The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-22
JEFFERSON DISTURBER
soRELY TRIED FIRST PREsr-
 DENT.
Conduct as Secretary of State in washington's Cabinet Is Dis
 creditable to the Sage of Monticello.
W E Curtis Washington Special to

W E Curtis Washington Special to Chicago Record Herald.
 | The most discreditable chapter in the
 life of Thomas Jefferson covers his l record as Secretary of State, and his | disloyalty to Washington. MT. Jefter- 1 son undoubtedly had sincere and
 honest respect for Washington. He | once remarked that Washington errs | as other men do, but errs with integri- ty." But the passion and the im-
 patience of a partisan because of | Washington's friendship with his politi-
 cal enemies led him to say privately to friends what he would not have ut- | tered publicly. He evidently under estimated Washington's intellectual l ability and continually imposed upon l his good nature. The Presidents | patience and forbearance were ex- | traordinary. He must have had pro- | found confidence in Jefferson's integri- I ty and ability to have tolerated him so long. There is no similar instance in | the history of the government. MT. | Lincoln;s patience was sorely tried at | times by the members of his official l family and cabinet feuds have been | freauent, but no President has ever endured with such saintly toseration trials equal to those that MT. Jefferson imposed upon Washington.
 l Unhappiiy, MT. Jefferson was called l to the head of the cabinet while his theories of government still retained l the heat of the French revolution and l the odor of the guillotine. He would have had an instant quarrel with any | other President than Washington,
 whose sedate and charitable disposi- | mi nnmR0FV2y- | tive. Jefferson tried him severely. | chiefly by his incorporate utterances, l his bitter attacks upon Hamilton and | the New England supporters of the ad- | ministratiop. Gradually the cabinet, | the Congress and finally the country | which up to that time had been a unit | in the support of Washington, divided l into two political factions. the Repub- | licans under the leadership of Jeffer- | son. the Secretary of State. and the l Federalists under the leadership ot
 Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasu- | ry. That was the beginning of | American politics and the original 1 division. of American parties.
 Shrewdest of American Politicians. | Jefferson is usually conceded to be the shrewdest politician this country l has ever produced, and he Eesorted to measures which would not be tolerated by this geheration. His personal cor respondence and the confidential diary l which he kept under the title of "Anas" prove that he used upderhand methods | and was commonly engaged in ir-
 trigues not only against his colleagues in the cabinet. but even against Wash ington, whose loyalty and confidence in him were complete. He has been ac-
 cused of shielding himself like
 coward behind a clerk in his depart ment who was allowed to publicly As- sail the character as well as the con- duct of Washington" but It really re- uuired more courage for Jefferson to sustain Freneau under the circum- stances than to discharge him. Fur
 thermore. he freely accused his official | associates of treason. He openly charged Hamilton with conspiracy to
 overthrow the republic and set up a monarchy. He declared that Hamil-
 toms influence in Congress was Gb-
 tained by bribery and corruption by
 the use of government funds and bonds
 No other President in the long list of
 American rulers would have submitted
 to such audacity, for Jefferson was
 anything but a coward. But Wash
 ington confided in his loyalty, admired
 his ability and his personal affection |
 Iations were those of the merest cour-
 tesy after Mir. Jefferson's retirement from the cabin&t.
 | Winked at Attack by Freneau.
 An adventurer named Freneau, a
 man of eccentric experience, poet,
 sea captain and the editor of local
 paper. was appointed by Mir. Jefferson
 a translator in the Department 0t
 State at a salary of $250 a year, 1pon
 the recommendation of MT. Madison
 who had been his class mate at Prince
 ton College. The appointment was
 made with the understanding that
 Freneau,5 paper was to become the
 organ of the Republican party, and
 writing Madison, Jefferson says that he
 Intended to give him the perusal oi
 all my letters of foreign intellig snce
 and all the foreign newspapers, the
 publication of all proclamations anc
 other public notices that are in my de-
 partment, and the printing of the laws
 which added to his salary would have
 been considerable aid.
 F'reneau appears to have knowr
 what was expected of him, for ms paper immediately began series oi
 most vigorous and vicious assaults
 upon the administration. His scurril'
 ous abuse of Hamilton and disrespect' 1 ful references tC washing IoH as d FhdA
 as well as the President of the United
 States created profound indignation
 among all air-minded people, but Jef'
 ferson stubbornly refused to rebukt Freneau or remove him from office
 Finally the quarrel with Hamilton reached a crisis. Hoping to brinl about a reconcilia ton, Washington ep pealed to each of them in an affection
 ate personal letter. Hamilton answer ed in a dignified and courteous manner
 and a conciliatory disposition, but witt
 much feeling. Jefferson's reply waS
 insulting and inexcusable. He de- feuded his own conduct and charged Hamilton with corruption, conspiracy and treason, with intentions to over
 throw the government and establish 6 monarchy, with corrupting Congress by the uee of the public funds, witf
 dealing out valuable treasury secrets ! among his friends and Senators, Rep resentatives and newspaper editors 1T , order to secure their favor and support Protest of President Unheeded.
 Such a letter, written by a member
 of the cabinet to the President concerns <, ing one of his colleagues, would be i'm | possible at this day, and it shows th'
 depth of Jefferson's malice and mean Q ness. Yer Washington, out of respec V for Jefferson's abilities and patriotism a overlooked the insult and allowed hin r to remain in the cabinet. Jefferson a rewarded him by permitting Freneau t | continue his insults and indignitie,