The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-05
WHEELING. ". VA, APRIL :, 1857.
Wa. rhOma. JeGer,on Great States.

ven, Connecticut, in which the veteran Of
Grainmercy Park dealt out to the club ex.
trayagant laudations on Thomas JeiEer.
son as the great statesman Ofthe early days
Of our republic 1t seems us II we ought
to know. by this time whether Mr.. JelEer-
son is deserving Of these posthumous tri-
bntes to his craftsmanship. wetavC in this
country great party prOiessedly founded
on his ideas as to our form Of government,
and 1t seems as II that party at least ought
to be sure OF the foundation wherein il
processes to have built. The question
arises, however, is 1t sure Of It's founda-
ton? Is It a party built on the ideas OF
Thomas Jefferson, and do his ideas consti-
tute foundation whereon any party can
sand that believes in the pormanenCe OF
the American Bnion2
Thomas Jefferson was hostile 10 the adop.
ton Of the constitution that now constitutes
US Union. II we arc nation to-day We
are SO despite Of his opposition to the
instrument whereunder our nationality has
been accomplished. We owe him nothing
whatever MS respects that constitution. His
effort wasnot toEecure its adoption. Isitthis
part Of Mr.. Jefrerson's career that consti.
tues him great statesman, and that en-.
titles him to the exlravagant eulogies Of
Mr., Ttiden as against George Washington,
John Adams and Alexander Hamilton-all
three OF whom were the friends and advo.
Gates Of the constitution.
But not only did Mr.. Jefferson not favor
the adoption OF the Federal Constitution,
but,wose, than that, he became the author OF
the so.Called resolutions Of l70S-written
by him after the adoption Of the Constitu-
tion-aiter Washington and Adams had
been elected Presidents under that Consti-
tution-after hehad served in Washington's
Cabinet rs Secretary Of state-written
to encourage and promote his own election
to the Presidency-which resolutions more
than any document ever penned in this
country sowsd the dragons teeth that cul.
minated first in n notification movement
in Kentucky, next in the.attempted multi
fcation Of South Carolina, and Justly in
the rebellion itself.
The resolutions Of 1898 are long, and we
have not space to reproduce them in this
reference to Mr. Tilden's letter, but the
first one Of the series reads us follows:
Resolrcd, That the several States COM
prising the United States OF America are
not united on the principle Of unlimited
submission to their general Government;
but by compact under the style and
title OF Constitution Of the United States,
and amendments thereto, they constituted
ageneral government for special purposes
delegated to that government certain
definite powers, reserving, each State to
itself, the residuary mass OF right to their
own self-government; and that whatsoever
the General Government assumes undele-
gated powers, its acts are uuauthoritatiye
void and OF no force; that to this
compact each State acCeded as n
State and MS an integral party, its co.
states forming, as 10 itself, the other party;
that the government created by this COM
pact was not mde the exclusive or final
judge OF tho powers delegated to itself,
since that would have made its discretion,
and not the constitution, the measure OF
its powers; but that, us in all other cases OF
compact among powers having no common
Judge, each party has an equal right 10 Judge
for iseif, az usll Of intrGcttOnI az Of The mode
and measure Of redress"
The author OF this rope of sand became
President Of the United States on the 4th
of March, 1901. Up to that time he had
been an extreme and relentless stiCkler tOr
the most rigid and literal construction Of
the Federal pact, and for denying to the
Government all authority for which ex-
press warrant could not be found in the
provisions OF that instrument. He had
said: "1n questions OF power, then, let
no more be heard OF confidence in men,
but bind them down from mischief by the
chains Of the Constitution"
Notwithstanding this language, one Of the
early acts Of Mr.. Jefferson rs President was
to open asecret correspondence for the pur-
chase Of Louisiana, resultingin the purchase
of that territory in the succeeding year. lie
confessed that there was no warrant in the
Constitution for this purchase. He said
that Congress must ratiiy and pay for it
and throw themselves on their country for
doing for them unauthorized what VIC
know they would have done for them.
selves had they been in n situation 10 do
it"
This was the language Of the great strict
constructionist Of the Constitution. Before
he became President he was for tying
everybody down by "thc chains Of the
Constitution" but when he himself be.
come President he found ways and means
toge from under the chains Of the Consti.
tuition.
Jefferson wSsa sCheming and designing
man. He, more than any one else, dis.
gusted Washington with public life, and
made him eager TO retire to the quiet Of
Mt Vernon. Look ut his conduct in the
Cabinet when tho Frenchman, Gcnest,
came to this country rs the representative
of the Red Repub ic of France, and when
in defiance Of our laws he undertook to ft
out prlvatees in our ports. In spite OF
Jefferson, Washington requested his recall,
and was at one time on the point Of order.
ing him out OF the country. JelIeBon's
principal clerk ms Secretary Of State
under Washington, was Frenchman,
named Freneau, the editorot paper that
teemed with personal attacks on Washing
ton. jefferson is himself authority for the
statement that the attacks so incensed
Washington that on one occasion, at u Cab.
met meeting, he declared che would
rather be in his grave than in his present
situation"