The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-21


that an honest government had any use for
be reduced the diplomatic force to the
three ministers at London, Paris and Mad
rld- he dismissed unnecessary ofnciais as
fast a. Investigation disclosed thsiroexist-
ence. He directed Gallatin to simplify the
treasury statements and accounts so as 10
render them Ineligible to the plainest clti-
zen, and invited every aid in the work OF
reform. The whole system Of internal tax
alton. including three-fourths OF the wnole
civil list, was abolished at q blow, and the
denciency supplied by Jefferson invariaoie
exponent, economy. When he had ex-
hausted his discretion he appealed to Con-
gress Tor authority to make further reduc-
tons, and the curious spectacle was pre-
sented OF IN executive petitioning the legis-
iature Tor permission to surrender power
anc 70 give up patronage. The result was
the rapid decrease of the public debt, which
the federalists had regarded as a national
blessing" and the rise Of q new question
new, indeed, in every part OF the earth.
What should be done with the surplusi Or
this government, in truth, the people knew
nothing but the blessings its burdens were
imperceptible. This was 1.-THE system Of
Jefferson" II was faithfully continued
under his lineal descendants, Madison and
Monroe, and has never, for an instant OF
time, ceased to command the deliberate ap-
proval OF the American people III 1t has
been displaced by corrupt administrations,
they have never vet dared 10 90 TO the
country upon their federal principles.
They have uniformly disguised their meas
ures, denied their purposes, and ridden into
power under false pretenses When Presi-
dent Garfield said the principles Of Jeffer-
son were waning, he meant only to say that
the special interests opposed TO popular I'D
erty, and depending for their existence
upon federal consolidation. corruption and
extravaganza, were gaining. But they
gained in like proportion from 1870 to leOO
The power of the few seemed then as i'm
pregnable as now. Hamilton believed that
the election Of Adams in 1895 had sanctioned
the civil revolution, impressed upon the
constitution the quality OF responsiveness,
settled practically the question between the
"British model" and the ny brid abortion OF
1851, and confirmed the power OF the feder-
slists Tor all time. President Garfield in
terpreted recent elections in the same way,
and was just as much mistaken. As Jeffer-
sons simple faith in the ultimate good
sense Of the American people was justified
on the first great occasion for the exercise
OF their sober Judgment" so viii 1t De
justified again, now that, as in 1900. the
special causes of delusion have passed
away.
THE JEFFERSON CLUB.
But Mr.. Jefferson loved to see the people
move in their primary capacity; the less
they trusted to their representatives and
the more they trusted TO themselves the
greater was the safety. These govern
nents were theirs, by the people and for
the peoples" they should manage them, and
eternal vigilance was the price or ho-
erty." Accordingly, in every hour OF peril
he advised them 10 organize, TO deliberate,
10 agitate, TO come together IN local socle-
ties, which, being connected by the ties OF
fraternal interest and correspondence,
rr1ir he al la of from
TO another, ''liEe that shepherds whistle
which, sounding through the listening still
ness OF the night, gives warning that the
wolf IS upon his walk again" 1t was the
voluntary local associations, the vigilance
committees, the committees Of correspond
ence, which lent the strongest Impulse TO
the revolution, and it was the voice OF the
people rising in thunder tones through the
many throats Of the Democratic societies"
which struck terror to the hearts OF the
federalists in 1900. The popular club is the
chosen engine of liberty everywhere: and
the Democratic society, planted IN every
elghborhood, is the one thing needful to
''rouse the people," as aforetime they were
reused by Jefferson, Madison and GRllatln.
Shall we not take this leaf also from the
handbook Of freedom which comes down to
Us from the author OF the Declaration Of
independence and the founder OF the Dem
ocratic partyf' AS he lay dying, on the
3rd of July, ls26, his mighty intellect, half
released from its embarrassment OF flesh,
reverted fondly TO this system of popular
machinery for the security OF popular
rights. Fancying the struggle again in
progress he cried out: 'Warn the commit
tees, ~ aud rising in the bed, he seemed TO
be tracing with eager but shrunken hand a
dispatch to the embodied patriots These
were almost MS last words The next day
being the Fourth, and the fftieth anniver-
ssry of the declaration, he passed away at
high noon, and in the very hour of its adop
ton. When he shall have "waned," when
his teachings snail have lost their influence,
when his memory snail have ceased to be
dear, the free institutions Of America will
DE no more.
THE SYSTEM OF JEFFERSON.
Mr.. Jefferson had q scientific mind of the
highest order. aud he gave to his doctrines
the simplest and clearest expositions of
which they were capable. Such exposi-
lions, precise and beautiful, at once exact
aud comprehensive. are found scattered
throughout his political writings. The
most familiar are those in the first insug-
ural, and in the letter to Mr.. Gerry Up. 251,
VOL 4, of his works. The following brief
statements comprise the whole system:
The tenth amendment to the constitution
is an inflexible rule of construction. the
sacred and comprehensive guarantee of
American liberty.
The support of the state governments in
ell their rights, as the most competent ad
ministrationS Tor our domestic conc eTns
and the surest bulwsrks against anti-Re-
publican tendencies, the preservation OF