The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-08-31
Is JEFFERSON DEAD!
I'm the Body, Yes! But His Princi-
pies Living Issues Today.

pies Living Issues Today.
Interesting Letter Froza Cnauncey
r. Black. Candidate for EicUtsn-
ant Governor.
Hon. G. F. Black, Of York, the Dem
ocratic candidate for Lieutenant Gov
ernor of Pennsylvania, has written
letter to the Jeffersonian Association
of Harrisburg acknowledging his cleo
ton as an honorary member, which
was read to the Association at its meet
ing on the 3lst ult. After tracing the
progress and important results which
followed the formation of Democrat
ic Societies in Jefferson's time, Mr.
Black says:
But it is said that jefferson is
dead" / think this is a mistake JEFF
ferson died in the body some hours
| before his great friend and antagonist,
John Adams, but the last words of the
latter were: Jefferson still lives"
and they We're true. He lives in his
deathless work, in his teachings and
i'll his influence, and when he ceases
to live, the Republic itself will have
ceased to live. When Mr.. Adams died
umph of Democracy seemed both COM
plete. But if any man imagined that
these conditions have been reversed,
and that the "strOng government, J"
for which the federalists have contend
ed, from Hamilton and Adams to Grant
and Arthur, has finally displaced the
republican government of enumerated
and limited powers, let him remem ber
the federal eXultation which went be-
fore the mighty fall of 1900. The prin-
ciples of Jefferson are dear to every
honest republican heart there never
was moment since the adoption of
the constitution, when, if put fairly at
issue, they would not have received
the unreserved appreciation of a vast
majority of the American people. JEFF
1erson Is not dead. He will be dead
only when we Ourselves or our less
fortunate children are dead in political
slavery, that is TO say, when the inde-
pendent COmmonwealths which took
their places among the nations of the
earth upon Jefferson's immortal dec
laration, and We're again rescued by
him from worse peril i'll 1900, shall
have been crushed in the coils of a
corrupt Capitalization, and the last
VeStige of local self-gOVernment shall
have been swept away. But until then
let no honest Democrat listen TO the
shallow and pitiful taunt that Thomas
Jefferson is dead. The words that can
have no meaning, unless it be implied
that the principles of home rule and
pure government which he SO nobly
maintained in life were entombed with
the dust of the good right hand which
traced the Declaration of Indepen-
dence and the golden truths of his first
L - l.
seemingly true in the eyes of the com
placent federalist giUating over need
less millions snatched from the hands
of patient labor and distributed among
! favored classes. enjoying undue privi-
leges, or lavished upon objects not dis
tinctly defined by the constitution,
then it is high lime FOR the Tesurrec-
ton. The sober Judgment of the peo-
pie is again invoked upon a situation
far graver than that of 1900, when
Jefferson fought in the flesh. Can any
reasonable man doubt the result? The
huge aggregation of special interests,
artificially fostered by our later legis-
lation, combined under the name of
the Republican party and administer
ing the government for the benefit Of
the few in utter disregard of the rigE s
and needs of the cruelty plundert d
ana neaVlly Dufueneu many, IS VlSlOly
rotting assunder and falling away into
helpless fragments. The hour of sec
ond deliverance from the Bourbon
federalist, the boss, the spoils system,
the monopolist and the corrupt ring,
with the Capitalization in which all
have their beginning and their being,
draws near. To this most desirable
end nothing can contribute more di-
rectly or more powerfully than the es-
tablishment of Jefersonian associa.
tions in every quarter. 1t is the meth
od of Jefferson himself, and l hope to
see the great party of the common
people, defrauded i'll 1876, make itself
ready for the final conflict before it by
the formation within it's ranks of thou
S s,nds of these D nlocrat C societies or
Jefferson associations, which being
closely affiliated and in intimate cor
respondence with each other, would
keep the Democratic party democratic
and put it in position to meet anoth-
er electoral conspiracy like that of 1876
II as our forefathers met that of 1860. 1 .
Meanwhile l am, very truly yours,
etc., CHAUNCEY F. BLACK.
BENZ. NJ. MEAD, ESQ,
Cor. Sec'y Jeffersonian Association.