were
beginning to form themselves and the scat.
tered ideas of the times began to arrange