The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-14
STATESMEN TALK OF
THOMAS JEFFERSON
His Birthday Celebration at Washington-HoaI
Says Jefferson Is the Patron Saint
of Every Party

|. Washington, April 1S.-Hon. William
J. Bryan Senator Hoar of Massachu-
sets, Gov. Montague of Virginia and
ex-Postmaster General Charles E.
Smith of Philadelphia were the pripci-
pal speakers at a dinner given at the
Hotel Barton tonight under the aus
pices of the Thomas Jefferson Memo
rial Association in celebration of the
l6Oth anniversary of the birth of the
author of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. About 14O guests were present.
A feature of the musical programme
was the rendition of march by
Leader Santelman of the Marine Band,
entitled THE Thomas jefferson
March"
h. B. F. MacFarland, president of
the District Commissioners, presided,
and Thomas Nelson Page acted as
postmaster. The dinner was not of
political character Senator Hoar re-
sponded to the toast 1.-The Author of
Inc Declaration of Independence. He
spoke, in part, as follows:
If we want a sure proof of Thomas
oNiAOi ooH = greatness, II Will DS 1OuIu
In the fact that men of every variety
OF political opinion, however far asun-
DER, find confirmation of their doctrine
IN MIN. Every party in this country to-
Gay reckonS Jefferson as its patron
saint
The friend of state rights calls at
tenton to the fact that Jefferson spoke
OF the government of the United States
as the agency at Washington The
aoolltionist quotes the great declara-
uoh and his famous utterance against
slavery, / tremble for my country,
When | reflect that God is just The
supporter of a protective tariff claims
MN as the highest protectionist in our
history, appealing to his desire that
there might be a wall around the
country which should keep out all
4orelgn manufactures The free
trader maintains that the spirit of
everything he said and everything he
old teaches the doctrine of unlimited
freedom in all human conduct, except
80 far as may be needful for the re-
Stralnt of actual crime
Speaking of Jefferson's confidence in
me Ile success of right principles, Mr.
Hoar said:
More than any other statesman
uown to this time-more than any
Tther statesman l can think of save
lincoln alone-he had a steadfast and
apldlnS faith in justice. righteousness
alu liberty as the prevailing and abld-
ing forces in the conduct of states,
ana that justice and righteousness
we're sure to prevail where any people
Sedr rule in perfect liberty, For this
uoctrine he was ready. to encounter
uoinpopularity, poverty, if need be i'm
pisonment and exile. Upon it, as on
10 Lot lA a
VI the republic
EX-Postmaster General Smith re-
spohded to THE Louisiana Purchase"
Spedklng in part as follows:
belonging to an opposing school, l
.ecognlze and honor the inestimable
service he rendered the country. The
measurable value of Jefferson's SER
we was that as the leader of the OPP
5oSlng host he came into authority and
ttLIsslpated any lingering feeling that
sle constitution and the government
involved any peril to popular freedom"
Mr.. Bryan, who was the last speaker
", 1l the programme. addressed himself
DOM '''e' ioi i'ei'e i0@9
ne concluded as follows:
10 jefferson the doctrine of free
Speech and freedom of opinion APP
Hned to everything because he rightly
Co.., 1iS'oou that no censorship OF Opln-
b he could be permitted that would not
more dangerous to truth than to
tLior' Tor those who are conscious of
~ ~ righteousness of their cause are
of so apt to invoke force in defense
sl onelr opinions as those who are con-
tas3us or error and who, recognizing
ra aer ability to defend their views by
ssoh, fall back upon coercion.
n an the preamble OF the act Of 1856,
Is stated. first. that the propagation