The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-06-16
Bayard's Grandfather.

WASHIhGTON, June l0.-ln the dOureSS
which Secretary Bayard recently de-
livered before the students of the Mis-
souri, University, he is reported as hay
ing said that when, in consequence of
the tie between Jefferson and Burr in
the electoral college, the election de-
volved upon the House of Representa-
tives, his grandfather, Federallst, in
structed by Hamilton, the great chief of
the Federalists, cast his vote for Thomas
Jefferson. This statement in the report
of what Secretary Bayard said having
been denied, and sharply criticized, a
Post reporter called at the residence of
Secretary Bayard and asked him if he
had seen these att cks.
"Oh, yes" replied the Secretary, 81
have read them; they were intended as
an attack upon me personally:
THEY ARE UNGENERoUs AND UNJUST,
But l do not care for that; but that
the effect OF it should be to call atten-
ton to the history of that period
greatly gratifies me. If it shall but be
the means of leading my count -ymen 10
learn the lesson of that epoch | shall
count myself fortunate in having by
any means been the cause of that result.
Now. the facts are that having listened
on this occasion to a beautiful and
glowing eulogy ON Thomas Jefferson by
Senator Vest, on which the antithesis
between him and Alexander Hamilton
was sharply drawn, somewhat to the
disadvantage of the latter, / rise to
speak without the least generalization
and consequently without a note. | was
glad to hear Jefferson praised, but !
thought it ought never to be forgotten
and ought never to go unacknowledged
that Hamilton when the deci-
sion arose was superior to party,
He knew the character ofs the
nominee of his party, of the man
who seven years after was tried for
treason, and as the country did not
know it, he did not hesitate to proclaim
it. This is the point was making, that
there was q time when it became the
duty of patriotic men to sacrifice party
for country, and was illustrating it by
the great example of Hamilton.
Naturally referred to James A. Bay
ard, for he stood nearer the counsels OF
Hamilton than any other Federallst.
My crime is that he was my grand.
father, and now l do not think said
that he cast his vote for Jefferson. But
whatever / NAV have said in the un-
studied address, | delivered, l say now
that my grandfather contributed
more than any man except Ham
ilton to the defeat of Burr and
the election of Jefferson, and tha
he voted in such way as to secure thai
result. could not well say that his vott
was positively cast for Jefferson for tina
would be an historical error. In the
sixth volume of Jefferson's correspond
tence are letters in which he urges Mr.
Bayard to break with the Federalist'
/ and vote for Jefferson and there are ex
tant letters OF my grandfather's bearing
date previous to these letters of Jetfer
son, IN which he declares his intention
of doing that verv thing.
That my grandfather was actuated by
the purest motives is shown by three
points asked of Mr.. Jefferson o
| Federalists which action secured hi
election:
First, the state of the public credit.
Second, the maintenance of the naya
system.
Third, that subordinate officers EN-
ployed only in execution of details estab
iished by law, should not be removes
from office on the ground of polltiea
character nor without : complain
against their conduct.
This last is pretty much the presen
Civil Service rules.
In reply Mr.. Jefferson said that thes
points correspondent with his own view
and intentions and during his admins
tration he made but sixteen removals
A malicious construction of the thir
point was that it was a bargain TO
office. When, however, Mr.. Jefferson
| nominated my grandfather to tn
French mission and he was contrme
& bv the Senate, he declined it upon thes
grounds:
The first was that he would be takin
money from the Treasury whlc
he had not earned, this vieV
being based upon the fact tina
under the old system the piniste
to France was paid, in addition 10 sa
ary of Sc, 600, an "outfit" of about "a ,OOt
and these two latter sums he received
he occupied the post bat month. Th
second ground of his declination wa
, that to accept Office under Mr.. Jeferso
would impugn the motive which ha
actuated him in securing his election
II endeavored wholly to Danish part
san politics" said the Secretary, in re
erence to his western trip. ut was sin
ply visit to educational centres of tn
$ West. At Kansas city was introduce
Q to people in hearty, cordial way
Senator Plum, and after banquet Co
ernor Robson, in the course of his r
marks, said that it was the first tin
that the people, irrespective of part,
: had Joined hands to receive and we
come man occupying my official pos
ton"