The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-06
SEATTLE. ruEsDAY. ocE. Q.
THE pEmoCnArrc SAINT.

THE DEMOCRATIC SAANI.
The apotheos,s Of Jefferson and of "Jef-
fersonsan principles" was the beginning
md end of every speech delivered by the.
Democratic missionaries before what they
are pleased to regard as the benighted
political heather of Washington and
Oregon. Those who know the least about
Jefferson admire him the most; therefore
he il Democratic saint; those who are
familiar with his career after the Federal
constitution was framed in the spirit OF
Hamilton feel certain admiration for his
rare genius as successful politician, but
do not hold him In as high regard as they
40 HIS great rival, Hamilton, either as
conscientious patriot or sagacious states
man. Among the first verses ever pub
lishcd by the poet Bryant were some
youthful lines describing Jefferson in
1868 a.
Tho scoYn Of every patriotic name;
Thy countrys ruin and thy councils shame.
Bryant lived to become steadfast de-
Gender Of nearly aIl the doctrines asso-
ciated with Jeferson's name, .but his
youthful ve-ses are significant of the de-
testation excited in New England by JEFF
Persons Embargo" measure that need
lessly ruined the commerce of the North
Atlantic states
Jefferson's moral integrity in pecuniary
matters was not high, for he devised lot
terry In the Virginia legislature to the
disgust of the public sentiment of the
state, in order to sell his estates. He was
the leader Of the opposition to Hamilton's
finances, an opposition composed
chiefly Of persons who were habit
nal bankrupts, unwilling to liquidate
and meet their ruin honestly and using
political force and provincial laws to stave
OF the inevitable day. Jefferson did his
best all his days to destroy the life tenure
of the United States supreme court and to
make the judges subject to removal by the
president on the joint address of both
houses Of congress. President John
+ Adams, last act was to place John Mar
nhsii, the great VirginIan, on the supreme
bench-a man whom Jefferson cordially
hated and feared as great Federalst
3uriut whose presence on the bench was
tetal 70 any judicial affirmation of Jeffer-
1pr's doctrine OF state supremacy as
expressed in the Virginia and Ken
sucky resolutions OF 1898. 1t was
due to Marshall's vast influence as
the trusted friend and intimate of Wash
tngton and heir to his distinctive Hamil-
tonian view Of the constitution that Vir-
ginia In 1910 asserted, wha. through
Jcfierson's malign influence she had de-
MED In lbs, that the common arbiter was
the United States supreme court; that no
state Legislature had any right to pass upon
the constitutionality of laws made by the
general government and nullify them.
Jefferson always declared to his intimate
political friends that the life tenure of the
supreme court robbed him of his decisive
victory over Hamilton's theory of consti-
sutton, as he could not remove the FEEDER
alists, like Marshall, with whom Wash
ington and Adams had stocked the bench.
And yet, true politician that he was, to buy
Louisiana, Jefferson stretched the consti-
sutton beyond his own previous construc-
fion. Hamilton believed in strong Fed
erai government, central government
strong enough to counterbalance the state
governments and make of the United
States nation.
AS the leader of the convention which
framed the constitution while Jefferson
was absent in France, he animated u with
MS theory of Federal supremacy, 10 the
vindication of which by force of arms in
1S6l-6o We owe the preservation of this
Union against the Jefiersonian doctrine of
state supremacy. This doctrine of state
IL aacy has found nobody so poor in
bra'f since the war as to do it reverence.
asvs excepting the hide-bound Bourbon
csasa who never learn and never
forg anything, like Governor Pennoyer
o. 2 gon. Hamilton drew his ideas of
uas government from conservative Eng
] isn while Jetferson's sympathies were
w hat crazy revolutionary France that
&pretending to be republic, fell 10 cutting
1 on everybody's head without discrimina-
q tion OF age, sex or condition of life, until
1 n last, In its insane fury, il cut of its own
mead with its own hand. and Napoleon, as
rhl ny dictator, ieaped upon its headless
Oars and by dint of brains saved
81 Tf rom sinking hopelessly into the
Bios nsre Of second 'Reign of Ter
q ror
IL rewas anything that Washington
t srdA y hated and feared 1t was the
ID scui principles of Jefferson, the typical
Demo az who sowed the seed that
s 7ver La notification and fruited in
eNs premacy, secession and rebellion.
a Na ION was nationalist and Repub-
WI pssriotie statesman of the Hamil-
aiah eaeol, and was the first to detect
q &c nnee In the jefferson resolutions
~ asE ae serpent egg of disunion and
Iva jefferson was man of original
= Utica senius, patriot and statesman
ring e revolution, but on his return
ffom France after the adoption Of the
Federal constitution he soune,;roas s.,k
She statesman in the politician. and some
times dropped lower sim 70 the mrddv
depths of demsgogue, as he did when
through the help Of James Monroe he sr.
posed Hsmilton's amour with the wife NJ
treasury clerk, hoping it wonld di.cres;.
him with the people and unhorse hin, az
| political leader. lie rose ,hova h;s