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

Three stood foremost In public esteem,
conspicuous for their services. their In
fiuence ana leadership. First came
Washington, loved by \ whole people
In peace and then governed with a de-
voted patriotism and impartiality which
knew no party division and could not
limit his influence to party lines. with
the confidence of all and Just to all.
he could preside over dlscordant Cab
inet and govern divided people. but
could not be party leader. That work
must fall to his subordinates. So Ham
ilton and Jefferson became the recog-
nized leaders of distinct schools OF
political thought and OF conflicting poll
cies and parties. which each upheld
with signal ability and unquestioned
patriotism. To Hamilton. fond of ENG
lish precedents. reluctant TO trust the
people, doubtful OF their capacity to
govern themselves. u strong government
seemed necessity for their welfare and
happiness. and for the preservation of
liberty and property. lie would enlarge
by construction the powers OF the con-
stitution. create q centralized, paternal
government, make It dominant over Il
dependent people rather than the sub
ject of their sovereign Will with sin
cerity aIe1 slngleness OF purpose he
sought. no doubt the peoples interest,
but with his light he could find It only
through and under a controlling power
and he looked upon them as the sub
jects rather than the source of govern
ment. Jefferson began at the other end
In his mind stood first the rights Of the
individual. next the power of the people
and then to establish both n government
guaranteeing freedom and resting upon
consent. The cornerstone of his party
was the truths he had asserted as self
evident in the DECLARATION of 1ndepend-
ence. that all men DIRE created equal
endowed with certain nHnalienable rights
to secure which rights governments are
instituted, deriving their Just powers
from the consent of the governed. or
necessity government was TO be Of
limited powers and always under the
control of the people. II was not to he
tyrant to destroy their rights nor an
almoner to give them livelihood In
administration 1t was to be ''riEorot,sly
frugal and simple: In form self-govern-
ment kept near to the power that makes
and obeys IT. 1t was to be home rule
with jealous regard for the rights of
the States and OF local government
With clear vision he saw the future
understood the material out OF which
our republic was wrought and so made
It's authority spring from the people and
lts function service In their interests.
Klshts, not favors; the people, not
classes. are the watch words 10 define
his political belief. His democracy and
ours rests upon an abiding trust in the
people. belief that power can safely
be given them, and that the broa der
the foundation the safer the structure
of our government His democracy
stood beside the humblesr Individual TO
protect MIN from oppression, and was
the bulwark of the silent people TO pre-
vent the power and purpose of govern
meht from being warped by the clamor-
Gus demands of selfish interests HIs
party was and is, to be the people's
party In all OF this Jefferson crea ted
no new theory of government. He
merely recognized the conditions under
which 1t must continue. Upon these
principles he founded an indestr,,ctibIe
party with variety OF expression and
application they have been that partv,s
platform through all the changes and
emergencies OF our republic. Let me
repeat the platform as he declared II
In MS frst inaugural address:
Equal and exact business to all mon
OF whatever state or persuasion, rellgi-
GUS or political; peace, commerce and
hohest friendship with all nations-en
tahsiins alliances with none: the sun
port or State governments In all their
fiBhts as the most competent admins
trations for our domestic concerns and
Tue Tue surest bulwarks against anti-repub-
hcah tendencies; the preservation OF the
general government in It's whole onns,I
l.
tutional ViEor as the sheet anchor Of our
peace at home and safety abroad. free-
dom or religion; freedom of the precs.
lreeoon or person under the protection
OF the habeas corpus. and trial by iuries
linpartialiy selected; these principles
form the bright constellation which ha q
zone Defore us and guided our stems
through an age of revolution and rotor
nation"
10 Jenerson and his party these nrip-
cip's were not Idle distractions and
empty platitudes. but were n bolitIraI
Poiicy 10 De aggressively enforced in tho
laws OF state and nation. The equality
ana loerty he preached he had infused
>nto the life of his State by yarious Iaws
Whlch uprooted caste and privelepe ri.
VT9rous hand soon abolished cntai, and
primogeniture. that then. might he as
ne wrote, "iEstead of an aristocracv of
WefIth an arlstocracy of virtue
ana talent. which nature has wisely
provided for the direction of the interests
o. society and scattered with equal hand
through all Its conditions" He stopned
ms importation Of slaves into Virginia
recommending easunas for their grad
ual emancipation. and drafted a plan for
the government of the northwestern Ter
Ttory with provision forblddins slav
cry ,"Nothing Is more certainly written
In the book of fate" he said. Than tbat
these people are to be free" He modi-
fled the severity OF the criminal law bv
just and humane code He proyIded
for the citizenship of aliens by system
OF naturalization which ,pas aanaroiI,,