Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-02
JEFFERsoNs BIRTHDAY.


To-day is the anniversary Of the birth
Of Thomas Jefferson. The great leader
Of the party opposed TO the federalists,
TO which he gave the name republican,
was born April 2, (old style) 1913. Re-
Gently there was issued by the presi-
dent Of the national association OF demo-
cratic clubs n request to subordinate as
sociations TO celebrate this anniversary
sin some manner suitable TO the great
OCCASION" and n quite general observ-
ance OF the day by such associations
is probable. In the circular OF the
president Of the national association
it Is said; "At O time when the
administration Of the executive power
Of the federal government, and the con-
troll of the two houses OF congress, have
but recently passed, or are passing, un-
checked, into the hands of a party
avowedly federalism, in corrupt alliance
with a mighty aggregation of powerful
private monopolies, and practically ac-
knowledging none OF the restraints or
limitations imposed by the constitution,
it is especially important that the teach
ings OF the great apostle Of American
democracy should be again most SOL
emnly invoked What claim has mod
ern democracy-the democratic party OF
to-day-to be regarded as the exponent
of the teachings OF Thomas jefferson?
The whole people hold in highest
honor the memory of the author of the
Declaration OF Independence. His is
one OF the imperishable names of our
history that will continue to grow in
lust re and in the homage Of free peo-
pie with the advancing years. He was
not without faults and human weak
| nesses. His uncompromising partisian-
ship, and to some extent, also, his per-
sonal ambition, made him trouble
some member of Washington's admins
| tration. 1t was he who, when presi-
| dent, set the precedent OF removals
from office for political reasons, a
| policy which later democratic presi-
| dents enlarged to the fullest extent. He
was the author OF the Kentucky resolu-
as the first PRONUNCIATION of the doctrine
| OF notification or secession, and he was
not always above political intrigue. Yet
he was undeniably one of the greatest
| men of his era, and few did so much to
secure national independence and
| firmly establish the foundations of the
| republic. He believed in the union to
the end of his life, and the record OF
| his public career furnishes no in
stance OF his having eyer encour-
| aged or countenanced sectional
ism. Had the democratic party
followed the patriotic example and
teachings of Jefferson the country
would not have been torn by rebellion,
for it would have surrendered slavery
rather than have imperilled the union.
But it wandered away from Jeifersonian
patriotism and became the party of a
section, dominated by the element
which was incurably infected with the
dangerous and destructive teachings
and principles of Calhoun. Although
beaten in the long and bloody struggle
to carry out those principles, as a
party the democracy has not
yet renounced them. The men
who dominate the the party may
confess the hopelessness of ever car
rying them into effect, but they do not
therefore the less firmly believe that
they are right. All democratic talk
about the ascendancy of federalism in
the government, about the limitations
of the constitution, and about the rights
of the states, is simply the echo of Cal
hounism, and it is libel on Jefferson
to connect his name with it.
There can be no objection to an OBJ
servance of the birthday Of Thomas JEFF
ferson. 1t is all occasion upon which
all Americans, and the friends OF liberty
elsewhere, could most properly unite in
honoring the memory of one of the
wisest and bravest leaders in the
cause of human liberty. But the as
sumption of the democra tic party that
it represents Jeffersonian principles,
or that the party has done so at any
time during the past fifty years, is toe
preposterous to go unchallenged. The
return OF that party to the PRINCIPLES Of
jefferson, as they should be justly and
fairly interpreted, would be n welcome
fact, but this is not to be hoped for sc
long as the party is dominated by the
element which learned it's political
principles in another and far different
school.
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