The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-04-22

visw vss Homogeneous 10 en- extent which
No csn now hardly comprehend. The accss-
sions to the native American element from
emigration had been uncomfortable since the
Revolutionary war. and Jefferson was never
called upon to ponder tho question whether
even tho American nation was capscious and
vigorous enough 10 digest and assimilste the
immense mass OF crude material cast By Eu-
rope upon our shores. Neither does II appeaf
that the problem Of negro suffrage was ever
distinctly brought before Jefferson's mind. He
would have liked to free the blacks but his
hope was to rid the country 81 them by sending
them back TO Africa. The ideal Greek democ-
racy which he had before his eyes. and to
which he believed himself to have approached
in Virginia. had q substratum OF slavery;
and although he did not consider such basis
necessary or desirable. there IL no proof that
he ever contemplated the bestowal Of the fran
chise on smsncipated slaves. But although
Jefferson never had occasion to pronounce on
the expediency Of intrusting the ballot to
multitude OF foreign emigrants totally unac.
auainted with political rights and duties. and
to millions Of manumitted slaves. no thought
full student OF his writings can doubt that he
would ultimately have approved Of the I'M
limited extension Of tho suffrage TO which his
principles indisputably pointed. Mr.. Morse.
therefore. Is ct liberty TO question the sagacity
OF opinions whose sweeping embodiment In
law has had consequences less satisfactory
in some resp ,cts than could be wished.
But there are those who bolieve that the
problem OF government under our present
political and social conditions could not be
solved at all except by the unfinching applics-
ton OF Jeffersonian doctrines. There are those
whojthink that the ballot has proved the main
educator OF the enfranchlsed masses that IL Is
m indispensable agency in the process OF
fusion and assimilation. and that the presence
OF vast body OF resident aliens and OF manu-
mitted slaves. who felt themselves debarred
from the privileges OF citizenship. would have
constituted = formidable danger to the COM
monwealth. We are by no means sure that
Thomas Jefferson thought better Of his fellow
be. il Is quite possible to maintain that JefYer-
sons Willingness to trust the people Is the hest
practicable saiegusrd against social nn Mine
We trust that Mr.. Morse's book will put an
certain quarters touching. Jciierson's policy
In the matter 81 removals from onice. II was
s Who his by Ssr nd So
on !his, point Mr.. Morse says: fhs oonIact
IN The Iie ntervsi betwee s Jsiisrsons eecton and
his, Inauguration gayo him such ,proyocation
did nothing Of The kind. but on tho. contrary.
hs Whit T cas Sssn r ss
Quincy AHA ASsms:" rs 4, 70 t tho ming Ing. q
leans having been excluded from ali Offices
pS5can and iT had Claim
t. VACANCIES tili they occupy their duo share
M o this es h,
ysrted and jefferson was justified in expect
ing the equity and good sense of the. Fed
assumption that tho Republicans should come
IN for the vacancies which might occur unit!
S Ba a Mr. Mnrse n G pomas @
the serious question was not how vacancies
be Sd but hsw they shSpa be
deaths. designations. and expirations Of terms
of office should be awaited. OF. whether npmer-
goes t on to SHOW Tint Jeerscn met this prob.
cm at once. boldly and. frankly" Rsmoyas.
gradually and bottonled on some mayersatlon
or inherent disqua iilcation:" One class only
Of Frderalist incumbents aud aproin.Hcs were
to be swept away ~ n,dsse and. as Mr.. Morse
acknowledges. with Understandable prorrie-
"" These we're the new appointments wliici,
Hs@s nag sscxdss IN aS When M the a r
suit Of the election WAS known.
corning 0s fss WITH 4 When e snrei
were not only prof.ssed IN words but carricd
two yenrs in Office only sixtec removals had
besn made for political reasons alone, nnd
rigor Of his original rule was slightly relaxed:
bat. " It must be admitted" says Mr.. Morse.
orb at dr ri far the hon
that he showed great courage and honesty in
permitting Offices to be retained by u mass Of
rsidIy prescribed kspubcsns ' Had G% pos,i oi
tSsn that y
would have emulnted this conduct OF The Re-
publican leader" II Is further demonstrated
President jefferson acted with pairistakinS
q TIA, |! lis
which exposed, him to the iriehtfni Iibsis
Of the Riemond %sc@ 9:0" Toueh chi s9a ahsss
moIstros to which JefersSn meyer
%
It sounds too much like damntng with faint
smoars. that there IS no SUFFICIENT AND I'm.
than the majority Of his ccmpeers. 'i 70 SU our
t mind 4 Is n more than s ess
:asS days would sn Be- r sSR% a:
sss ss' es. as s.S5as asE
sfi%e 81 e q Alien r and gsaon
laws. Mr.; Morse e within the truth when he
declares those statutes probably contrary to
the letter and certainly grossly diseordant with
As In other passages Of this interesting hook.
the "athor dissoysss somewhat excessive
too far. IN our opinion. whom he describes the
and aflrms that the Republican antidote con-
ss9etsd by Jefferson ives far worse than the
ths. TSon @
passed by tho MASSACHUSETTS and. Con-
to, amply. to them the epithet wicked"
although he seems 70 admit that they breathed
said ne 11sverthe!ess that although the author
tionary." and AYERS that Jefferson fell into
the abyss OF what has since been regarded as
treason. he hastens to qualify his lang uage by
some som very material concessions. He is care.
who knew more about what the Constitution
was Intended by its trainers to mean than any
lions substantially the same ground. He notes
also the significant circumstance that these
proceedings did not seriously injure either
their authors or the party which adopted them.
Nk.,V II-a.~