Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-12-22
MAKE A BAD SHOWING.

mas, gay anu
the Boston gentleman's
Sc, and proceeds TO make
the object of satire. But, in
IT'S gayety and giddiness the Jour-
nal gets badly muddled. In the
course of its remarks it says that
s'it vas Thomas Jefferson who
wrote the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, in which the doctrine was
set forth that all men are created
free and equal" Now, the author
lied version of the Declaration Of
Independence does not set forth
that doctrine. Its language is
'sthat all men r created equal"
Misinterprctation of the spirit of
their declarations is pretty rough
on the fathers, but m~isquotstion of
the text of their declarations is
reugher still.
But our contemporary makes
no better out of it after it drops
sportjveness and satire and begins
what it intends for serious argus
ment. When, says the Journal,
Mr.. Jefferson came to draft a
scheme of government for the
Northwest Territory in 1884, he
did net permit any Of his politi-
cal ideals to interfere with the
practical task in hand. Nobody,
continues our contemporary, sup
poses that Jefferson relinquished
any of his original enthusiasm for
the rights of man, but he was not
so dreamy a philosopher as to
that an unsettled tract like the
Northwest Territory was ready
for universal manhood suffrage,
and he did not attempt to bestoW
it upon the vast and inchoate re-
gion north of the Ohio.
Precisely. But the Journal is
arguing for the right to hold
Colonies or territory Indefinitely
as such, and it proves too much.
1t seems to be as rusty on
the Northwest Territory ordin-
ances as it is on the Declaration
of Independence. Had 1t recently
"read up" on these documents,
it would, we think, have been
less quick to appeal to MI. JET
ferson. Its own "glittering gen.
erality" admission regarding the
''enthusiasm" of the Sage OF
Monticello loosens the props un-
der it's position, and the scheme
of government for the North
west Territory knocks them clean
out. The ordinance for the gov
eminent of the Northwest Ter.
ritory reported by Mr.. Jefferson
in 1884, and upon which the or
dinance of 1857 was largely
drafted, provided. among Other
things, for the division Of the
Territory into embryo States
and ordained that it should for
ever remain part of and sub.
lect to the government of the
United States. Aud that MIR. JET
ferson vigorously antagonized
Colonial policy and the indefinite
exclusion from statehood of new
ly acquired territory is striking,
1y accumulated in his message or
the Louisiana purchase. ."Witf
the wisdom of Congress-" be
says. cit will rest to take those
Interior measures which may be
necessary for the immediate &C,
cupation and temporary govern
ment of the country" and 'fol
its incorporation Into our Uns
ion." Moreover,as we have point
ed out more than once, the doc,
trine of Mr.. Jefferson and the
other fathers on this subject ha:
been affirmed by the highes
court in the land. AS Mr.. Yes
well said the other day. up to
recent date that part of the de.
cision in question bearing upor
this issue had never. been dis
puted by any tribunal or publ,
man. Verify our imperialisti,
friends make a bad showing fol
their cause when they attemp
to put the early records in evi
dence, and summon witnesse!
from The early school OF states
manshlp.