The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1898-04-22
DEMOCRACY'S FATHER
Jefferson's Birthday Anniversary
Observed in Chicago.
Jobn r. AItgeld Contrasts the Acts
of Democracy's First President
with Those of Grover
Cleveland.

niyersary of the birth of Thomas JET
ferson was celebrated in Central Mu-
sic hall, Chicago, by 1900 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 said:
I'VE have met to celebrate the birthday
of the first president elected by the democ-
racy of America. This, taken in connec-
ton with the unhappy conditions of our
country as left by the last president, and
as we find them to-day, makes 1t proper to
saw 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
structlve. especially to the young men Of
the land.
"While Virginia was yet British col
ony a young man named Thomas Jeffer-
son. who hailed from the landed gentry,
was a member of the legislature. He had
been highly educated was a student of
all human affairs, and was a member of
the bar. Although born an aristocrat, he
saw that all civilization rested on the
hand that tolls. He saw that all of the
governments Of the earth rested on re-
strctive policies which cowed the nobler
Instincts and higher activities of men.
He felt that IL man were given his free
a
He saw that all men came into the world
equal and that institutions which created
inequality were curse 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 to
these classes were tories who looked with
contempt on those men who talked of lib
erty and independence; the latter were
called .rabble of demagogues and agita-
tors.
Pioneer I'm Reform.
Jefferson did not do like some men who
subsequently became distinguished. He
did not allow others to do all of the earlier
unpopular and dangerous work of edu-
eating and formulating public sentiment.
but he became the guiding spirit of this
movement.
He assisted in forming the celebrated
committee of correspondence for dissem-
mating intelligence among the colonies and
bringing them into closer relationship. In
INA he was elected a member of the con-
tinental congress and drew up the famous
summary view of the rights Of British
America which, though rejected then as
being too radical, was adopted by some col
onies and was extensively published here
and in England. He helped to draft every
important document issued by the con-
gress, and especially the answers to the
English government. And when the cause
OF independence had ripened. his brain
conceived, his heart shaped and his hand
wrote the declaration of American inde-
pendenee. document which has given i'm
mortality even TO those who did nothing
but sign their names to it-a document
which was the greatest charter of human
rights ever given to mankind.
The colony OF Virginia had in the mean
TINE adopted new constitution, for which
he had written the preamble, and in Oc-
tober, lH6, he resigned his seat in con-
gress and devoted himself to bringing
about radical revision of the laws of
the colony. Virginia had an established
church, and any man who did not adhere
10 1t and attempted to worship God ac-
cording to the dictates of his conscience
was not only prosecuted but prosecuted.
supports Religious Freedom.
He secured the establishment of re-
ligious freedom in the colony. He secured
the abolition of the feudal and aristocratic
system OF primogeniture and entail-that
system under which the eldest son took all
the land, which then meant nearly all
the property-and he founded a free COM
mon school system which was subsequent
iy copied in most of the states. For his
course on each of these questions he was
ahgrily denounced by those who consid-
cred themselves the better classes, con-
sistng of the rich, the influential and the
satan, an enemy Of Christian institutions
anu dangerous man. But he never
waVered and succeeded in bringing the
Jaws OF his colony more nearly in line with
the spirit of justice. He hoped that he had
eradicated every fiber of ancient or fu-
ture aristocracy.
y. lie considered slavery moral and po-
nNeai evil. and said concerning it that
ne trembled for his countrymen when he
remembered that God was just.
AFTER the revolution he founded the Uni
Nerslty or Virginia, which has given this
eouhtry hosts of great men, and it is still
re rne ol our greatest institutions of learning.
ine services he rendered his colony alone
enlitle MIN to an enduring fame and the
srautude Of mankind He served two
sedrs as governor of the colony, and then
,ueeIned reelection and retired to private
.ile, out reentered congress in 1873, and re-
poited the treaty of peace with Great
pttaln acknowledging the independence
winch had been declared in 1776. He next
secured the establishment of the decimal
system of coinage, abolishing the English
system OF pounds. shillings. etc.
subsequently, he was sent abroad to as
sist IN negotiating treaties of commerce,
ana then was made resident minister to
lance, where he spent about four years
aete ne published his famous Notes on
virginia
Democratic All Through.
ohe feature of his character at this
a, slne Is especially noticeable. /. e.. he was
lays democrat. In recent years we
Sane Sn sent men abroad who have knelt be-
80 ana tried to ape the aristocrGcy, some
sHein even denouncing the country which
is au gwen them a commission. but in every
~, ,tae OF Jeffersons utterances during that
hals' he' IN all Of his letters. there was that
to sotu expression of his opinion. that aris-
,.SSeraey and absolutism were a curse to
Lug lug word, and that the hopes OF humanity
~ broad and free democracy.
In Washington's Cabinet.
water after the constitution was adopted and
csashlhgton was elected president, it be-
n,,t' necessary TO have the young re-
c pootc establish as friendly relations as
trbossaoie ~ with the different governments of
earth. As we We're then weak and un-
siSsH, ana as our government was con-
., 1911 Dat an experiment, and was sneered
!, " the influential classes OF the world.
~ vas most delicate and difficult task
nas. cure Tor us even respectable treat
rarss-om from foreign governments. Mr.. JEFF
a.. returned from Europe and Presi-
eca "ashington appointed him 10 the Of
VI secretary of state. the one which