The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-04-29
DEMOCRACY'SFATHER
Jefferson's Birthday Anniversary
Observed in Chicago.
john y. Altgeld Contrasts the Acts
Of Dcmocrncy's First President
with Those of Grover
Cleveland.


with Those of Grover
Cleveland.
The one hundred and fifty-tifth an
niyersary of the birth Of Thomas JEFF
ferson was celebrated in Central Mu-
sic hall. Chicago. by 1000 democrats.
among whom were ex-Gov. Altgeld. OF
Illinois, and other political leaders. Mr..
Altgeld was the principal speaker of
the evening. and in his speech he snid:
I'VE have met to celebrate the birthday
OF the first president e.ected by the dcmoc-
racy Of America. This. taken In connec-
tl0n with the unhappy conditions or our
country, as left by the last president. and
as We md them to-day. makes II proper TO
say something about both Of these men
the one the founder and the other the de-
stroyer OF the democratic party-compar-
ison IS impossible. but contrast may be IN
structive. especially 10 the young men OF
the land.
while virginia was yet British col
! ony young man named Thomas Jener-
son, who hailed from the landed gentry.
was a member Of the legislature. He had
been highly educated. was student OF
I all human affairs. and was a member OF
I the bar. Although born an arlstocrat, ne
]
hard that tolls. He saw that all OF the
/ governments OF the earth rested on re-
stric,ive policies which co.ed the nobier
instincts and higher activities Of men
He felt that II man wee given his free
| dom he would work out higher destiny.
He saw that all men came into the woria
equal. and that Institutions which created
inequality were a cuTse TO the race. and
he devoted his life toward securing equal
| ity for mankind. liberty and justice. The
| agitation in behalf OF independence had
begun Nearly all the rich-the powerful
the fashionable and all that hangs "a
these classes were tories who looked with
contempt on those men who talked OF I'D
erty aid Independence the latter were
called rabbIe Of demagogues and agita-
Pioneer IN Reform.
Jefferson did not do like some men who
subsequently became distinguished. He
did not a low Others TO do all of the earlier
urpopula- and dangerous work of edu'
eating af.s formulating public sentiment
but he became the guiding spirit OF TINS
movement
..He assisted in forming the celebrated
committee of correspondence FOR dissem
mating intelligence among the colonies ant
bringing them into closer relationship. IL
TIA he was elected a member Of the con
tinental congress and drew up the fam, \
summary View Of the rights Of British
America which, though rejected then a
being too radical was adopted by some col
onies and was extensively published her
and in England. He helped 70 draft ever.
important document issued by the con
gress. and especially the answers 70 TN
English govern ment And when the caus
OF Independence had ripened. his brai
conceived, his heart shaped and his ham
wrote the declaration Of American inde
pendence. a document which has given i'm
~.
but sign their names TO it-a documen
which was the greatest charter OF huma
rights ever given 10 mankind.
The colony o. Virginia had in the mean
time adopted n new constitution, for whlc
he had written the preamble. ana IN DC
tober. 1875. he resigned his seat In con
gress and devoted himself TO bringin
about a radical revision Of the laws {
the colony Virginia had an establishe
church. and any man who did not adher
10 IL and attempted TO worship God az
eordirr 10 the dictates Of his conSclenc
vas not only prosecuted but prosecuted.
Support. Religious Freedom.
"He secured the establishment Of r.
ligious freedom In the colony. He secure
the abolition Of the feudal and aristocrati
system Of primoceniture ard entail-tha
system under which the eldest son took
the land which then meant nearly
the rroperty-and he founded a free con
mon school system which was subsequent
Z In copied in most OF the states. for y
, course en- each Of these questions ne W.
= | arcrflv denounced by those who corsi'
cred themselves the better classes. col
sistinz % the rich. the influential and u
powerful. as n demagogue. an agent
|. Ss-sn. an enemy Of Christian institution
and a dangerous man. But ne rev
Y vavered end succeeded in bringing u
= laws Of his colony more nearly in line wit
80 .-sf Ia hnrra6 that
. | eradicatcd every fiber OF ancient or II
. ture aristocracy.
He considered slavery moral and p
uticai evil and said concerning Il TN
I he trembled for his countrymen when
:. remembered that God was just
After the revolution he founded the ur
! versity Of Virginia. which has given IN
: country hosts Of great men. and II IS 81
one Of our greatest Institutions or learnin
The services he rendered his colony alol
entsile him 10 an enduring fame ana !
y gratitude Of mankind. He served "
: years az governor Of the colony, ana th'
declined reelection and retired 70 priva
life. but rcentered congress in lls3. and
= ported the treaty Of peace with Gre
II britain acknowledging the irdcperder
Il which had been declared in l7'6 He re
secured the establishment Of the declm
system OF coinage. aSolishing the Ensh
e system Of pounds. shiilings. etc.
d Subsequently he was sent abroad 70
7 sist in negotiating treaties OF commert
=, ard then was made resident minister
- France. where he spent about four yea
e Here he published his famous Notes
Il Virginia.
~ Democratic All Through.
- zone feature OF his character at q
time Is especially noticeable. !. G.. he W
: always a democrat In recent years
J. fave sent men abroad who have knelt
m fore and tried to ape the aristocracy. sol
20 of them even denouncing the country viii
had given them a commission. but In eve
Inc Of Jefyerson's utterances during II
n time IN all OF his letters. there was II
r. bold expression Of his opinion. that ar
tocracy and ahsolutism were curse
= the world. and that the hopes OF human
r. Law in a broad and free democracy
n. "He was still abroad when our fede
r. constitution was adopted. He express
:. his hearty approval Of most OF II, but
- alarmed over the provision which Great
~ the federal judiciary. Here was brar
IN OF government that was unrepublican
m undemocratic, that rested upon an al
tocratic. or rather a monarchistic ba'
We The Judges. who would have all the pre-
r. dices and weaknesses OF other men. w
vo not 20 be selected BY the people. they w
=. TO hold office for life. and would not
" derstaud the needs or the wrongs or