New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-08


vous offspring of lax morality. facile dema-
gogism, or love of power stronger than patriot
ism, conscience or regard for the organic law
For il was the destiny of Thomas Jefferson, whlie
figuring as the head of the strict constructonistS
to construe the Constitution into blank pages
while figuring the advocate Of State Rights 10
make the longest strides toward centrallzatlon'
while figuring the especial champion OF tne
peace policy, TO entangle the country III war
while pretending to high concern for the Ma
tional honor, to stain it by acts the characVerl~'
ton of which as unprincipled is exceedingly mia
while posinc as the foe of National banks TO up
hold such an institution: and in various other
WAYS TO stultify his most openly proclaimed views
and to reduce TO absurdity his most cherisheu
doctrines In the infinite variety of Nature IL
NAV no doubt he possible for man TO exis'
capable of doing such things honestly but the
commGnsense of mankind dong since reacheo
the practical conclusion that when avoweu
principles and accomplished actions differ radlcliy
and irreconcilably but one of two explanations
is possible In such case the Judgment OF men
must be- either that the contradictory character Is
not honest or that il Is not sane Now, no one
has ever questioned the sanity Of Thomas Jeter-
son.
Mr. Adams holds. and no doubt rightly that
power upon man perhaps unconscousy to HIM
self greedy of it: but when all possible allowance
has been made for this the paradox remains a
formidable one. and the historians working ny
pothesis is not much helped. The interest of the
study is heightened by the many strange con-
tradictions between the precept and practice OF
the Jefersonans and in nothing is the common
difficulty of seeing ourselves accurately better
illustrated than in Jefersons eXultatiOn at what
he conceived to be the conversion of the MODERATE
Federalists, whereas in fact they had conciudeu
70 accent his administration because they saw
that he was actually carrying out their OWL
policy. History is full of irony, but there are
few examples better calculated TO point q moral
than that of the Virginia Republicans IN congress
at this time. The manner in which party eAe
gencies modified their profcssed views upon coilsu
tutiona Interpretation is almost comical Jeher-
son saw the inconsistencies which he perfectly
willing TO avail himself Of and repeatedly sought
TO evade obvious criticism by maintaining silence
which can have deceived few Circumstances
proved too strong for him and his party. as they
have often done for other Leaders and parties SINCE
and material success as in so many other cases
suf1iced to obscure moral wrongs which failure
would have thrown into disastrous relief
Even now however, it is difficult to find an
apology for the theory of Monroe, upon which was
based the claim of the Administration upon west
Florida after the purchase OF Louisiana. Inc
pretence that in buying that province the United
States had also acquired West Florida was III
credbly fimsy and incredibly unprincpled. No
reasoning could Justify it, though of course It's
exclamation was easy, if ethics as factors IN
international transactions be put aside entirely.
Spain was weak and harassad. France and Eng
land were menacing dragooning and plundernS
her Napoleon had her under his heel, ana
Jefferson thought Napoleon could be induced TO
Employ pressure upon her III behalf OF unS
fictitious claim. lie was in error there as he
was not long in discovering, and he had to draw
back and modify his programme. But here' "'
in the treatment of the annexed population OF
Louisiana the most striking feature is the de-
liberate perfdy of the dominant party. By the
treaty which gave tie Spanish territory 10 ule
United States IL was sOlemnly stipulated thA' Inc
people of the province should have all the rights
and privileges of American citizens. No sooner
was the transfer effected than the Administration
| and Congress cooy violated the treaty pledges
| and nroceeded TO treat Louisiana virtually as
conquered country refusing its inhabitants any
form of representation. An almost similar moral
paralysis characterized the Impeachment proceed
ings of Congress against Judges Pickering and
Chase In the former case law, equity and precedent
were equally defed. In the latter the conspicuous
incapacty Of the managers and thu incorporate
folly Of John Randolph disguised and allenated
the more scrupulons Republicans that they joined
the Federasts in defeating the plot-and so saw d
the United States Supreme Court, which it was
undoubtedly Jefferson's purpose to bring under
his control had the impeachment of Chase sue
ceeded.
The strict constructionists had by this time
passed. by devious ways to the remarkable position
that Congress alone had the right to interpret the
Constitution, and that the United States courts
possessed no authority in the premises. This was
of course to make blank paper" of the organic
law, and if the Federalists had been in power
and had done this, jefferson would certainly
have been among the first to denounce them. As
ID was he could not even see that he had been
inconsistent, or he would not at all events, admit
it, The Virginia Republicans at later period
had reason to regret their course at this time;
but jefferson only lamented to The last the failure
of his attempt TO crush Chief Justice Marshall
and to secure full control of the tribunal over
which he presided. Peace, says Mr.. Adams, was
a passion with jefferson. He intended TO show III
country and the world that government can he
carried on without war He relied, in his foreign
relations, upon the theory that the European
Powers could be managed through their commercial
nr,rests lie held that none of them could afford
to quarrel with the United States for trade con
siderations He therefore proposed to cut the
army and navy down to nominal strength, and
TO trust in external affairs entirely 10 diplomacy.
Unfortunately for this policy, he failed to realize
that he who seeks equity must do equity, and that
a government which discards force factor
in its foreign relations is under paramount obliga.
tons to refrain from such policies as force alone
can not justify, but carry 10 successful issues.
In his dealings with Spain he exhibited the moral
callousness Of a Napoleon, but h. had not
Napoleon's sword to back him. Pincllney at
Madrid quite naturally concluded that his Govern
ment meant war. After the passing of the Mobile
act that conclusion was almost unavoidable But