The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-08-22
SKETCH ORA DEMOCRATIC ADMIN
rISTRATION.

AN arucle OIL mucn1nt6reSC Will be
found in the last number of the allan.
TIC Monthly issued for August. 1t is
attractive from its style, in which few
periodical writer's approach its au-
thor, Mr.. Parton, but it Is also i'm
portant because it reyiyes now the
memory of those traditions of good
government which are fast fading
out Of mind. 1t is d chapter in the
life of Thomas Jefferson, and is en-
titled The Art Of Being President.
| What is also important is that the
art does not seem difficult. It was
SO exercised by jefferson as to estab-
lish rnles.of good civil administration,
and these were adhered to so closely
| by Madison and Monroe that the
whole period Of their successive
terms, extending over twenty-four
years, was an example Of the practical
effect in government of what are now
known as Democratic principles.
Except during the war with Great
Britain, in the term Of Madison, it
was time of tranquility. Mr.. Par
ton is under, we suppose, a sort Of
political obligation to suggest the
single possible objection, the extern
sion of slavery--but the instance of
this was the peaceful acquisition by
purchase, for a.triAing sum, of the
vast region west of the Mississippi,
by which the control of that river
and the possession of its mouth we
acquired-an act of craftsmanship
and the foresight SO important to our
country that one cannot but smile at
any objection to it now. In after
times followed the acquisition of
Texas, in which foreign powers were
conspirinig to foster a rival and
hostile State; and the completion OF
our national territory by its extension
to the coast of the Pacific, in the ac-
QUESTION of California. These are
the only "fanlts" that can be i'm
puted to Democratic policy. OF
all else our author says:
"The old Democratic party ruled
the United States for sixty years, for
no other reason than that on every
leading issue except one--the extern
sion of slavery, the rock on which
it struck and went to pieces-the
Democratic party was right"
But as there is now no contiguous
and desirable territory for us to ac-
quire, and slavery exists no more, it
is interesting to look at the principles
of civil administration of Jefferson,
to which ingenuity can no longer
frame q plausible objection.
tits pleasant to find that there was
nothing extraordinary, or mysterious,
or difficult about them. They seem
so simple and easy that we are in
danger Of under estimating the merit
Of the great man who discarded Eng
lish traditions which we're then SO
strong in the minds of men born
British subjects, and justly attached
to many free institutions of the moth
er country. 1t was the singular ele-
vation and purity of Washington's
character that saved the formative
character of the new government
from conforming with too much fidel-
ity to the abuses as well as the mer-
its Of the old government. But it
was for jefferson to inaugurate q
system so simple, natural, and ap-
plicable to the administration of a
free popular government that it
seems to demand not the signal and
heroic virtues of Washington
rarely met with in the history Of
mankind-but only the simple, COM
mon qualities of honesty and good
sense. ..,..-. =.
One is struck, in reading the
history of Jefferson's administration,
with the ease which government may
be we'll administered in o time of
tranquility. There is an obviousness
about his policy that seems to sug-
gest that any man of good intention
and fair ability could copy itA 1t was
signal illustration of that simple
maxim that honesty is the best policy.
His first care was to simplify the
management of the finances, which
the ingenuity of Hamilton made
complex and abstruse, in accordance
with the inclination of his subtle
mind. President Jefferson recon-
mended the discharge Of all super
huous officers. He said the public
would never be made to believe that
an appointment of relative is made
on the ground Of merit alone, unin-
fuenced by family views. He de-
manded honesty and capacity in
every Office holder. 1t is scarcely
possible to imagine in Jefferson's
time creature like Bingham, the
double hero of the Credit Mobilier
and the salary grab, rewarded with
a foreign mission. AH a
On the subject Of pardons, his
| practice was thus laid down by him
self:
1. To entitle criminal to the
remission of the penalty, extfaordi-
nary and singular considerations are
necessary; otherwise, to pardon the
criminal would be to repeal the law
that condemned him.
| 2. The opinion Of the judges who
sat in the case, / have regarded as
indispensable to ground a pardon,
We cannot imagine in Jefferson's
time the prompt pardon Of an cleo
ton cheat at the request Of other
cheats SO Infamous that their names
could not be disclosed to the public.
He maintained the liberty Of the
press, though it was largely in the
hands Of his opponents. In his day,
the attempt of apolice court at the
Capital to restrain the press Of the
city of New York would have been an
impossible experiment. He said to
his friends: "Let us prove TO the
world that an administration which
has nothing to conceal has nothing TO
fear from the press"
His administration was admirable,
/ T.,.t "a oI;oF 1n.oou 30 thot - .,n.. .,ok