Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-08-30
sRyANIsM AND IEFFERs0NIANISM.

BRYANISM AND IEFFERS0NIANiSM.
Ever since William Jennings Bryan be-
came conspicuous figure in the politics
of this country he has been trying to make
the people believe that he was following
Thomas jefferson in advocating all the
ultra positions he has occupied on public
questions. He declared that Jefferson
was the advocate of the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at fixed ratio, and was
opposed to stopping the coinage OF the
"dollar of the daddies" under any cir
cumstances. Bryan's declarations were
fully contradicted by history, which dis
closed the fact that jefferson favored fix
ing the ratio between silver and gold upon
a commercial basis, as established by the
markets of the world; and that Jefferson,
while President, bad arbitrarily stopped
TIE. coinage of silver dollars for good
reason.
Now, since Bryan has determined to
abandon free silver as an issue and has
taken an extreme position on the false is'
sue of Imperialism, he and his followers
are trying to create the belief that they
are following in the footsteps of Thomas
Jefferson on the question of expansion or
acquisition of new territory by the United
States. The record made by President
Jefferson, and his party in Congress, on
the purchase of the province of Louisiana
from France shows most conclusively that
the Bryanites are wilfully or ignorantly
misrepresenting the facts, and are pervert'
ing the record of Mr.. jefferson. 1t is
tue that he was strict constructionist of
the Constitution on the question Of &C.
quiring new territory, holding that the
limits of the United States were ''precise-
" fixed by the treaty of 1885," and that
to acquire new territory, or add in any
way to the Union by territory outside
those limits, was violation of the Con-
etitution. But, holding that view, Mr..
Jefferson, as President, deliberately and
Intentionally violated the Constitution, as
he construed it, by the purchase of Louisi'
ana. In letter written to Senator Nicho-
las, of Virginia, after stating that he be-
lieyed he lad violated the Constitution,
President Jefferson said: eff, however,
our friends shall think differently, certain
" shall aequiesce with satisfaction. "
When the treaty for the purchase Of
Louisiana came before Congress for ratih'
cation the Jefersonian Democratic mem.
bers, of both the Senate and House of
Representatives, unanimously determined
that there had been no violation of the
Constitution by the President in the pur-
chase of the new territory. During the
debate the followers of Jefferson were of
one opinion "that new territory could be
acquired by conquest or by purchase"
During the debate in the House, Mr..
Nicholson presented the views of the
Presidents party and said:
"Had ! been asked anywhere but in
this House whether sovereign nation
had right to acquire new territory,
should have thought the question an ab-
surd one. 1t appears to me too plain and
undeniable to admit of demonstration. Is
it necessary to resort to ancient authori'
ties to establish position which is proved
by the conduct pursued by all nations,
from the earliestiperiods of the world, and
which arises from the very nature of So
ciety? Can it be doubted, that when
State is attacked, it has the right to assail
its enemy in turn, and weaken the aggres-
sor by dispossessing him Of part of his
territory Surely the opinions Of all
writers, both ancient and modern, and
the examples of all nations, in all ages.
can leave no reason to doubt on this sub
ject."
Speaking further Mr.. Nicholson said;
I'm the year 1776 when the United
States absolved their allegiance to Great
Britain, each State became separate and
independent sovereignty. As indepen-
dent sovereignties, they had full power,