Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-04-13
jefferson

Thomas Jefferson alone stands in Il different
Relationship toward Hamilton from any other
of his contemporaries. As one can not serve
Nv. masters, SO one can not respect both these
men, lie must hate the one and love the
other: he must hold to the one and dcsplsc
the other. That Jefferson so conducted HIM
self during the eight years OF his presidency,
that urge humber OF persons still believe
him TO have been a great, good AMI useful
statesman, is due in no small measure 10 the
fact that during that period he was reaplng
what Hamilton had sown, and that he did not
feel it Incumbent upon himself TO pow up he
field and SOW it anew with that seed which IN
earlier years he had declared TO be alone I'll for
use. As has Office been observed Of other mco,
he who in opposition had been so radical, IN
| power became quite cOuScrva' W. ne anu
Federaists of W ashngton's Cabinet sought 10
diyesl the ceutrai Government of uouc Of its
substantial powers when he himself was at the
head Of that Government. The suns cu(ote
| Democrat during the days OF the trcuch cX-
citemcut presided over pure Republic with
out manifesting any anxiety 10 reVoiutloulze II.
When treating Of the antagOnism between
| Hamilton aud JEFF, rson, aud OF th1 qu :stlons
which divided them il is necessary 10 speak OF
| Jefferson and his principles as they We're at
that PERIOD not US they appeared at SuoSe-
uuent date and undcr changed circumstances.
| jefferson was a political chameleon and it Is
| not fair, 10 discussing any particular era OF his
| life. to cast over it the widely different hue
which belonged to s)me other division OF his
| long and notified career.
The character OF ctfcrson's mind was pecu
| lar H. has ben generally called a phllos
opher, and perhaps that vague and extensive
| term is we'll selected to describe his Intellect
also vague and extensive. He was By nature q
tncorist, no! practical man. H. could dis
cuss the science OF government better than he
could administer affairs. His genius Was OF
executive. He always filled 10 emergencies
rcuuirng the activity and the energy OF /! c
man OF business. As Governor Of Virginia in
the Il .voution he did It Distinguish himself !;
some persons have thought that he dsgraced
| himself He was man of W!da attauments,
knew languages, read mauy books, dubbed 10
many pursuits, was inclined to be cyclppcdlc III
his style; yet he had not an accurate and thor
oueh habit of mind. His speculations were bold
| and interesting an lcoDoclastlc age could pot
always keep peace with his reckless thinking.
But when he dealt with facts ii WAS necessary
to accept his Statements with caution. Nearly
his last act in Washington 5 Cabluet was 10 pre-
| pare report coDcerulng commerce. tie had
been three years about it, and II Was a great
party document. sure to be su!j cted to keen
scrutiny. He had every motive as certainly he
had taken plenty Of time, to make 1t thorough
instrument. 1t Was repete with elaborate theo-
ries aud plausible advice; but IN Its statistical
and narrative parts it proved so utterly un-
trustworthy, that supplementary report, 10
the nature of pages OF "Eralta' had to be fur
nshed.
Jefferson's knowledge Was respectable it
was his inability to put it TO practical u:e
| which betrayed the deficiency in his intellect
| uaI structure. He had an probable pas
| sion for thinking, tor tbeorizng; his extensive
reading, natural plausblllly, an astonishing
| huency with the pen, enabled him to indulge
| largely in this absorbing propensity. AS every
| one 10 his native country aud 10 that foreign
| land of France, which, for large portion of
his life, possessed half Of his thou !ht5 and more
thau half OF bis heart, was forming and dis
cuSsing schemes Of government, lie naturally
turncd his attention 10 the same labor. he
conceived mos attractive plans, qul!c taScnat-
ing upon paper and lmpreguabie in converse
ton, and having 20 worse fault than that 10
the world of real men they would not work.
SovEREIGNs OF INDUsTRY.-Miss Lily De
SOFIA Wood, OF Washington, has been appoint
ed lecturer Of the District Council, Sovereigns
of Industry, and Steward of the National Coun-
ell. Eleven c,uu:ies 10 Virginia and four 10
Maryland have recently been added to the Dis
trict Jurisdiction. Miss Wood will shortly he
gin course of lectures on the work of the Or
der 10 Virginia and Maryland, CONNIE ncing 10
Alexandria.
The funeral OF A. II. Stewart took place to-
day 10 New York. Admission to the house
and church were by tck;t
DIED