The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-17

Washington, April 13.-Hon. William
j. Bryan. Senator Hoar, of Massachu-
sets. Governor Montague of Virginia
and former Postmaster General Chas.
Emery Smith of Philadelphia, were the
principal speakers at a dinner given at
the Hotel Barton tonight under the
auspices of the Jefferson Memorial AS
ISOLATION in celebration OF the 160th an
niversary of the birth Of the author of
the Declaration of independence.
About 140 guests We're present.
A feature of the musical programme
was the rendition of a march by the
leader Of the marine band. entitled
THE Thomas Jefferson March," H. B.
F. Mcfarland, president of the district
commissioners, presided n Thomas
Nelson Page asted as toast master.
The dinner was not of a political char
acter.
Senator Hoar responded to the toast
'The Author of the Declaration of In
dependence" He spoke in part AS fol-
lows:
IF we want a sure proof Of Thomas
Jefferson's greatness, it will be found
in the fact that men Of every variety
Of political opinion oWever asu1dcr
find confirmation of their doctrine in
him. Every party in this country to-
day reckonS Jefferson as it's patron
saint. In my youth the political aboli-
tionists made appeals to Jefferson the
burden of their song. In the late dis
c%ussion, which rent the country, about
the Philippine islands. one side quoted
what Mr.. Jefferson said in the Dec'ara-
ton of Independence and the other
what they thought he did, in the ac-
QUESTION of Louisiana. Every political
sect finds it's political doctrine in JEFF
ferson, almost as every religious sect
finds it's doctrines in the sayings Of the
Saviour of
1.-The friend of state rights calls at
tention to the fact hat Jefferson spoke
of the government of the United States
as the agency of Washington" The
aEolitionists quotes the great deciara-
ton against slavery. Il tremble for
my country when I reflect that God is
just
The supporter Of a protective tariff
claims him as the highest protectionist
in our history, appealing to his desire
that there might be a wall around the
country which hOu1d keep out all for
eign manufacturers" The free trader
maintains that the spirit of everything
he said and everything he did touched
the doctrine of unlimited freedom in
all human conduct, except so tar as
may be needful for the restraint of
actual crime"
Mr. Hoar said further: More than
any other statesmen down to his time
more than any other statesman / can
think of save Lincoln-he had a stead
fast and abiding faith in justice,
righteousness and liberty. as the pre-
vailing and abiding forces in the con-
duct of states, and that justice and
righteousness were sure to prevail
where any people bear rule in perfect
liberty. Fol this doctrine he was
| ready to encounter unpopularity, pow
erty, if need be, imprisonment and
exile. Upon it, as on a cornerstone, he
laid the foundation of the republic"
Ex-Postmaster Smith responded to
THE Louisiana Purchase" speaking in
part as follows:
L have not been trained in the JEFF
| ferson school thought. But belong
ing to an opposing school, 1 recognize
| an honor the inestimable service he
| rendered the country. The immeasur-
able value of J~effersoR's service was
that as the leader of the opposing post.
he. came into authority. exercised the
same powers, met the same high re-
sponsibilities in the same statesman
like way, and d~issipated any lingering
feeling that the constitution and the
government involved any peril to pop
ular freedom"
Mr.. Bryan, who was the last speaker
on the programme addressed himself
to The Statute for Religious Free
DOM"
He concluded as follows ITO Jeffer-
son, the doctrine of free speech and
freedom of opinion applied to every
/ thing because he rightly understood
that no censorship of opinion wouI+ be
permitted that would not be more dan
gerous to truth than to error; for those
who are conscious of the Righteousness
of their cause are not so apt to invoke
force in defence of their opinion as
those who are conscious of error and
who. recognizing their inability to de-
FEM their views by reason. fal back
upon coercion. In the preamble OF The
act of 1856. it is stated. first, that the
propagation Of religion by force is con-
trary to the plan of God, the author Of
our religion. Attention is called to the
fact that the Almighty Being Lord
both of the body n the mind, yet
chose not to propagate it by coercion
of either jefferson recognized that
the Christian religion rested upon love.
and that love is the very antithecis OF
violence and brute force. It is we'll to
remember that the Declaration of H.
dependence itself rests upon the four
dation which supports u religion
namely. love. and those who deny the
doctrine of human brotherhood are not
apt to respect the creed Of inaii5nable
rights and natural equality embodied In
the declaration and the constitution
of the United States.
Jefferson was greatest statesman
known to history. He believed in the
rights of the people and had a heart