New-York tribune., 1903-04-13
JEFFERSON.

The anniversary of the birth Of Thomas JET
ferson-ths year the 160th-will be widely com
memorated to-day. 1t deserves to be- 1t Is
worthy of attention every year, but, above all
in this year, when it comedies within tne
month. with the centennial anniversary of one
of the greatest achievements OF JeHerson
career jefferson desired to be known IN his
epitaph as the Author Of the Declaration Oh
American Independence of the statute or VIZ
| .gfnia for Religious Freedom, and Father OF
"the University of Virginia" Posterity has not
denied nor begrudged him such distinction But
II has added thereto some other titles TO remem-
brance which TO Jefferson's essentially paro-
chiaI mind may have seemed of minor impor-
tance hut which the general judgment of the
nation has long ranked among the foremost
His inspiration of the Ordinance Of 1881 was
of simply inestimable Importance to the supse-
quent delevopment Of the nation, while tne
value of his acquisition of the Louisiana Terri
tory. hundred years ago this month, is scarce
II to be expressed in comprehensive terms
IT was Jefferson's peculiar fate to win some Of
his greatest triumphs through complete reversal
of his own principles and abandonment OF his
own position, or else in abserce and IN partlaI
defeat Thus he inspired the Ordinance OF
1877, but be had no part in its enactment and
to the terrible after cost of the nation, one of
II. 1t was in the Louisiana business that his
seIf-repudiation reached it's climax. 1t may be
that in that momentous episode he remained
true 70 some of his former principles. If so, the
world needs to be reminded Of them. Certainly
upon almost every distinctive point of foreign
or domestic policy he reversed himself with the
celerity of lightning change artist He had
been the friend Of France and the foe OF Eng
land but he now declared the former to be our
natural enemy and the latter to be the friend TO
whom we should wed ourselves. He had au-
sterely deprecated "entangling alliances" with
any European power, but now ne urged nara
and fast alliance with one of them for war upon
another. He had opposed Hamiltons CONT
mental policy. but now he advocated 1t in an
exaggerated form. He had preached peace at
any price, but now he sought opportunity ana
pretext for war. He had opposed the creation
of a navy but now he suggested the building of
one that should give US the mastery of the sea-
He had inclined toward State Rights and disap-
rroved a centralized government, but now he
took the step that above all others assured the
dominance Of Federal authority and Whlcn
caused State Rights TO die a-borning." He
had been a stickler for ''strict construction"
but now he performed act which was justin
able only under free construction of the con-
stit1ltion. In that instrument, which he consld-
cred the greatest OF his WORKS, ne HaQ WIiilSH
his "glittering generalities" about governments
deriving their just powers from the consent of
'the governed" but now he purchased terri
! tory full of people he might have purchased
a pen full of sheep, and governed it with the
| absolute autocracy of Spanish viceroy!
Upon these and many similar phases OF his
| distinguished and upon the whole benencent
career his partisan eulogists Of to-day will not
greatly dwell. They will more probably ring
! the changes upon his theories and principles,
| ignoring his Numerically opposite practices
| and deeds. If So they will not do wisely. Jef-
! ferson's practices were better than his prin-
/ cipIes His deeds were more benefcent than
his theories The man who secured Louisiana
| and the western half Of the Mississippi Valley
for the Union and sent Lewis and Clark to
plant our flag In Oregon and on the PACING
! Coast did incomparaby better for the republic
/ than he who thought that two or three separate
! nations In our present domain would be as good
as one and who declared that "a little rebellion
now and then is good thing. We need not be
afraid of condemning Jefferson for inconsist-
! encv in recalling his signal self-reversals. For
consistency, SIS one Of the greatest philosophers
has assured u.s. is something with which great
mind has simply nothing to do; and in any case,
! II Jefferson was inconsistent with himself. he
was consistent with something far greater-the
welfare and honor Of the United States.