The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-01
JEFFERSON ON MONEY
HIS POLITICAL THEORIES WITH
REFERENCE 80 CURRENCY
AND BANKING.
EXTRACTS FROM HIS LETTERS

His Financial Views are Among the
Fundamental, Essential Principles
of the Democratic Party-Thev Were
Ai.a the Views of jackson, Benton,
Calhoun aud Sathasiel Macon. aud
a. very Man oi the Party vino das
Ieft a Hnnle 80 BE- Eemew bered.
WASHINGTON, D. c., November 30
Although MIR. jefferson, after he had
passed the period OF middle life, acqui-
esced in the existence of slavery, from
reasons of the necessity OF the case, as
be ylyu cd it, he was to the last DEM
Ocrat. on principles. In a long letter
40 John Adams, dated October 2Sth,
1918, he says: II agree with you that
there is a natural aristocracy among
mon. The grounds of this are virtue
and talents. There is also an ar
tiflcial aristocracy, founded on wealth
and birth, without either virtue or tai
ents: for with these it would belong
to the first class. The natural arts
tocracy | consider as the most precious
gift of nature, for the instruction, the
trust and the government of society
These solid, philosophical principles
of Jefferson, lie atethe base of Amerl-
can institutions, and should never be
lest sight of.
Mr., jefferson cannot be said 20 have
been man of great moral courage.
He would never write for the press and
he was never known to make public
speech. He had great reputation as
sanversationalist, and could, doubt
lees, have spoken in public, handsome
Nv. Mr.. Benton visited him not
great while before his death, and said
sf him that his Burgundy was excel
lent, and that his conversation was di-
vine. But he always spoke and wrote
sub rosa, never for the public ear and
eve, except in his official messages. He
stated in one of his letters, that he
made it rule in early life never to
write for the press, and he adhered to
it. When he wanted any subject dis
sassed before the public, he invariably
called on his friend Madison to do it.
When he wanted a reply written to
Hamilton's defense of the Jay Treaty,
he wrote to Madison urging him to I'M
dertake the task. No one else, he said,
could cope with Hamilton; for, said
Jefferson, he is a host within him
self" He repeats this opinion of
Hamilton more than once, and would
pit Madison against him. Whenever
JEFFERSON gives expression to an opin-
ion en- the politics of the times, he in
yariably enjoins secrecy upon his cor
respondent. But he was some times
betrayed, and brought into unpleasant
predicaments; for he was apt to ex-
press himself. in his private letters,
with harshness, if such was his feel
ing. In a letter TO an Italian, as ] in
r. il
oath, 1896, he got himself into serious
trouble. 1t was near the close of
Washington second term, when Fed
ernlists and Republicans were divided
as wide as the poles. in regard to the
European wars. The Republicans
warmly espoused the cause of France,
while the insolent behavior or the
French government and its Represen-
tatives in this country, caused the Fed
eraksts to take sides with the Eng
lish. There can be no doubt that the
Feaeralists-the leaders, at least, were
in degree skeptical as to the success
Of Republican institutions. There
was reason to believe that these men,
although not signing for the flesh pots
of old England, were beginning to
mediate upon the beauty and the sta
biIty of similar institutions, to be es-
tzbHshed on this side of the Atlantic.
tFkey were American patriots, but they
were not entirely weaned from the
Hses of aristocratic institutions; and
began TO look TO them with fondness.
IL was in this condition of affairs that
Mr.. Jefferson wrote to the italian, as
follows:
MONTICELLO, April "a. 1875
Nv Dear Friend:
EAe aspect OF our politics has won
derfully changed since you left MS. In
place of that noble love of liberty and
Republican government which carried
VS. trismphantly through the war, IN
Anglican monarchical aristocratical
party has sprung up, whose avowed
ebjsst ie to draw over us the substance
as they have already done the forms
Of the British government. The main
beay Of our citizens, however, remain
trss TO their republican principles;
the whole landed interest is republic
can, and so is the great mass of talent.
Against US are the Executive, the ia
dietary, two out of three branches of
the Legislature, all the officers of the
government, all who want to be Off
GERS, all timid men. who prefer the
calm of despotism to the boisterous
sea Of liberty, British merchants, and
Anericans trading on British capitals,
spectators and holders in the banks
and public funds, a continuance in
vented for the purposes OF corruption,
and for assinilating us in all things
10 the rotten as well as the sound parts
of the British model. 1t would give
Won a fever were to name to you the
apoetates who have gone over to these
heresies. men who were Samsons in
the field and SolomoDs in the council,
bat who have had their heads shorn by
the harlot England" Gen. Washing
ton was President.
Mr.. jefferson made some effort to
soften these expressions, but his ex
PLANTATION could not take out the sting.
He complained that the letter, as it
found it's way into the newspapers,
had been mistranslated, backwards
and forwards, into French and Eng
lish, and that it was incorrect. But
quote from it. as ] find it among his
letters. published by Congress, and az
il first appeared in 1880, as published
g4by his grandson, Thos. D. Randolph.
In n letter 10 his son-in-law, Mr..
Fppes, who WAS at the time chairman
IN the House 81 Representatives Mr.
Jefferson wrote, under date of Month
cello, June oath, 1913, as follows:
1T is a y Use rule. and should be fun
damental in government disposed to
cherish its faculties, never TO borrow
dollar without laying a tax in the