Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-18
NEW YORK'S BISHOP.
REVIEW OF ANCIENT AND MOD.
ERN POLITICS.
Webster's Estimate of Jefferson
Gladstone on Bright-Index
to a Great Work.
For the REcoRp-US1os.l

cles. Ihe general concensuS of opinion
seems adverse to the propriety of his
course. The New York Times and the
Erening Post naturally extol his alleged
courage, but generally throughout the
country the verdict is unfriendly. The
reference to an exchange of "Washington-
ian dignity for the Jeffersonian simplicity
which was in truth only another name for
the Jacksonian vulgarity" seems inappro-
pirate to the solemnity of the occasion.
Besides, the speaker, l believe, was his
incorrect. The politics of to-day,
with all the criticisms to which they are
subject. aIe vast improvement over
Washington's time. Party spirit has So
bered down, and 1t is 10 longer marked bv
the violence which it then displayed. Ii
any one has doubt of this let him carefully
read McMaster's two volumes which prom
ise to be, if ever completed, the most interest
ing history of our country we have yet had.
No administration was ever so bitterly
assailed as Washington's in its second
term, not even excepting Andrew John
sons. Political rancor pursued him to
his coffin; duels were innumerable; libels
were an every day occurrence. Hamilton
was killed as the result of personal
and that Washington himself
the obvious and necessary meas
ures for strengthening his administration
by rallying to 1t men who were in SYM
pathy with his principles and friendly to
his policy, is what no man acquainted with
history can be made to believe. / regret
the mistake of the speaker for / have a
warm admiration for the man. Neither
his address nor Mr.. Depew's Grafton was up
to the occasion. The former disappoints
me the latter does not, for outside of an
after. dinner speech, an impromptu or a
political occasion Depew is not equal to
the great historical occasions which he is
constantly seeking to commemorate. Pot
ter, when prepared, is usually an ideal
speaker. He is very handsome man,
his voice is musical and rich
and his thoughts are full of en-
ergy and suggestiveness. He is a
son of the once famous Bishop Potter of
Pennsylvania, and has recently succeeded
his uncle, the Bishop of New York. His
mother was daughter of the celebrated
President Mott, of Union College, and all
his brothers in some line or other have dis
themselves. Outside of the
Adams, the Beechers, and the Washburns,
no family has better maintained It's intel
lectual character. The conservation of this
young man ON the Goth of October, 1883,
in the presence of forty-three Bishops and
800 Of the clergy, win always be Iemem-
bered in the Episcopal annals of America.
| admire him for the courage of his con-
victions. On all public questions he has
opinions and is not afraid to express them.
He is the head and front of the high
license movement in the State of New
York, and the bills passed the last three
winters at Albany owe much to his careful
and amendments. No one has
done more for prisons and prisoners; and
charities and eleemosynary institutions of
every kind have found in him their
stanchest friend. The verdict of pos
terity is favorable to
THOMAS JEFFERSON,
And / have no hesitation in SAYING that
he alone showed something like an ade-
quate conception of what the Republic was
to become. doubt not your readers will
be interested, in this connection, with an
account of Daniel Webster's visit TO JEFF
ferson and his opinion of the man, so
strongly in contrast to the slur of the New
York address. 1t is narrated by Peter
Harvey, who for forty years was nearer to
Webster's heart than any living man. Mr..
Harvey says:
Mr.. Webster once gave a very graphic
description of Thomas Jefferson, whom he
had seen Mt Monticello. He looked to
me- said he, very different from any
ideal that had formed of him. He was
a tall, gaunt, light-haired, light-complex.
Toned man, and not person Of impressive
aspect. Among his strong characteristics
was great dislike for Patrick Henry. He
conversed freely about Henry, and spoke
about his being very illiterate man. He
pretended to be lawyer, but he was q
mere pettifogger; man of talent, great
declaimer, splendid orator, bnt not pro
found. For such a state Of things as ex
listed at the breaking out of the Revolution
he was the sort of person who would make
successful denunciatory speaker; but il
he had lived in quiet time hs
would have passed along without being OBJ
served by anybody, because he was ignor
ant and uneducated, coarse and very lazy
He had no habits of industry. Mr.. Jeffer
son told me he did not think that Henry
ever read three law books in his life; anc
yet on jury trials he was quite famou,
man. Some days before my visit Writ.
+" Life of Henry" had appeared. 1t hac
been out long enough to have been reac
and somewhat discussed. spoke of tn,
book, and Jefferson smiled, and said: I" A.
you see, | so arrange my library as to have
in one department history, in another bi
ography, in another poetry, and so forth.
have not placed this book of Wirt's and
have not decided whether to put it in the
department of biography or in that O
fiction; | rather think, however, it is bes
suited for the latter Mr.. Webster wa.
greatly interested in his visit to Jeffer
son, and he said that very much of the
early prejudice which he had imbibed with
his political opinions in youth, when he
considered Jefferson a great hereto, was
dispelled when he came in contact with
the aged statesman, and saw him in his
home. Jefferson's great simplicity i'm
pressed him. Mr.. Webster believed him
TO be sincere man. very true in his con.
victions; and was convinced that much OF
the abuse heaped upon him by the opposite
party, which had accused HIM of being a
demagogue and an Anarchist, was unjust
Mr.. Webster said to me, in speaking of JEFF
ferson, that he had more deeply impressed
his opinions and theories, as well as his
practical ideas of government, upon the
legislation and destinies ofthe country, than
any man that had lived. The Government
was new under the first President, and grea,
deal of form was adopted by Washington as
necessary to the dignity of Office. He fel,
the need of a sort of court. He had his
military notions Of preserving the dignity
of position, which was manifested in his
going to open Congress in coach and six
horses, dressing in military costume and
observing very elaborate forms in his re.
ceptions and visits of courtesy. He
thought it necessary to have the CHIEF
Executive Officer of a great country SC
elevated and so surrounded by these forms
and trappings that it might inspire feel.
ing of respect and awe. Jefferson showed
great contempt for all that sort of thing
lie said that our republic should not take
pattern from any other Government in
these respects; it was, and ought to be-
emphatically democratic Government
The Executive was one of the people, Sc
lected as their agent for the time being.
There was no reason in the world why he
should be at all removed from the people
Ii was for him To administer the Govern.