The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-10-25
THOMAS JEFFERSON, THE CON
STITUTION AND REFORM.

ernment they wanted, and laid down
the rights of mankind, as follows;
1--WE hold these truths to be self
evident:
That all men are created equal; that
they are endowed by their Creator,
with certain inalienable rights; thai
among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.
That to secure these rights govern
ments are instituted among men, deriv
ing their just powers from the consent
of the governed
Thus we find that governments are
instituted among men to secure life,
liberty and pursuit of happiness, and
that they derive their power from the
consent OF the governed. The National
Constitution is the contract showing
what power the people consented for
the government to have and not to
have.
Again we find in the captain to the
Constitution the purposes for which
they formed that instrument, thus:
In order to form a more perfect
union, establish justice. insure domeS-
tic tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity"
Thus every power granted or pro-
hlblted in the Constitution is for the
purposes explained in the caption.
Among the powers the people con-
sented for Congress to have, we find
the following:
Section 8, p. 3, ITO regulate com
merce with foreign nations, and among
the several States, and with the Indian
tribes "
Then in Sec. 8, p. 6, we are told by
the Constitution what the people said
Congress should not do on this subject,
thus:
mo preference shall be given by
any regulation of commerce or revenue
to the ports of one State over those of
another"
On the subject of money we find that
the people consented for Congress to
Lave the following power:
Section 8, p. 4, Ito coin money,
regulate the value thereof and of
foreign coin"
And In the next paragraph they say,
"To provide for the punishment of
counterfeiting the securities and cur
rent coin of the United States"
Sec. 10 says, ''No State shall coin
money, emit bills of credit. or make
anything but gold and silver tender
in payment of debts.
Thus deiegating the exclusive pcwea
to coin money and regulate its value
to Congress and prohibiting both the
people and States
Now let's see what Mr.. Jefferson had
to say about the Constitution and the
formation of our government in order
to understand what was intended by
our forefathers and what true Democ-
racy is:
On Dec. 20, 1887. in a letter to James
Madison on the Constitution he used
these words:
IT like the organization of the gov
ernment into legislative, judiciary and
executive. like the po wer given the
| legislature to levy taxes, and for that
reason solely, approve of the greater
house being chosen by the people
directly. For though think house
so chosen, will be very far inferior to
the present Congress and may be very
lily qualified to legislate for the gen
eral Union and touching foreign
nations, etc., yet this evil does not
weigh against the good of preserving
inviolate the fundamenC tai principle
that the people are not to be taxed, but
by representatives. chosen Immediately
by them selves"
In that same letter he tells Mr.. Madi-
son what he dislikes in regard to the
Constitution, thus:
Il will tell you what do 1 OF like:
First, the ommision of bill of rights
providing clearly, and without the aid
of sOphism for freedom of religion,
freedom of the press, protection against
| ic+o ord C%VsTnf Of
monopolies." Further on in the same
letter on this subject he says: The
saying there shall be no monopOlles
lessons the indictments to ingenuity
which is spurred on by the nope of a
monopoly" In another place in the
same letter he says: Abolish stand
ing armies in time Of peace and monOp-
olles in all cases"
In December, 1901, he sent his first
message to Congress as President OF
| the United States, and after outlining
the riches of the country and intelll-
gence Of the people, he utters these
sacred words Still one thing more,
fellow citizens, wise and frugal gov
ernment, which shall restrain men
from injuring one another, shall leave
them otherwise free to regulate their
own pursuits of industry and improve
ment and shall not take from the
mouths of labor the bread it has earned.
This is the sum Of good government.
Absolute acquieseence in the de-
cisions Of the majority, the vital prin
ciples of a republic from which there
is no appeal except to force economy
in public expense, that labor may be
! lightly burdened. Encouragement of
agriculture and of commerce as its
hand maid.
It is a well established fact that
Thomas Jefferson meant to regulate
commerce. among the States without
monopolies or corporations, and that
he meant to coin money and regulate
its value without national banks or
corporations, for while Secretary of