Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-12-31
Jeffersonian Principles.

We often see in the public press, and not
unfrequently hear illusions made by indl-
viduals to "Jeffersonian principles, but
how many really comprehend the true
meaning of the words. Our younger Dem
ocracy, in the whirl and activity of every
day life, OF during the excitement of poll
teal canvas, have neither the time nor in
clination to study dnte-belluns political plat
forms. Still it would be well to have a
more thorough knowledge of these princi-
pies, as the whole super-structure of the
Democratic party sis based upon the doc
trines promulgated by the sage OF Mon
ticello.
What are these principles? Every dem
agogue proclaims his unalterable devotion
to them; at each recurring Presidential con-
test the Democratic party reaffirms its ad-
hesion to the principles of Jefferson and
jackson, but does not tell US clearly ana
unequivocally what these principles are
Ask them to-day and we venture to assert
. that Edmunds, Conkling, Grant, Blaine or
Logan, yes Malone himself, will insist that
ali their political acts harsSbeen III strict
conformity with the priieipief OF Jefferson.
Now it must be apparent the meaness
comprehension, that if Del ratio Conyen-
lions, Republican leadepsHnd political par
asites are all followers Of Jefferson, 1t IS
about time we had some authoritative ex-
position of principles susceptible of such
conflicting Interpretation; and if no higher
good be gained, we will at least deprive
political knaves and tricksters of even the
nominal shelter of the great Democrat
name. Our own humble opinion is, that
Jefferson's political principles were the
logical aud necessary outcome OF the loea
that all Just government must rest on the
consent of the governed; that in all affairs
of government the people are supreme; thai
government should be and must be supJec'
to the will of the people by whom 1t was
established, not the people supJec' u
the government; that all government
officers. are the servants Of the people
Ion this foundation be erected q poll
teal theory, the cardinal features OF
which we're: the equal rights OF freemen &c
. determine the form Of government under
which they will live; that such government
can possess only delegated powers, which
powers should be clearly defined and limit
l ed: that the cost of government must MOI
exceed the economical and efficient dis
charge of the duties delegated; that confer
ring special privileges and benefits tends &c
produce favored classes; that public olhce
is trust to promote the general welfare,
not to secure private advantage or gam
that public servants must be held response
BILE and accountable to the people; that gov
eminent should not be strong lest the peo-
pie should cease to be free; that govern
:, ment should be poor in order that its peo-
pie may be rich. These may not be-ln'
deed we are very sure they are not-the
vigorous, clear and concise, yet. comprehen
siye presentation OF Jeffersonian principles,
= SO imperatively needed just at this time, but
each and all of tho doctrines here given, are
, clearly deducible from the public acts, ut
terances and acknowledged opinions OF the
!, great founder Of the Democratic party, and
equally clearly every political creed OF dec
trine antagonistic to them is, and must be
subversive of the principles of government
which he sought to establish. To us, al
least, it seems equally clear that with theil
cognate doctrines that constitute the essen
tial principles Of true Democracy, upon the
Il triumph of which only can We base any rea
. sonable hope of reseuing the government
} f.om the degradation OF corruption and job
y bary, to which it has been brought by Re
pablicanism and Mahoneisn.
. Now nothing can be palmer than that tia
equality Of men proclaimed and contendee
for by Jefferson, was limited to the equa
= rights of all frecmen to resist tyranny, tt
- establish what form Of government they
chose, and the right Of equal protection bJ
the laws of their own enactment. Know
. ing that men must differ mentally and
> morally, as well as physically, he no more
= believed in their social equality, than thai
> all animals are equally strong, all foliage
equally verdant, all mountains equally loft
ly, all flowers equally odorous; uncomprom
isingly opposed to the arbitrary class dis
:, tinctions, created by an hereditary aristoc
j., racy, he was too sagacious and philosophit
to conceive it possible to establish absolute
> equality among men. 1t did not require
g the terrible experience of France between
Louis XVI and the Directory to convince
him that such Utopian hopes must prove
fallacious. He knew. that the dead level o.
absolute equality, even if forcibly Or for
), tuitously established could not be maintain
!, ed in the free, independent and self govern
ing union of sovereign States, he sought tc
construct and perpetuate. 1t is a selfeyi
a dent fact, in country like this, the IN
It selfish, the talented, the energetic men mus
e ever be striving to rise, because honesty
, energy and talent, command esteem, influ
J ence and wealth Instead Of attempting tt
S prevent the inevitable, Jefferson recognized
: it, and accepting the fact, he continuously
! sought to diminish the distance which sepa
f rated the classes. This was the perplexips
= and important political problem to which
S he gave all his matchless powers the tri
D umphant solution of which is found in the
e principles of the Democratic party.
The artful demagogues Of the Republican
g party arrayed the majority Of the Northern
S people against the Democracy Of the coun
: try, by insiduous appeals to class jealousie'
# and hatreds, and by similar demagoguer!
; that political parasite, Malone, subjected
It Virginia to the shameful and disgracefu
y thraldom from which she has just been re
e scued, by return of her honest and intel
ligent voters to the principles Of the Demo
cratic party. It is not to be denied that {
foul stain must ever attach to the proud fOlt
n Dominion for submitting even temporarily
j to the supremacy of a political parasite. :