The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-08-06
THE CONTEST IN PENNsYLvANfA.
Tho Democratic Candidate for Iieutenant-
eovernor Writes on Thomas Jefferson, 20
the JeHersoh Association or HnrrI.burr.


Governor Writes on Thomas Je ne rson, 20
the Jenersoh Association or IInrrI.burr.
yoRK July 20.
MY DEAR SIR: Nothing could have given mo
greater pleasure than the receipt OF your kind conmun
cation Of tho i2th inst Informing INC OF my unanimous
election to honorary membership In tho Jefferson Asso
citation OF Harrisburg. accept the compliment with
lively aud grateful sense OF its true value and shah
deavor to make my name worthy Of Its place on your
roll by continuance In those humble but efforts
in the great cause yon organized to promote which
have doubtless procured me- this uncN pected honor
When the feerasts III the closing years Of the last
century had well nigh rvvolutionzed the Government
established by the Constitution trHnscending Its most
important Limitations and AIDING many OF the fields OF
power expressly reserved from its operation their dis
Judgement became necessary to the preservation OF tho
rrrn'ic. That, like the present was most unequal
stru~rlc between power. patronage money md monop
uly the side and the Of working people on
tic other. The latter must have gone down. and all
that thoy oontendrd for have been lost in one
roOus disaster lut for the character of their Orgau
cation and leadership These wisely adapted to
the nature Of the CONFLICT Jefferson Madison our own
uaiatin and their devoted compatriots were not CON
tent with merely sounding the alarm They called the
people together In their primary capacity and urged
them to organize in close and permanent asso.
Cmtion. like the popular committees OF the Reyolu
ton. where they might take counsel one with
another respecting the public dangers the means OF
defence. These were the Democratic Societies which
h'rd the Fchcrnsts with terror by their bold agitn
uols and which 1t once actually proposed to put
down by the strong hand under statute to be passed
for the purpose. The first established in Pennsy
vanin WAS formed in Philadelphia in 1898. with David
Rtteuhousc President and list OF other officers some
OF whose names are only Ices ilustrous than Ills The
Democratic societies wero Mr. Jefferson said, tho
nurseries Of the republican principles OF the Constu
ton" and to them. with the widespread influence OF
their discussions and public atoms and the rousing Of
the people" by frequent meetings in small bodies where
every man had voice duo In small degree the
of so aud the defeat of the infamous
scheme to exclude Mr. Jefferson from the Office which
he had been elected, Mr. Tdcn excluded in 1871
The Democratic societies OF day are called Joder.
son associations not merely in vcneration OF the per.
sonhl character OF the great apostle Of American lib
erty but to indicate devotion body political
principles which is Justly known by the OF him
who formulated them In matchess simplicity and Illus.
traod them practically and personally in those two ad
illustrations Of the Government which all men agree
nShercd In the golden age of the republic" The
OF jefferson stands not for only, but for faith
not merely for the revered shade of the leader whose
fame Is consecrate wherever the language freedom
is known but for doctrines certain and as abso
lutey essential to political salvation any for which
men ever fought or died.
But it is said that Jefferson is dead" think this is
amisake Jefferson died In the body hours before
Ills great friend and antagonist John Adams; hut the
last words OF the latter Jefferson st lives"
and they true. lie lives In his deathless work in
his teachings aud In his influence and when he
to live the republic itself will have ceased be When
Mr. Adams died the failure OF Federalism and the tri
umph Of Democracy seemed both complete. But II any
man ihgnes that these conditions have been reversed
and that the strong Government" for which the
federalists have contendei, from Hamilton and
Adams to Grant and Arthur, has finally Displaced
the republican Government of enumerated and
limited powers, let him remember the Federalist
eSuitation. which went before the mighty fail OF
1903 The principles of Jefferson are dear to every hon
est republican heart; there mover moment since
the adoption OF the Constitution whom II put fairly at
issue they would not have received the unreserve up
probation of vast majority OF the American people
Jefferson is not dead. lie will bo dead only when we
ourselves or our less fortunate children dead in
political slavery that is to say, when the
Commemorative which took their places among the
tions of the earth upon Jehersons immortal Decar alton
and were again rescued by him worse peril in 1900
shall have been crushed in the coils OF corrupt central
Hatioh. ard the last vesge OF local sefgovernment
shall hive been swept away But until then let no hon
est Democrat stcn to the shallow and pitfu aunt that
Thomus Jefferson IN dead The words can have no mea
ing, unless it be implied hat the principles of
ami pare government which he noblv nain aimed In
life, were enombcd the dust Of tho good right hand
which traced the Declaration OF Independence and
golden truths OF his rst inaugural AMI If that he true
or seemingly true in the OF the cOmplaceut Fcdc
rais goating needless millions snatched from the
hands OF patient labor and distributed among favored
clnsSe- enjoying undue privileges avsed on objects
not distinctly defined BY the Constitution, then high
time for the resurrection.
The sober judgment of the people is again invoked
upon situation far grNvrr than that of 1902 when
Jefferson fought in the iicsl any rcasonabls man
doubt the RESULT The huge OF special inter
ess, arncialy fostercd hy our later LEGISLATION
blned under the of the Republican party and al
ministering the Government for the ben, lit OF the few
utter disregard Of the rights ani needs OF the cruelty
lUndered and heavily hardened many is visiJ rottiug
asunler and falling h.lpl.55 fragments