Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-08-20
JEFFERSON IN 1797-lSOl.
From tho Cnncnainn.

The NicesPresident stood alone. With
the narrow preiudices and tyraunical mea-
sures which were gradually being moul>
ded into the distinctive features Of tie
administration, the more liberal spirit and
enlightened views Of the great Republican
could form no association. Through all
the dark storms of federal hate and nal
ice, which spider like were directed against
Lu belle France. whose noblest and richest
blood, but sixteen years before, had been
so copiously shed in the work Of baptising
a new nation in the smoking trenches Of
yorktown ; through all the hurricanes Of
iunaticsm, engendered by thirst for ar
istocratcal power, and which were final
ly assuming shape ard form in those A EN-
and SeditiUn acts, which were subseqUent>
ly destined to dig the political graves of
their blinded authors he alone, unawed
by the then almost crushing Influence Of
OF the government, remained true 10 the
interests of the people the only custodi
an of the common veal, in that dark hour
Of the young republic when liberty had
well nigh fallen stillborn who was weigh
cd III tue balance and not found wanting.
Despising from the depths OF his noble
soul, the petty tendencies to ariStocracy
which char alacterized the administration of
Adams, he took no pains to conceal his
righteous contempt of the tinseled adj
jrncts Of monalchial lower now seeking
t. gain 10y insidious approaches 4 foothold
on the floor OF the Presidential mansion :;
but with the matchless power of his sar,
casm, attacked without mercy those vani-
ties ard emblems OF concentrated power,
which he conceived but lily comportcd
with that simplicity which should ever
characterize the dispensation ofauthoritv,
in a government deriving its sovereign
powers Immediately from the body Of the
people.
Whilst resisting those claims OF France
which were manifested unjust, lie as
promptly opposed the unnecessary haste
with which the dominant party vas ems
deayoring, with all the energy of domcni,
ac rage and iendi~h hate, to array in hos.
tile opposition the allies of former glori,
Gus war, and 10 cause the joint conQuerors
OF lordly born COruwalis to imJrue their
hands in each others blood The titled
suobs Of naughty England, who for centu-
ries had rioted in security upon the sweets
which their iron heels had remcrselessly
wrung from the poor mans blood and
sweat, had bekeld with CONSERVATION the
the sudden downfall Of the French nobil-
ty in that terrible conflict, which similar
course of grinding an oppression at the
hands of the blotted and naughty Bour,
bons, had at length forced upon a trodden
people, had at their benest, their Tory sym.
pathizers, who had survived our own rev.
oluticnary struggle, and who formed so
great an element Of the federal party, now
combined with the administration, in de.
creeing eternal hatred and urfinching
war against the land which deserved the
reverence and sympathy of every true A.
mericNn heart Aud now commenced those
intolerant prescriptions and relentless
prosecutions which, until our own day,
have never found their parallel. The press
was shackled, trial 10y jury denied, perso~
nUl liberty restricted, and all the most sa-
cred rights Of freemen scattered TO The four
winds of heaven by the arbitrary hand of
usurped powe: whilst in every breeze hut>
tered those black cockadeS- the badge of
the peace par.y,which take in connect on
with the preva lent excitement, only need.
ed the addition of a deaths mead aud law
bones, TO have convinced a disntercsted
observer that America was about to en-
gage in a scheme of undistirguished pira.
ucal plumber.
But through all the blinded frenzy of
the war eXcitemen, and all the heated
ebullu;ions Of public feeling consequent
upon the passage Of the Alien and Sedi,
ton acts which succeeded it, the Vice
President unmindiul of the deep.mouth.
ed bayiEgs OF the hounds Of the Admins,
tration, pursued that conservative course.
which his conscience and knowledge of
his Constitutional obligations alike dicta,
ted, and assumed that position, which
viewed at this distance of time, appears rs
the only green spot in the black desert of
Ianaticism with which he was surrounded
lie who, unterrifed by the shadow of
British scaifold, dared calmly announce
the "inalienable rights" of man to an en-.
tire world was not deferred from sound
ing the alarm to his own fellow-citizens,
when he beheld those rights" attacked
by the insidious hands of those Who had
sworn TO support them he who lad seen