New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-04

many Hall, thousands OF earnest anu sihCero
Democrats would have gone to their graves
without even dreaming that Thomas Jefferson
was the "Father of the Democratic Party"
But Tammany Hall has patiently and persist
emily "whooped it up" every year, until now
there is scarcely a Democrat in the country
who would not prefer holding lucrative office
under Jefferson or Jeffersonian Democrat to
being private citizen under almost any other
Administration. Ii is no small thing to nave
brought about this condition of things in a
party whose aversion to holding office has so
long been thought impossible to overcome.
Nor is this all that has been accomplished by
Tammany Hall in the direction of hOnoring
the memory of jefferson. 1t is through the
efforts of this society that there is now move
ment on foot-we say "on foot" because the
progress that has been made is obvious proof
of that method of locomotion-fOr the erection
of statue of Mr.. Jefferson as the Father or
the Democratic Party" We do not know that
any money has yet been raised for the purpose,
but it is well known that some very able and
eloquent remarks have been made with regard
to it. and that several eminent Democrats have
volunteered to express their surprise that the
matter had not been thought of before. 1t
would perhaps be too much to expect that this
project should be carried into execution while
the Democratic party is taxing its resources so
largely to secure the freedom OF lrelandj Dut
we may hope, at least that so soon rs Ireland
is freed the statue will be erected.
The services at the Wigwam to-day VIII
no doubt be unusually interesting. During the
past three months, Mr.. Jefferson's claim to the
authorship of the Declaration upon the taking
I'D of arms in 1775 has been called in question
by high authority, and many Democrats LABOR
under the delusion that it is his claim to the
authorship of the Declaration OF Indepen-
dence that is disputed. The day must not be
allowed to pass without MS claim to both being
thoroughly indicated. New interest il given
to the occasion by the recent publication OF
letter of Mr.. Jeflerson's written in 1854
This document, though not touching directly
upon the politics of the time undoubtedly con
tains what must be considered a ar 49, al
fusion to the coming Democratic p
a disauisition upon balloons ana
mowers of gas 1t was Mr.. Jcficrsons ~
that great things could be accomplished " r.
way of navigating the air that commodihr.
could be transported, passengers carried.
deserts traversed, mountains crossed, the
Pole reached, and many other things done-if
only sufficient supply of gas could be OBJ
taned So far as the balloon proper Is con-
cerned his sanguine expectations have scarcely
been fulfilled. But his followers think they
have made something of success In applying
his notions TO political experiments. They
have been trying the lifting power of gas these
many years. They have not got great way
from the ground, to be sure, and whenever they
have it has been followed by collapse. But
they still hold that they can do almost anything
if they only use gas enough and 50 they
keep at it, 1t might be we'll for the Tammany
Society to have this newly discovered letter OF
st. Thomas read to them to-day Immediately
after the reading of the Declaration OF In
dependence. 1t would be such an encourage
ment to them to know that nearly hundred
years ago the Father of the Democratic
Party" expressed the greatest confidence in
the final success of their present experiment
in the lifting power of gas.