Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-31
OUR MAIL POUCH.
ingalls, Versus Jefferson.

To the Editor of The Dispatch:
In the course OF a lecture delivered in
Boston by ex-senator Ingalls, On the evening
of October 49, Among the "bright things"
that the "iridescent" speaker is reported to
have uttered, is the following hit at the
author of the Declaration of Independence
and the great father of American De-
mocracy:
"All men are not created free and equal,
Thomas Jefferson to the contrary notwith-
standing. The differences between men are
fundamental. Thomas Jefferson Is to blame
for great deal of misinformation on the
subject of the equality of man. When he
wrote in the declaration OF Independence
that "all men were created free and equal,
presume lie did not intend to be understood
as saying that am the equal, physically, of
your distinguished fe1low-citiZen, John l..
Sullivan.
'He didn't mean morally that Jack the
Ripper was the equal OF Bishop Brooks. He
didn't mean that the lowest in intellectual
life of your people was the equal to this
giant of intelligence, General +. F. Butler,
who introduced me this evening.
"lf Thomas Jefferson did mean that, all L
have to say he mistoolx his vocation, and,
instead of writing declarations of indepen-
dence for living, lie ought to have gone
into journalism. He would have found con-
genial occupation in writing bulletins about
Blaine's health for the New York news
papers," The exceeding brightness OF this
DECLARE
ton, is marred by the fact that Thomas
Jefferson did not say and that great docu-
ment does not say what Mr.. Ingalls, alleges
to have been said.
1t is amazing that anyone of the standing
of this retired Senator of the Grasshopper
State should stand up in the very shadow of
historic Bunker Hill, before n Boston audi
ence, and deliberately nisquote the DecIara-
tion of American Independence. Still worse
is it to wrench with violence Z proposition
from both its anteceGent and consequent
for the manifest purpose OF arlntng it with
affirm that "All men are created free and
equal" Mr.. Ingalls, to the contrary notwith-
standing. That it may be fully understood
just what the declaration does say, and
what the relation of the misquOted passage
is to its modifying clauses, the entire passage
may be quoted, which is done from fac
simile copy of the original draft of the great
instrument:
1--WE hold these truths to be selfevident
that I'll men are created equal mot free and
equal), that they are endowed by their Gre
ator with certain inalienable rights; that
among these are life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness"
And then, how is being ''created equaI''
by their Creator.'' with what? Certain in
alienable rights" Equal in certain rights.
And what is the nature or scope of these
rights? Life. liberty and the pursuit of
happiness" Even if that pursuit of happi-
ness" should consist in eXacting usuriOus
interest from mortgage ridden Kansas farm
ers, or in standing up and declaring that the
"DecalOgue has no place in American poll
tics!'' Equality, Mr.. ingalls,, in certain
specifically mentioned rights. But the ''irri-
descent" and likewise efflorescent ex-Sena-
tor, finds that
Thomas jefferson is to blame for great
deal of misinformation on the subject of the
equality of man."
Yes, in the same sense that man that
raises fine horse is to blame that thief
comes to steal the animal, or, in the same
sense, that Jehovah is to blame for handing
the Decalogue to Moses, amid the thunders
of Sinai, and which this gifted eX-statesman
has found to be an inconvenient and per-
picking quantity in American politics.
Mr.. Jefferson is in no sense to blame If
men, TO gain q reputation of "iridescence"
effervescence and effiorescence, not only
misquote his declaration, but as if with a
malice ripe for the sickle, force on it illog-
ical, misleading and absolutely false con-
StructiOnS.
No weightier, grander juster declaration
was ever uttered by mortal man! No won
der that 1t rang out like an alarm bell ut
night; that by it thrones were shaken; that
all the earth caught something of the re-
frain, that it was felt in valley and on hill
top, in hut and in palace, under the clear
sky and in dungeons, for its import was:
"Behoid, / bring You tidings OF great joy,
which shall be to all people, Long years
hence those words will be repeated by those
whose lips are yet clay and whose voices
are dumb" when Mr.. ingalls, shall be the
recipient of the generous hospitality of
kindly disposed and not altogether unde-
served oblivion. n.
WAMPUM Pa October % 1901