Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-01
JEFFEfssONIAN DEMOUkACY.

Letter From Chauncey Black to tho Jeffer-
son ASSOCIATION.
Special Dispatch to the Inquirer.
HARRISBURG July 31.-Chauncey F.
Black, Democratic candidate for lieuten-
ant-governor, has written the following
letter, accepting the election as an hon
orary member of the Jefferson association
Of Harrisburg
When the Federalists in the closing
revOlutiOniZed tho government established
by tho constitution, transcended its most
important limitations and invaded many
of the fields of power expressly reserved
from its operation, their dislodgement be
came necessary to the preservation of the
republic. That, like the present, was a
most unequal struggle between power,
patronage. money and monopoly on the
one side, and the masses of working peO-
pie on the other. The latter must have
gone down, and all that they contended
for must have been lost in one prodigiOus
disaster but for the character of their Or
ganization and leadership. These were
wisely adapted 70 the nature OF the con-
flict.
Jefferson, Madison, our own Gallatin
and their devoted compatriots were not
content with merely sounding the alarm.
They called tho people together in their
primary capacity, and urged them to
organize in close and permanent associa-
tions like the popular committees of the
revolution, where they might take council
one with another respecting the public
dangers and the means of defense. These
were tho democratic societies" which
filled tho Fe leralists with terror by their
bold agitations, and which it was once
actually proposed to put down by tho
strong hand under statute to be passed
for tho purpose.
The first one established in Pennsylva-
MIA was formed in Philadelphia in 1893,
with David Rittenhouse president, and a
list of other officers, some of whose names
are only less illustrious than his. The
Democratic societies were, ss Mr.. Jeffer-
son said, the nurseries of the Republi-
can principles of tho constitution" and to
them, with the widespread influence of
their discussions and publications, and the
"rousing of the people" by frequent
meetings in small bodies, where every man
had voice, was due, in NO small degree,
the great deliverance of 1900, and the de-
feat of tho infamous scheme to exclude
Mr.. Jefferson from the Office to which he
had been elected, as Mr.. Tilden was ex-
cluded in 1877.
The Democratic societies of our day are
called Jefferson associations, not merely in
veneration of the personal character of the
great apostle of American liberty, but to
indicate our devotion to the body of po-
litical principles which is justly known by
the name of him who formulated them in
matchless simplicity, and illustrated them
practically and personally in those two ad.
ministrations of the government which all
men agree ushered in the "Golden ago of
the Republic" The namo of Jefferson
stands, not for man o,ly, but for q faith,
not merely for the revered shade of the
leader, whose fame is consecrated wher.
ever the language of freedom is known,
but for doctrine as certainly and as abso.
lutely essential to political salvation as
any for which men ever fought or died. ..
The hour of our second deliverance from
the Bourbon Federalists, the boss, the
sp0ils system, the mOnOpolist and the COR
rupt ring, with the Capitalization in which
all have their beginning and their being,
draws near. To this most desirable end |
nothing can contribute moro directly or
moro powerfully than the establishment |
of Jefferson associations in every quarter. |
It is the method of Jefferson himself, and |
1 hope to see the great party of the COM
mon people, defrauded in 1776, make it
self ready for the final conflict before it |
by tho formation within its ranks of thou
sands Of these Democratic societies, or |
Jefferson associations, which, being close.
Iy affiliated and in Intimate correspond |
ence with each other, would keep the |
Democratic party democratic and put it |
in . posture to meet another electoral |
like that of 1S76-77, as our
forefathers met that 1901.