The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-04-12
Monday BTsalng, April II, - TO-.
PRESIDENT JEFFERSON AM A''
TIOEs.

times repeats itself an
history s,ot Good examples ar
'O'"S 'i,,.. followed and sometimes in7eighe'
'oms""M Many things which our ancestor
Sym, a rosye og,and many things whieha ode
az az. card to the opinions humankind" for
ts4e them doing, we have the courage to d,
-. al hazards, In the early history Of
government, which a few good meaning old
5o,t, se, up on this continent in the lattel
erdofthe last century, with paper constitu
,i,, consequently to the Executive wa
M, considered a qualification for office
Rot times have changed, and We have grown
wiser and better we bask in the sunlight Of
new civilization, whose midnight en- IN
the zenith ofits dark domain, is sunshine to
those early days when this infant republic
was "mulng and puking' in the arms OF its
patrsrchal founders.
our sins do not compel US, as did the pub.
lem 3. to stand sfar of aud smite our breasts
AMI ask either our God our contemporaries
or history to be merciMl to us but we stand
UPRIGHT in the full consciousness that those
who have lived before, and differed from US,
ger. wrong, and that those who may come
after Us will think just as we do, or failing,
will regret that they did not. 1t is some.
what in this spirit that we give place to a
letter written by Mr.. Jefferson to relation
ofLis whose friends wished him appointed to
an office under Mr.. Jefferson. 1t is in no
eylsorous spirit or desie 10 reflect on a dis.
tiaru..hci official Of this day, the number Of
whose relations and connexions suggests
tle patriarch Abraham's posterity, that we
publish this letter. For while it was very
proper for Mr. jefferson to refuse Office to his
relations and for them to decline ii, because
Of their unGtuess for it, the Graut family,
"a al its branches, are known to be official
experts.
Randall, in mis- life Of jefferson for some
strange purpose, publishes this letter from
tia, old fogy to one of his kinsmen, George
Jefferson.
nEAn SIR. have to acknowledge the
reyy.p; Of yours Of March I, aud to
express to you the ight with which found
the lust, dislnterested, and honorable point
of view 10 which you saw the proposition it
covered, The resolution you 50 properly
approved had long been formed in my mind
The public will never he made to beGey,
that su appointment Of relative u mad,
on the ground of merit alone, uniuhuence
by family views nor can they ever see wit
appreciation Offices the disposal Of which the
intrust to their Presidents for public purpose
divided out us family property. Mr.. Adam
degraded himself infinitely by his conduct OF
this subject, as Washington had done him
self the greatest honor With two such cG
emp'es to proceed by, ! SHOULD be doubly in
eXclsab,c to err. II is true that this places
the relations Of the President in worst
situation than if he were a stranger, but tn,
public good, which can not be effected, if 1t
confidence be lost, requires this sacrifice
Perhaps, too, it is compensa.ed by shartu
in the public esteem, could not be sati'
fed till assured you Of the increased g
teen With which this transaction fila m
for you Accept my ahectionote cTPressc
Off.
tn. JEFFERSON.