Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-08-11

Memorial Meeting OF the Jefferson Democrat
Association OF Nork.


Like Seymour, Mcclellan and Hancock,
Mr. Tldeu was an honorary member OF the
York Jefiersonisu association. As it was tit
he should be. he was the first elected, and ac-
cepted In letter in which he said
"Thomas Jefferson has a title to tho esteem
and gratitude ofthe American people even
greater than that which he derived from
being the author OF the Declaration OF lude-
pendence, aud from being the author OF the
statute of Religious Freedom by the State ut
Virginia
"Durlng all the bloody conflicts of the
American Revolution, and the civil struggles
of which our system of government emerged;
and tho controversies through which was
impressed upon it the character of a govern
ment "by the people, for the people,, he
was the apostle of human freedom, ana Tue
greatest leader of that beneticent philosophy
which was embodied i'll our institutions
"At q time when powertui tendencies are
at work to subvert the original chatd ter ot
our governmental break down the llmita-
tiuns of power established by tue Constltu-
tion-to centralize the action and influence
of official authurities-to create governing
| class, using the machinery of government as
| corrupt balance or power IN the elections,
and then shaping legislation aud admins
| tra,icn in the interests oI the few against the
msny-the preCepts aud example of such a
| man as Mr.. Jefferson cannot be too often in.
| yoked.
"The formation of societies which Can act
as centres of discussion and as agencies tor
the propagation of the pure principles of the
Fathers OF the Republic, is a measure Capa.
BILE OF great service to the people and TO mau-
| kind"
A Tribute TO the Dead JehersonIsu
At special meeting Of the jefferson Dem.
ocratic association OF York, held August D,
| 1856, the following minute, offered by Lieu
tenant Governor Black, was, on motion of
| Senator Ross, unanimously adopted.
We deplore in the death OF Samuel J. Til
| den a great public calamity. Not only was
| he the most illustrious citizen of the United
| States living during the last ten years, but
| he was during that period more powerful for
| good than perhaps any citizen had ever been
in private life Notwithstanding the trall-
ties of the body, his clear and matchless in.
telleCt maintained its proper asCendency
| whenever employed-and it was constantly
| employed-fOr the best interests of hls party
and country. His mind was pre-eminently
| and almost confessedly the ruling mind OF
| that great popular party, founded by Jefler
| sou, and recognized by Tilden, for the pre-
| sarvatlon of home government and the pur
| tiCation of the public service
He was triumphantly elected president in
| 1876 with the purse and the sword of the
| nation itself unscrupulously thrown into the
! struggle against him. with basey prosu-
l tuted civil service employing many thous-
l ands of undisguised partlsans in the same
| bad cause. and with the power OF all the
| favored classes nursed into eNOrbitaut
! wealth and iusoence by a long course of
/ FederslSt special legislation III behalf OF
/ the few at the expense Of the many, ar.
/ rayed on the same side. The evil powers
| which had failed tn defeat Mr.. Tllden at the
| polls com bined to reverse the decision of the
people by bold and cunning scheme OF
fraud, which was permitted 10 sucCeed only
| because Of the reluctance OF the defrauded
| majority to plunge the country into the
| miseries Of a civil war. But he was still the
''only chief whom the hearts of the people
| would know, and to the last day OF his hon
| ored life he continued 10 WELD moral iufiu
ence upon his countrymen of all parties
| greater than that which attaches TO the pres
| idental office except when that office is filled
| by one like himself
| Mr.. Tilden's career was fashioned upOG
l the methods and controlled by the principles
| of the Incompatible Jefferson. He accepted
| the doctrines of Jefferson, not merely be
| cause they were his, or even because the
| were formulated by him, but because the,
were, and must forever be, the essential priu
| ciples upon which free and pure government
, | can alone be constructed or maintained. Q
| all Mr.. Jetferson's disciples, illustrious a
| some of them were, Mr.. Tilden will unques
! | tionably occupy in history the place OF tn
| most illustriOus. and, in the extent OF hi
| practical influence upon the times in whiC
| ne lived, the most successful. As a publici,
he WAS not inferior to Madison; an ell
| lightened huancier aud manager
affairs in the larger sense, he Wa
| monopoly breaker and ring smasher, IL
, | spring the people with confidence in thei
own strength as against the privileged classe
$ combined for the plunder OF the prOducer
p | he was scarcely inferior to Jackson. Lik
| Jefferson himself he was not only philOsc
pher and eXpounder, but an administrator
| unequslled force and skill. He has eXerte
| upon this age-upon the popular though
and the public policies Of the tim,
moulding his party and thereby tn
= destinies of the country-a decisive IL
| huence precisely like that of Jefferso
| himself in his own epoch. The party es
) | tablished by the methods and doctrines {
, | Jefferson has been established by tn
| methods and doctrines of Tilden, and it will r,
| main in power, more or less permanent, $
long as their teachings are sCrupuIousIy re
garded.
We recon mend that every Jefferson assC
citation and every deliberative association
| Democrats place in their libraries in additio
! to the /" Works of Jefferson" "Tilden
Public Writings and Speeches. )" edicted b
Mr.. Bigelow, and the History of Politics
, | Crime" both prepared under the persons
supervision of Mr.. Tllden for the instructio
| OF his Countrymen in the true principles
| Republican government and the facts cor