The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-24

tion had been cast aside, We're we tc
voluntarily fasten upon our necks the
same yoke in another form? Was hui
manity never to learn Its lesson? Was
the past never to be respected as a
teacher?
The conception of Mr.. Jefferson was
that the world was making one more
great effort TO evolve higher better
system If government than Europe had
ever known and 1t CALLED him to see
that statesmen like Hamilton were
! merely attempting to secure such legis-
Iation. establish such institutions. as
would give us IS good system as the
abominably unjust system OF Great Brit
ain.
Right or wrong this was Jefferson's
attitude: and TO understand him. 1t Is
necessary 10 place ones self at that
| point Of view.
lie dctested Hamilton. not q personal
enemy. but as the most dangerous cham
pion OF the anti-republlcan. anti-demo-
cratic spirit, He hated. not the man.
| but the system.
Washington had endeavored to govern
with a non-partsan cabinet. The at
tempt was a failure. Parties sprang up
at the very council board. the two great
! secretaries striking at each other like
| fighting cocks.
Hamuton's party established a news
paper organ, Fenuo's Gazette.
Jeferson's party founded Freneau's Ga
zette.
The rival papers hammered each other
and the leaders on each sldc in the man
| ner since grown 50 familiar. Hamilton
was not spared, Jefferson was assaulted.
| Washington himself roundly abused.
Freneau was a clerk in the state de-
partment with salary of $3.50 per year.
The president seemed to think that JEFF
ferson should dismiss the troublesome
editor. but the secretary declined to do
| so Those who claim that Jefferson was
| deficient In courage have many obstacles
| to overcome. and this Drawing of the
| wrath of Washington Is one Of them.
But Mr. Jefferson had no fondness for
the heated atmosphere OF personal dis
pute and wranglcs; by nature he pre-
ferred the calm of ibrores and the up
per regions of philosophc thought.
Speeches he would not make. newspa-
per controversies he would not wage.
Plans of campaign he would furnish TO
lieutenants. marching orders to battal-
ions but for the actual scene of strife.
the hurry -burly OF knock down and drag
out. he was unified. lie feared no one.
shrank from no position. compromised no
principle, 70 save himself deserted no
friend because the world was against
him: but yet he had that high sense of
personal dignity which held him aloof
from any line Of action Inconsistent with
his ideal OF the statesman. A Wei
lington might not be afraid to take off his
co2t TO fight the regimcutal bully; but
no one would expect 10 see u Wellington
do thing Of that kind
1t was Wellingtons business TO plan
the campaign ana direct the combats Of
other men. Let DULLES fight bullies
But while MI. Jefferson took no hand
IN this newspaper war. Hamilton did
Holding his rival responsible for all that
Freneau had written. Hamilton assailed
jefferson violently. but the purpose fail
ed. jefferson paid no attention to him
President Washington was grieved and
scandalized at this state or things in his
non-partisan cabinet. In the mobiles
spirit he endeaVored to compose the I'M
seemly strife. But each secretary was
without fault in his own eyes. and the
breach was not healed Hamilton wrote
the president a letter OF Justification, and
jefferson did hkewise-and federalists
have never ceased to resent the fact that
of the two letters Jeffersons is the
stronger.
His position having become rllsome to
him. Mr.. jefferson offered more than once
to resign. AT the urgent request of the
president however. he held on till Jan
nary ], 1874, when he retired, carrying
with him as warm q letter of commenda-
ton as Washington could write
IN The True Thomas jefferson Mr.
William Elery Curtis states that jefferson
1I.l
net" This surprising statement is not
only contradicted by all the previous
biographers or Mr.. jefferson, but is con
tradicted by Washington himself
In his letter OF January J. 1884 he says
10 Mr.. Jefferson:
Il yesterday received with sincere re-
gret your resignation of the office of
secretary of state Since 1t has been inn
possible to prevail upon you to forego any
longer* the Indulgence of your desire for
private life the event, however anxious
am TO prevent it, must be submitted to-"
lie then goes on to pay a high tribute
to his retiring secretary.
If Mr. Curtis had investigated his sub
ject he would have learned that General
Washington sought to win jefferson back
to service of his administration by offer
ing a special mission 10 Spain. Mr. JEFF
date September Z, 1884.
The statements made by Mr.. Curtis that
Washington wished jefferson out Of the
cabinet, that Jefferson promised several
times to get out, and that he was at last
forced out are untrue.
Mr.. Jeffersons popularity and reputa-
ton We're greatly increased by his record
as secretary Of state. He had diligently
applied himself to the routine work OF his
department. improving the postal service:
arranging treaties with Indian tribes.
laying off the new federal city and plan
ming It's public buildings making exhaus-
tive studies and reports on uniformity or
coinage. weights and measures and all
such other matters as then fell within the
duties of secretary Of state. 1t was upon
his recommendation that the government
decided to coin Its own money and the
mint at Philadelphia was established. His
correspondence with Genet and with the
English minister. Mr.. Hammond. was
highly approved, and the opposition which
he had made TO Hamltons policies gave
him his first prominence as the leader of
distinct political party. The Sentiment
which he represented, the principles Of
which made himself the exponent and
champion, were as yet unorganized; but
they were powerful, and jefferson was
| their prophet It began to appear then.
as 1t more clearly appears now, that, as
| Hamilton stood for class and for a gov
| eminent Of special privilege jefferson
stood for Inc mass of the people and