The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-14

hocks. the herds. and above them the
azure heavens and the stars-tnese were
his first and his lifelong teachers. And
In the free air OF this beautiful country
sloe nature whispered to his spirit, and
from her pure, free promptlngs he be-
came that which was most or all In his
history-a Democrat.
JEFFDRCoN. THE DEMOCRAT.
And above all the many Jeffersons we
see the scholar. the writer. the architect.
the scientist the inventor the linguist
the mathematician. there Il. one Jefferson
greater than them all-.Jefferson, the
Democrat-from the ground up, every
Inch q Democrat. and he was over six
feet tall.
He was the greatest Democrat that
ever lived. He infected the populace
with the epidemic of free thought. He
set the woods on fire with Democratic
doctrines. He gave the people the rug
ged maxims hewn from life which kind
led their thoughts and winged their
arrows
NAPOLEON looked at the Orient and said:
There lies giant asleep: let him sleep"
Jefferson saw the American people like
n giant asleep, and he said 'Ruose up
and quit yourselves like men," Up rose
Democracy. and the sovereign people
strobe the land in triumph.
HIS CIVIC COURAGE.
The glory of man. said Solomon, Is
strength. and Jefferson was strong.
Strong physlcally-see him even iIS his
old age dashing at a gallon on his favo-
rite horse over these rocky mountain
roads. Strong ntelectuallv-beholdh his
works. Strong morally-see his instinc-
tive leap to the right side of all questions
and his inileXible adherence thereto He
was strong and all powerful In courage;
yea. In civic courage. the rarest of all
kinds of bravery. All nations are brave
| in their own way Massive battalions
thousands strong. will march to death
| midst flashing bayonets and screaming
1 shells--not q man dropping out of his
place. But the courage that faces the
| sheer OF fashion. the scorn of power. the
scrowl OF altered friendship. 1.-The proud
| mans contumely and the nsolence of
| oftlce'-this is the courage that belongs
alone to souls touched to fine issues"
This Jefferson had-the superb, quiet, pa
| tient. daring, courage, that look public
| opinion In the eye and dares confront 1t
and affront 1t. and not finch the en-
counter.
| When he stood for independence they
| said rebel When he demanded jus
tice they said Communist" When he
| stood for religious freedom they cried
| out "infidel." When he aroused the peo-
! pie against monarchy and concentrated
power they said 'dcmagogue." But the
| pebpIe HtaTu nlT EluuIy-lnSy
| knew their ears-and with acclaim they
| said, "All had our friend"
| Ee sent the Y rays of his Respondent
| Intellect through the clcaks and skins of
| falsehood, penetrating 10 and revealing
| the very closters, recesses. and hiding
places of truth. He stripped from false
| teachers the shame and shows and
trumperies of pretensions. When he
came to be inaugurated he wore dress
| of plain cloth, and he rode on horsebac elk
| to the Capitol without q single guard
or even servant In his train. dismounted
without assistance. and hitched the bril-
| die of his horse TO the palisades. This
was no effection. 1t was the natural act
of a natural man. who felt that he was
| one of the people, taking charge of their
| affairs for their behoof and in their name.
1 His heart was his transcendent noblest
| quality. Music and pathos and sweet
| ness and light and love were in that
heart. 1t was that that stimulated his
| intellec1 TO It's supreme endeavors. 1t
| was that that turned his character to
| its harmonious impulse. Ii was that
that tied him to the people with n link
| as strong as that which bonds the land
! and sea together. Keep thy heart with
all diligence. for out of II are the issues
| Of life" said the prophet. 1t is in the
heart that Democracy is born, and It
was there that IL was kent warm and
Estrong and pure by Jefferson. Dying
without n penny. his verv books, his
| land. hts home. We're sold away from
the inheritors. and. lighting SUCCESSFULLY
in every battle but his own. he crowned
| the people as victor in every battle that
| he won. If n man wants 10 get all he
can out of this life by torturing its laws
and burdening its people to fill his peck
cts. let him curse the name of Jefferson.
| Let him eat and drink and be merry in
his time, and trample on Democracy and
its teachings. But IL he wants mans
| chance in life and that only: If ne means
| 1.-Two and let live IL he seeks wise
| and frugal government and would not
| rob the mouth of labor or the bread
| which 1t has earned" if he loves his
neighbor as himself; If he Is ready to
give equal and exact justice to all man,
and special privileges to none; If II is
rights that he demands. and not favors
L hn olIn no M hnl