The Portland daily press., 1867-03-30

"a, S''T1' AaoSoay last we ind the
following:
Democrats prefer tho statement of tho
principles of Democracy as given by Jefferson
in his inaugural address and endorsed by the
Democratic party of to-day. Those are the
principles the Democratic party have supports
ed from the beginning and they will not desert
them now when most rudely trampled under
foot by the dominant party. Dare the Press
publish Jeffersons statement Of Democratic
principles and thus allow its readers to COM
pare them with the acts of its own party? We
think not. 10 .l ''
Having suggested that our contemporary
repnblish an areicle from the Press, he replies
in Thursdays issue: .
The Press asks us to publish its column-an
a-half leader on the Democracy as it was and
as it is. We fully appreciate the modesty of
the request (Darticularly as the Press declined
TO pubhsh Je1fersons statement of Democratic
principles which would not occupy a quarter
OF column1 and we are sorry to be obliged to
say that In our opinion we have an abundance
OF mach better matter for the space it would
require. r 49,"
Our contemporary Is exceedingly out in his
reckoning, IN supposing we were afraid or de-
clined to publish the extract iron, President
Jeiferson's first inaugural, TO which he refers.
The truth Is, to borrow a very common West
ern phrase, Jefferson is "our hold" politically
speaking. He was the founder of the democ-
racy to which for long years we have been de-
voted, and to the defence of which we have
brought what little OF talent we possess.
Jefferson was a thoroughly anti-slavery
man. He despised the institution and all its
legitimate fruits, from the depths of his
soul. He believed in the people, had
faith IN the people, and opposed all combina-
tions, aristocraeies, oligarchies, monopolies
and parties that were gotten up or that had
grown up in opposition to the best interests
of the people. Such was Thomas Jeffe arson.
He hated treason and ignored traitors and
hence, though Aaron Burr was Vice Presi-
dent under him, he was opposed to Burr.
| regarded him as a traitor and an enemy Of
the people, and was charged by Burr and his
friends with organizing the influence that
brought the arch rebel of that day to trial.
The friends of Mr.. Jefferson of the present
age, for the last half dozen years, like him.
have been opposing traitors, while those very
traitors and their friends, In the North as
well as the South, have all the time claimed.
like Burr and his friends, to be the true
guardians of Democracy! tHo' a7s
The argus thinks we are afraid to publish
Mr.. Jaherson's words. The truth is, when
we wrote the article on Democracy as it
,cds and as it is," we regretted that
| we had not the extract referred to be-
tore us, that we might place each OF its
RmnhaflC nrnnnclfinno n, lnf,,
the Democracy of to-day, and in the absence
| OF 1t we felt the disadvantage under which
we necessarily labored But as our neigh
Dor has misinterpreted the act, we have taken
| pains 10 look up the extract, and herewith we
give 1t word for word, simply dividing it into
sentences, and prefacing each article of this
| succinct political creed by numeraI in
| brackets, for the convenience of after refer
ence. The extract Is from the first inaugural
OF President Jefferson, and reads as follows:
'"About to enter, fellow-citizens on the exer-l
else OF dutios which comprehentk everything
dear and valuable to you, it is proper YOU
should understand what deem the essential
principles OF our Government, and, conseauent-
iy, those which ought to shape its admiaistra-
tion.l will compress than within the narrow
est compass they will bear; stating the general
pr,ncipie, but not allits limitations.
~ ~ Equal ana exact Justice to oil man of
whatever state Or persuasion religious or no.
| htical; ~
III Peace, commerce, and honest friend
ship with all nations, entangling alliances with
| l3.l The support of the state governments
IN ali their Ttghts, as the most competent ad-
mliiistraton Ior our domestic concerns and the
suresS bulwarks against anti-repubiican ten
denotes; 3H.si. a.,71j,g ,gtarr,.s q 5. srgr7'l7
[4.] "The preservation of the General Gov.
ernment sn ITS aohole constitutional vigor as the
sneet anchor Of our peace at home and safety
abroad; szea I nfE Ha.al ~
[al "A jealous care of the right of elections
o'[6] "A mild and safe corrective of abuses
winch are Topped by the sword of revolution,
Wnere peacahle remedies are unprovided; :
III Absolute dcquaeScence in the decisions of
u4e nadyoraty, the vital principle of republics,
from which is no appeal but to force. the vital
principle and immediate parent of desnut;sm !.
lo.J "A Well disciplined militia our best reli-
ance IN peace, and Tor the first moments of war
I'LL regulars may relieve them
III The supremacy of the civil over the mil
itary authority; ,..... -
l1OJ Economy in the public EXPENSE. that
labor may be lightly burdened
ll.l "fhe honest payment Of our debts, and
sacred preservation Of the pubic faith; -
commerce as its handmade;
l13I The diffusion of information, and ar
raignment OF all abuses ut the law of public
reason; 4,t<sss ftt.fi.s. a.ttryfst.. f. ...,,,4Ne
[14,] Freedom of religion, freedom OF the
press, and freedom of the person. under the
| protection of the habeas corpus; 7 l..
llo] And trial by juries impartially select
"These principles form the bright constella-
ton winch mas gone before us, and guided our
steps through an age of revolution and refor-
| nation The wisdom of our sages and blood of
our heroes have been devoted to their attain
ment. They should be the creed of our politi
cal faith, the text OF civil instruction, the touch
stone py winch to try the services of those We
trust; and should we wander from them in mo-
ments OF error or alarm, let us hasten to retrace
our steps, and to regain the road which alone
leads to peace, liberty and safety" d'i "
Mr.. Jefferson has laid down other maxims
OF equal importance; for example: "a wise
"and frugal government aohich shall restrain
men from iVuring one another" and which
shall leave them otherwise free to regulate
their own pursuits OF industry and improve
"ment, and shall not take from the mouth of
"tddor the 6readit has earned" n1d
There doctrines were laid down by the a,,-
thor OF the Declaration Of independence, for
a time OF peace, as @the text of ciuil instruc-
tlon," and in such times OF peace, with no
dangers threatening the overthrow of the in
stitutions and principles to the attainment of
which "the wisdom of our sages and the blood
of our heroes had been devoted" he would
not-nor would his folowers-depart from
them. At such a time he could say: "If there
"be any among us who would wish to dissolve
"this Union, or to change its republican form,
'let them stand, undisturbed, as monuments
"of the safety with which error of opinion
"may be tolerated where reason is LETT free to
combat it." [...,- -.-.. g....l. 4
But MIR. Jefferson was practical man as
well as profound theorist. His Essential
principles of government" were, as we have
said, ''the text fciUil Instruction." to be ap-
pealed to when the civil functions of the gov
ernment were dundisturbed by rebellion, in
surrection or war. As he said, he STATED the
general principle but not all its limitations.n-
One of these limitations he did state with en-
phasis, in letter to Mr.. Colvin in 1910, as
follows: .......r. |
r. The question you propose, whether circum-
stances do not sometimes occur, which make
1t duty in officers of high trust to assume |
authorities beyond the law is easy Of solution
in principle, but sometimes embarrassing in
practice. A strict observance of the written
laws is doubtless one of the high duties of a
good citizen but it is not the hiQtest The g,ps