The Irish standard., 1892-10-15
THOS. JEFFERSON,
The Immortal Founder Of Ameri-
can Democracy and Author of
the Declaration of
INDEPENDENCE.
Interesting and Timely Sketch of
the Life and Labors of the
Great Virginian.


To the Missouri readers of the Church
Progress (says q writer in our esteemed
ST. Louis contemporary few if any
names are more familiar than the name
of Jefferson. Jeffers IN City, the capital
of the State, is called for him; Jefferson
county bounds st. Louis county on the
south, here in the city Jefferson avenue
leads from near the Alexian Brothers
hospital and up to near the Fair Grounds
and everybody of course knows of old
Jefferson Barracks twelve miles down
the river. It will not, therefore, we
think be out of place if, in addition to
what we have already said, we say some
thing more of Thomas Jefferson.
There are those who contend that JEFF
ferson is the greatest of American states
men. Others will go even farther and
MAINTAIN that you would search history
in vain for a statesman of broader, more
Intelligent and more practical views OF
these opinions we will say nothing; and
for the very good reason that we do not
know what to say. We will instead give
a brief sketch of the life of this remark.
able man and then attempt an estimate
of his mind and character.
Thomas Jefferson was born in Vir-
ginia in 1743, and thus was Washington E
junior by eleven years. He was heir to a
large estate for those times, and was we'll
educated both in classics and IN mathe-
matics. He studied law and was ad-
mitted to the bar in due course, and
soon entered upon large and lucrative
practice. No doubt he would have risen
to eminence as lawyer had not circum.
Stances called him to wider field of ac-
tion.
From the very beginning of the trou-
bles that ended in war and in the separa-
ton of the Colonies from the Mother
Country, Jefferson was q chief actor.
In 17775 he was elected delegate to the
Continental Congress then sitting Ill
Philadelphia. The clash of arms had al
ready been heard on the plains Of Bos-
ton, though war had not yet been for
mally declared between the two coun-
tries. Some clung even still to the hope
that the difficulties between the Colonies
and the Mother Country would be ami
cably adjusted. But this hope was not
to be realized. During the winter of
1775 and '76 the policy foreshadowed by
the British government was such as left
the American people no alternative, save
absolute submission or an appeal to
arms. They chose the latter, and, IN
June 10sh 1776, Jefferson, Adams, Frank.
lin, Sherman and Livingstone were ap
pointed committee by Congress tc
write document in which would be sci
forth the reasons why the American peo.
pie had resolved to forswear their allie
glance to Great Britain and to set up 6
government for themselves. Jefferson
was chairman of the committee, and its
members left the writing of the docu
ment entirely to him. He was lodging al
the time in house near what is now
called Seventh and Market streets. Anc
in room on the second story and on .
little desk, three inches in height, of his
own construction, and still existing, he
wrote the document, famous afterwards
as the Declaration of Independence.
The members of the committee hac
but little to suggest by way of correction
Not so the members of Congress. The
merits of the document were subjected
to a long and earnest debate. It was
kept up during the End, Ord and 4th oi
July and many alterations and correc
tions were made in what Jefferson hao
written. The Fourth was very warm
day, and in the afternoon of that day, il
was no wonder that the members were
tagged out not only with the heat, but
with the strain they had kept on thei1
mental and physical powers Jefferson
used afterwards to relate with great hu
NOR, how, during the afternoon, great
swarms of flies would come in, to the dis
comfort OF the members, and, as he really
believed, fastened them to the compile
tion of the work in which they were en-
gagged. Thus, as some one has remarked
as the gabbling of geese saved Rome
from the invading barbanans, so th.
buzzing of flies had something to do il
freeing America from Great Britain.
In the military operations that fol
lowed the Declaration Of Independence
Jefferson took no part, but his infuenc'
IN public affairs continued great, as grea
i perhaps as that of any other public mai
| Of the times.