The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-02
THOMAS JEFFERSON.

One hundred and fifty-three years
ago today there was born at Shad-
we'll. Albemarle county, Virginia, ore
of the greatest men this or any other
country has ever produced. That man
was Thomas Jefferson Alternately he
has been praised and blamed as few
men have; and all this because he was
the most democratic of men. 1t was
he who formulated the doctrine that
''all men are created equal" To have
enunciated such a fundamental prin-
ciple of free government is a glory TO
perpetuate his name to all the ages
that shall be. And that was the key
note of his whole character To him
man and his rights were the one great
thing in this world Where other
men bowed to the traditions that for
centuries had controlled and swayed
the governments of the world, he
swept them aside and built his theories
Of government upon those ideas and
aspirations that fill the hearts of all
men. Great as are his many titles to
fame his greatest is his absolute faith
IN the capacity of man for self-govern-
ment.
He was in the best sense of the
word a statesman. His grasp of that
which constitutes the true greatness
of state was such as few men, no
matter to what eminence they attain,
have He knew the errors of the past
that must be avoided in the future.
1t was ne who brought about one of the
greatest reforms ever accomplished in
Virginia, a reform as radical as would
have been the adjustment OF slavery
itself This was the abolishmert Of the
law of primogeniture, law that was
the very cornerstone of the English
system of a landed aristocracv. And
this was the law upon Which was built
the aristocracy of his own Virginia.
And what wss his answer when the
representatives of that aristocracy i'm
plored that if the eldest son might not
inherit as before that at least he be
allowed to take a double share? It
was that he should not be allowed to
take a double portion tin he can eat
double allowance of food and do a
double allowance of work
1t was a bin introduced into the
house of ourgesses by him that estab-
ltshed religious liberty in his own
state. for Virginia made the mother
church of England her state church.
Those who have naught but condem-
nation for Jefferson base their dislike
of him upon the Kentucky resolutions.
and trace TO that source the doctrine
Of secession and all the evils that came
IN It's train. But these same people
forget, or ignore. the face that he was
the member on that famous committee
to draw 70 a plan OF govern
ment for the northwest territory to
whom belongs 'the authorship of the
anti-siaverS clause in it which it is
provided that after the year 1900 of
the Christian era, there shall be neither
nor involuntary servitude, in
any OF the SAID states, otherwise than
IN punishment of crimes" etc.
His services TO his country cannot
De enumerated here. He was not in
chat great convention which framed
the perhaps most able and profound
political document that ever emanated
from the brain of mantle constitu-
uon of the United States. Had he
been, it would have been modified by
his thought and suggestions, no doubt.
Yet to him belongs the honor and the
glory of having written that other
immortal document, that document
which is beacon light to all who
love liberty-the Declaration of hide
Coming to the material advancement
OIL the country, it is to him we owe
the Louisiana purchase that gave the
United States tract of country upon
which has been built an empire such
as the world has never seen before.
But it was Jefferson's love of freedom
and the rights of man, his enunciation
and elaboration Of the true PRINCIPLES
OF government that make him the
great character in history he is His
name is an inspiration for all who love
liberty and his glory shall endure for
ever more.