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

ff A1V CS In THE DEMOCRACY.
Yes. Thomas Jefferson Indeed lives In
the Independence Of his country. In
the rounded domain ocean washed and
sentineled under the mighty canopy OF
stars that stretches from the delta of
inc mississippi to the shores Of the Co
iumbia and the Golden Gate. In the civil
ano religious freedom which he clad with
IRON; In the free schools which make
dull earth illuminant with the light OF
khowledge; in the great university
moving light fountain which pours down
lis mountain side the phosphorescentrll ls
that fed those schools. and. percolating
INTO every home AND heart. nourishes u
genial lamp by every hearthstone. But
It Is I'm the living militant Democracy
that Jefferson lives incarnate. 1t is in
faithfui Democrats who. untempted by
wealth. interrupted by office, unintimi-
uateo by power, Gndismayed by reverses.
and unconquered by defeat. who are az
READY for their work as the minnte men
or the Revolution. who nv the defiant
nag Don't tired on me-" II Is in these
living witnesses whose faces shine with
the quickening spirit that is in them that
Vhomas Jefferson lives In the flesh and
that he Is ready to do battle for the peo-
pies cause.
THE GIFT OF THE PEOPLE TO HIM
What boots 1t that recite to you the
honors heaped upon him by a greatful
people. They We're but their gifts to
their benefactor. the labels OF his labors.
MS burdens. and his cares. How paltry
seems that long catalogue of official
designation compared to what he was 10
himself--a man God gifted and God
armed for the battle OF right against
wrong-compafed to what he did for the
country. Legislator OF his State. coun-
ciior of It's Governor. rcviser of its code,
member of the Continental Congress.
Governor of Virginia, Minister to
France, Secretary of State. Vicc-Presi-
dent of the United States. lofty and
shining titles these. but he might have
worn one and all of these medals and
ribbons and died without leaving behind
him a human heart to bless God that he
had lived.
But there is not heart that loves
humanity and thrills with noble rage
for right and truth and justice: there is
not patriot who loves his country; there
is not people upon the earth who are
weary and heavy laden under the bur-
dens of oppression: there is not chan
cellOr who loves equity: there Is not IL
devotee who bows his head In free wor-
ship to his Maker: there is not an ingen-
uous student by the midnight lamp; there
is not toiler of the land or seas; yea.
there Is not an astronomer who leads
the stars, nor an humble Farmer in his
cabin. nor freeman anywhere who
treads the earth with the spirit of the
free. who does not bless God that
Thomas Jefferson lived. and that his life
goes marching on.
WHAT JEFFERSON DID FOR THE
PEOPLE.
What did jefferson do for the people
Rather what did he no. do? lie was
one OF them, he loved them. he trusted
them, he guided them. he cheered them,
be comfOrted them. he led them. he WAS
true TO them. So much for generalties.
II is true ns said by the Cicero of Mas
sachusetts. Edward Everett, that there
rests on jefferson the imperishable re-
nown of having penned the Declaration
of Independence. But had he never
perned II syllable of it he would be inn
mortal. 1t is true that he raised his
hand against the established church.
threw, himself against the great landed
pr6prietors and powerful party leaders,
and brought forth the first statute of
religious freedom that adorned the new
worlds history. lmperisha BILE rcnown In
that. but without Ii he would have been
immortal. 1t is true that he neglected
the territory of Louisiana from Napo-
leon the Great by purchase. gaining a
kingdom for a song, securing the Missis-
sippl to the free navigation of the swarm
ing multitudes that now thrive upon its
banks, and adding the great West and
Southwest to the Union-the greatest
GeSlIaE. ever Wpn DS man WITHOUT
drop of blood But without this ne would
have baen immortal Ii Is true that after
long years of conflict he lifted little
academy into a great university. Yon-
der Ii Is, "Jeffersons pet" the child
of his old age" but We're there no uni
versity jefferson would be immortal 1t
is true that he drew as chairman of
Committee OF Congress. the famous or
dinancG of the Northws stern Territory"
and his report. made in his own hand
writing, is still In the archives of the
State Department at Washington, by
which Virginia coded the area which
now embraces Ohio. Indiana. Illinois
Michigan and Winconsin. And true that
he put itherein the clause that neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude should
exist therein after 1900" Rtnown enough
in this. indeed. But withOu. II Jeffer-
son would have been immortal 1t is
true thar he broke down ana abolished
the old English system of prmogeniturc
which gave the land of the dead owner
TO his eldest son and left the daughters
and younger sons homeless and landless
/ is true that he destroyed the old Eng
lish system of entails that tied up the
land for generations in Il single line,
preventing its sale and diffusion, pro-
noting its barrenness and decay.
Out in Ohio few years ago | spoke
with distinguished statesman of the
West at the celebration of the settlement
of the Northwest Territory held at Mar
ietta and that gentleman claimed that
the Ohio settlers had broken up the land
monopoly which had existed in Virginia
nd hi