The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-04-19
JEFFERSON'S LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS.
BY Gen. John q. Black at the
Opera House Last Evening.
In His BOyhood and Youth and Manhood
OF the People and for Their Interests
A Statesman, Diplomat and Bene-
factor OF the Human Race,
JEFFERsON's ANNIvERsARY.

JEFFERSON ANNlN EfSAhi'
The distinguished soldier and states
man, Gen. John G. Black, delivered an
address upon the life and character OF
Thomas Jefferson, at the Opera House
here, on last Monday evening, under
the auspices Of the JetferSonlan Club
of Ottawa. A large audience Of the
business and professional men and
their ladies were present. Messrs.
John Il. Reed, VIM. OsmaD, w. W..
TAYLOR, Jas. II. Eckels. VIM. j. Daw-
ell. V. b. Weeks, j. o. Harris, M. n.
Armstrong. Noah Perkins, George
w. w. Blake, Capt. Coggswell
and Judge Evans, with S. b..
Bradford, T. B. Farrell and Fl. S. Bar
ton, of the JeffersOnian club, received
Gen. Black at the stage.
The evening opened with beauti-
ful quartette piece, Collin Goes Row
ing Swiftly Down the Stream" by the
Sylvans, who, being rapturouSly en-
cOred, responded with Jungst's "Spin-
Spin"
Jas II. Eckels, with few apprOprl-
ate words relative to the occasion, in
troduced
GEN. JOHN c. BLACK.
General Black prefaced his remarks
with a very entertaining description
of the condition of Europe at the time
Of the birth of Jefferson. The govern
ments were splendid and the armies
great, but the common people were in
the hands of armed taX-gatherers, who
levied without regard to Just!ce, So
long as the chateaus and palaces OF
the lords and princes reared their pat-
Elements above the novels of the op-
pressed. But then, on this continent,
was theatre upon which the destiny
play of the human race was being
enacted.
With the story of the struggle and
glory of the men of the revolution, 1T
was not his purpose to dwell. 1t will
shine with the brightness OF the stars
forever. 1t will be taught to ceaseess
generations, while our schools are
open to our childrenS children. 1t
will only be forgotten after they are
closed. And if some archeolOgist, in
the infinite future, arrives by Macau-
ley's New Zealand route, shall search
among our ashes and our tombs for
the traces of our greatness and our
freedom he will find our nOblest and
latest monuments in the widespread
public schools and carven on their
cOrner-stones the laurel commemOra-
tive of the founders of our nation.
Among all the glittering great OF
that period the brightest star was
Thomas jefferson. Providence had
raised him up as one peculiarly lifted
TO her needs. Jefferson, as a boy, the
son of a frontierSman, was not differ
ent from the sons of other men. He
was rough and uncOuth, but in years
his matchless intellect developed him
into the polished and gifted scholar,
statesman and diplomat. All his life
long he touched the people. AS age
grew upon him his life and his home
were at the service of his country.
He was refused an audience by
king, but his Declaration of lndepen-
dence was the doom of all kings, the
death knell of monarchy. He has
been called a demagOgue, but If he
was demagogue then the race is more
glorious for the living of all dema-
goges. He never saw squadron in
the field He was the trained, accom-
plished diplomat, and yet, when the
sword shall have ruSted in its scab-
bard the name of Jefferson will crown
the pinnacle of the great of the world.
He knew the needs of the common
people, He sent out the expedition of
Lewis and Clark and as result of
their discoveries the Pacific railroad
was projected. He purchased LOuisi-
ana for the United States from Ma
polean Just as great French empire
was proposed to be placed west of the
Mississippi. His influence forever
abolished slavery in the great North
west.
When the Revolution was at an end
Hamilton and his following attempted
ment. They advocated a splendid
court and heavy taxation for it's sup
port. Such government was eStab-
lished and endured until Jefferson's
administration was ushered in. He
Standardization and advocated tariff
for revenue only. He believed In the
lowest possible taxation and in the
rule of the majority. His administra-
ton was simple, plain and unOstenta-
tiOus; government near to the people.
Gen. Black spoke of the inequalities
of the the present rObber tariff SYSTEM;
the increase of the farm mortgages as
a consequence of the farmers being
forced to compete with the world in
sales while all that he purchased was
heavily taxed to support the lumber
barons, the iron kings and the trusts.
Meanwhile wooden mills and shipyards
were closed and the village smith with
his forge bad disappeared. All is con-
centrated in the great factories Of the
trusts, while the people grow p,orer
as the months roll on. The treasury
accumulates surplus which should
be the property Of the people.
Under the rule of Jefferson about
$50 articles paid the tax, now 1000 pay
toll. The Democracy proposes to ap-
ply tie principles of Jefferson when it
again comes into control. The wool
raised in South America shall be made
into clothing here for the world. The
whole tariff list will be treated in the
same kindly way.
While we pay this tariff palaces are
being built on the other side. Let any
man build palace by his own genius
and his own opportunity, but let no
man use the laws of America to take
the labor of millions to give the palaces
to the few.
Gen. Black closed with fine pei
;-st % Val1