Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-04-20
THE JEFFERSON REVIVAL.
Shall the Republic be Preserved!
Mr.. rILDESs LETTER TO TUE JEFFERSON
CLuB or NEW HAVEN.

GENTLEMEN | have received your
letter in behalf OF the Jefferson club, oil
New Haven, inviting me to Toe present
at their commemorAtIon of the birth OF
Thomas Jefferson. Although ! am
obliged to deny myself the pleasure OF
meeting with you on that occasion, |
share the feelings which bring you to-
gether.
Mr.. jefferson has many titles to the
reverence OF the American people and
OF all lovers OF liberty throughout the
world. He was among the earliest,
most resolute, and most steadiast oi the
patriots " no upheld the popular rights
ia the incipient struggles OF our krvo'
luton, when the part he took required
higher order of courage, OF sell denial,
and of genius than were necessary at
any subsequent period of our history.
He penned the immortal statement ut
the principles that led our ancestors to
assert the independent existence ni our
country, and which has been substan
TALLY adopted ~ "a model for every pco
Pile who have since attempted To cstab'
lish national independence on the basis
of human rights.
He was first IN his day to completely
emanciuatc his own mind from the mon.
lrchical aud aristocratical traditions
which still ensluved most oil the best
,ntelects of the country.
But the obligations Of the world to
Mr.. Jefferson do not end here. On the
completion OF the federal constitution,
Gouvcrncur Morris, being asked what
he thought of 1t. answered: That de
pends upon how 1t l. construed After
the organization OF the federal govern
mcnt, a powerful class sought TO i'm
press upon its practical working the
similitude OF the British system. Mr.
Jefferson was the great leader OF the
parry formed TO resist these efforts, and
to hold our institutions to the popular
character which was understood To be
long to them when the constitution vas
ratified by the people.
By this inhrxIble adherence to free
principles, 10y his untIring efforts, by
his counsels and by the magic oi his
pen, he was the principal agent IN res
| culng from its greatest peril, and while
yet III its infancy, government by the
people for the people.
Tue arduous contest resulted in a
political revolution which brought Mr..
| Jefferson into the presidency. lie put
the ship OF state, TO use his own cXprrs
sion, upon the republican tack He
arrested ccntraiIzIug tendencies, rem.
| yIgorated local government, restor.
/ ed the rights Of the state, and protect
| ed and enlarged III" domain OF the IN
/ dIyidual iudgmen. and conscience. For
eight years he administered the govern
meut, and for sixteen years u vas adj.
minI.tered by hIs pupils uLdeT hls OBJ
seryatIon and advice. Thus WAS estab.
llshed habit which largely shaped the
/ standards for the guidance OF the popu
| lar judgment, the modes OF thinking of
/ statesmen, and the general course Of
government for sixty year,. How i'm.
portant such hshIt Is will toe appr"cIat
| ed when we consider that u-urpation
[ has often been successfully accomplish.
ed IN other countries by men welding
| the executive power; and when we are
reminded that Jefferson sincerely fear.
ed that Hamilton, who thought our
govern meut trail aud worthless fab
re" would change 1t 1t he came into
poweT and when We also recall that
[ Hamilton himself has left on record bis
belief that BUR- would have wrought a
personal usurpation II he could have
grasped the presidency.
Mr. Jefferson gave to our admiuistra
tive system an aspect Of republican
simplicity he repressed jobbery as well
/ a. an perver-ions OF power. and by HE
urecepts, his influence and his example.
elevated the standard OF political morals.
| In his personal practice he was not only
pure, but, TO make his example more
/ effective, he reirhined while admins
/ terlng the greatest of official trusts. from
/ all attempts to increase bis own fortune,
even by methods open 10 every private
citizen.
In period when there seems to be
| little Tepect for the limitations of pow.
| er prescribed by our written coustItu.
| ton when assumptions OF ungranted
authority are rite in all the departments
Of federal government; when that gov
erDment Is being gradually changed
into an elective despoiism. meddlIug In
everything belonging to the state or to
individuals: when every new assump.
ton Of ungranted power creates new
! facilities. and new incentives, to favor
itism and iobbery, when the civil ser
vice has been converted into a balance
Of power to determine the elections by
pecuniary add other illegilimate inAu.
ences: when the peryersion Of high
trusts to the private gain of the official
is frequently committed with apparent
unconsciousness of wrong, and passes
almost rehuke, IL IL time that the teach
ings and the example Of Thomas
Jefferson be invoked to keep alive the
glimmering spark of official virtue and
/ public honor. Your fellow citizen,
SAMUEL. J. TILDEN.
Messrs. G. II. Bowers, James T.. English.
John II. Leeds, Philip Pond and A.
| Heaton RobeFtsot, committee.