Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-04-04
JeHersOnian Club.

JefersOnian Club.
Celebration of the Birthday of Thomas
Jefferson-Letter From Samuel j. Til
den - Another From Major General
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and Banquet.
The Jeffersonian club last evening cele-
DRAFTED the birthday of Thomas Jefferson in
fine style. There was large attendance of
prominent Democrats of this city and State
Among those in attendance were the follow.
ing:
Ex-United States Marshal Curtis Bacon,
Representative Northrop, Middletown; Mr..
Hubbard, Middlefeld Thomas Sanford,
Redding; Mr.. Webster, Waterbury ex-
Governor Hyde, Stafford; E. A. Marden,
Stamford John T. Hunter, Windham Hon.
Ed. S. Cleveland, Hartford and from New
Haven Hon. L. W. Sperry Hon. H. G. Lewis,
Mayor Robertson, Colonel A. H. Robertson,
S. H. Wagner, A. G. Wilcox, William B. Cat
lin, Colonel Samuel Tolles, Hon. William J.
Mills, Hon. G. B. Bowers, Fire Marshal A. J.
Kennedy, Hon. G. T. Driscoll, Judge s. A.
York, William W. Parsons, City Clerk Pigott,
Charles II. Fowler, G. F. Evarts, DIR. J. J. S.
Deherty, Deputy Sheriff George S. Stevens,
A. P. Hotchkiss, R. W. Meigs, Judge L. N.
Blydenburgh, G. B. Wooster, H. L. Hotch-
kiss, B. Mansfield, M. Strouse, Alderman
Shoninger, Road Commissioner j. W. Pond,
M. Spier, G. W. Bradley, Selectman F. s..
Andrew and many others.
Judge S. A. York retired from the Office of
president and Hon. William J. Mills, the new
president, was installed president with ap-
propriate ceremonies. Afterward a fine ora
ton on Thomas Jefferson was delivered by
served under the able charge of Charles W.
Bradley of the Florence House, who, as
usual, gave great satisfaction.
great feature of the evening was the
reading of the letters from prominent parties
invited for the occasion, among which were
letters from Samuel ]. Tilden and Major Gen
eral Hancock, which were greeted with i'm.
mense enthusiasm. The letters were read by
Hon. Mr.. Bowers, chairman of the invitation
committee. That from Mr. Tilden was as
follows:
MR.. T11DEN's LETTER.
GRAYsToNE, March 80, 1882.
Gentlemen-I have received your letter in behalf
of the Jeersonian club of New Haven inviting tt
be present at their comulemoration of the birth
Thomas Jefferson. Although 1 am obliged to deny
myself the pleasure of meeting with you that oc
casion share the feelings which bring you together
Mr.. Jefferson has man. titles to the reverence o.
the American people and of all lovers of liberty
throughout the world: He was among the earliest
most resoue and most steadfast of the patriots who
upheld the popular rights in the incipient struggles
of our REVOLUTION when the part he took required
higher order OF courage, of sslf-denia and of genius
than were necessary at any subsequent period of
| history. He penned the immortal statement of thu
principles that led our ancestors to assert the indie
pendent existence of country, and which hal
been substantially adopted as model for every peo
pie who have since attempted to establish nationa
Independence on the basis of human rights
He was first in his day to completely emancipat
cal traditions which still ensave most of the best in
/ telects of the country.
But the obligations of the world to Mr. Jefferson
/! do not end here On the completion of the Fedora
Constitution Gouverneur Morris being asked what b
thought of it, answered, That depends upon how
Is construed After the organization of the Fedora
government pow erful class sought to impress upo1
It's practical working the sin itude of the British
stem. Mr.. Jefferson the great leader of tn
party formed to resist these efforts and to hold
Institutions to the popular character which
| ratified by the people By his infeuble adherence
to free principles, by his untiring efforts, by hi
counsels, and by the magic Of his pen, he was tn
principal agent in rescu1ng from its greatest peril
and while yet in its infancy government by the PEG
pie for the people.
The arduous contest resulted in political revolu
ton which brought Mr.. Jefferson into the Presiden
| cy. He put the ship of State to use his ex
PRESTON upon the ''republican tack" He arreste
centrazing tendencies he re-invigorated local self
government, restored the rights of the States, AM
protected and enlarged the main of the individual
| Judgment and conscience.
| For eight years he administered the government
| and for 16 years it administered by his pupil
under his observation and advice Thus was estab
Hshed habit which largely shaped the standards TO
the guidance of the popular judgment, the modes O
thinking of statesmen, and the general course of
| eminent for sixty years How Important such a hah
1t is will be appreciated when consider that usur
patton has often been successfully accomplished Il
other countries by welding the executive power
| and when reminded that Jefferson sincerel
ia fraii and worthless fabric, Would change It if
came into power, and when we also recall the fac
that Hamilton himself has left on record his belle
that Burr would have wrought personal usurpatio
| If he could have grasped the Presidency.
Mr. Jefferson gave to our administrative system Al
aspect of republican simplicity repressed jobber
as we'll as all perversions of power and by his pre-
cepts. his influence and his example elevated tn
standard of political morals In his personal prac
tice he not only pure, but, to make his exampl
more effective, he refrained while administering tn
greatest of official trusts from all attempts to
his own fortune even by methods OPEN to every pr
Yate citizen.
In period when there seems to be little respec
for the limitations of power prescribed by writ
| ten Constitution; when assumptions of ungrante
authority rife in all the departments of the fed
| eral government when that government is beiD
gradu lily changed into elective despotisa, med
ding in everything belonging to the staes to in
| d1vfduals when every new assumption of ungrante
power creates oppor unities, new facilities an
| new incentives to fayoritism and jobbery when tn
| o
power to determine the elections by pecuniary an
other illegtimate influences when the perversion Q
high public trusts to the private gain of the official
| frequently committed with apparent inconsistencies
| of wrong, and passes almost without rebuke it
| time that the teachings and the example of Thona
| Jefferson be invoked to keep alive the Rl1mmer1n
| spark of official virtue and public honor.
| Your fellow citizen,
| SAMUEL J. T1LDEN.
| Messrs. G. B. Bowers, James E. English, John
Leeds, Philip Pond and A. Heaton Robertson commit
tee.
| GEN. HANCoCK's LETTER.
| GOVERNORS IsLAND,1
| NEW YORK HARBoR,
| March %, 1882.
c. B. Bowers, Esq, Jehersonian Club Rooms, Me-
| Haven, CT.
Dear Sir I am in receipt of your invitation to
present at the celebration of the birthday of Thoms
| Jefferson at your club the Sd of Apr
| next.
| am very much obliged to you for your persons
note well as to the other gentlemen of the commit
| tee for their very kind remembrance of re
greet, however, that my time is much occupied
| present, and will be for time to come, that
| unless some official matter should call me away.
Please accept for yourself and for my friends VIII
are to be with you the Sd of April my best wshe
| and my sincere regret thai am unable to be wit
| them on 80 interesting occasion.
| Very truly yours,
MAJOR GENERAL HANCOCK.
After the banquet there were number o
speeches by prominent gentlemen fror
abroad and this city.