Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-06-28
JEFFERsoNIAN IDEAS.

If old Thomas Jefferson had lived until
the present day, and retained his prinei-
Piles, he would have been odd old
wooly-headed abohtionist and blasted
"miscegenator. Inasmuch, however, as
he died long ago, and was the author Of
the copperhead bible known as the Ken
lucky Resolutions of 1898, one must 60
slow when he talks about that departed
statesman. The following extracts from
his "Notes on Virginia" would not read
well as a Copperhead editorial now-a-
days: ....
at is difficult to determine on the stand
ard by which the manners Of nation may
be tried, whether catholic or particular.
1t is more difficult for native to bring to
that standard the manners of his own ma
ton, familiarized to him by habit.
"There must doubtless be an unhappy in
fuence on the manners Of our people, pro-
duced by the existence of slavery among US.
The whole commerce between master and
slave is perpetual exercise of the most bois-
ferrous passions, the most uuremitting despo-
sion on the other.
sour children see this, and learn to imi-
tate it, for man is an initiative animal.
"This quality is the germ of all education
in him. From his cradle to his grave he is
learning to do what he sees others do. II a
parent could find no motive, either in his
philanthropy or his self-love, for restraining
the intemperance Of his passion towards his
slave, it should always be a sufficient one that
his child is present; but generally it is not
sufficient.
"The parent storms, the child looks on,
catches the lineaments of wrath, puts on the
same airs in the circle of smaller slaves,
gives aloose to the worst of passions, and
thus nursed, educated and daily exercised in
tyranny, cannot but be stamped by it with
odious peeuliarities.
"The man must be prodigy who can re-
tain his manners and morals undepraved by
such circumstances !; and with what execra-
ton should the statesman be loaded who,
permitting one-half of the citizens thus to
trample on the rights of the other, transforms
those into despots and these into enemies, de-
stroys the morals Of the one part and the
amor patrie Of the other.
For If slave can have country in this
world, it must be any other in preference to
that in which he is born to live and labor for
another; in which he must lock up the fac
ulties of his nature, contribute as far as de-
ponds on his individual endeavors to the
evonishment of the human race, or entail his
own miserable condition on the endless gen
erations proceeding from him.
"With the morals of the people their in
dustry also is destroyed. For in warm eli
mate, no man will labor for himself who can
make another labor for him. This is so true,
that of the proprietors of slaves very small
proportion indeed are ever seen to labor"
"And can the liberties of nation be
thought secure when we have removed their
only firm basis, conviction IN the minds of
the people that these liberties are Of the gift
of God-that they are not to be violated but
with his Hrathf Indeed tremble for my
country when l reflect that God is Just; that
His Justice cannot sleep oreyer; that con-
sidering numbers, nature and natural means
only, revolution OF the wheel of fortune, an
exchange of situation is among possible
events. The Almighty has no attribute
which can take sides with US in such con.
test.
"But it is impossible to be temperate and
pursue this subject this subject through the
various considerations Of policy, of morals,
of history natural and civil.
eve must be contented to hope they will
force their way into every ones mind. l
think a change already perceptible, since the
origin of the present revolution. The spirit
Of the master is abating-that of the slave
of the slave rising from the dust, his condi-
ton mollifying-the way, hope, preparing
under the auspices of heaven, for total
emancipation, and that this is disposed in
the order Of events, to be with the consent
of the masters, rather than by their extirpa-
ton"