Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-04-20
THOMAS JEFFERSON.

Shadwell. Albemarle county, Virgin
ia, on April 2, 1743, was an American
patriot and the author of the Declar-
alton of independence. He was a
scholar. statesman, inventor and ex-
pert musician-the violin being his
favorite instrument. with which he
was an adept.
All Americans honor the name of
Jefferson. They extol his many yir.
tues and overlook his faults. He be.
longs not to any party but to poster
ity, to the ages yet to come, for 1t
was his master mind that helped
largely in shaping the destiny OF the
young republic which has grown to
be the greatest among the nations of
earth.
But Thomas Jefferson was intense
ly human and being So he was not
free from the faults and foibles of
mankind. He knew the art of dema-
gogy to perfection but it was not Of
the low cunning sort. His scheming
was on a high plane. He was an in
veterate ~officeholder, being in the
public service almost continuously
from the time he entered the House
of Burgesses of Virginia in 1869, at
the age of 20. until he became presi-
dent of the United States. But 1t Is
but just to admit that his was a cast
OF the office seeking the man rather
than the reverse, owing to his eXcep,
tional abilities. While broad-minded
in his views and farseeing in most re.
spccts. ne could not foresee the ter.
rible shock thai the future had in
store for his pet doctrine Of state
sovereignty. Ii was destined to
not only be riddled by shot and shell
but TO be punctured by numerous
court decisions.
But, strange as il may seem, Jeffer.
son was among the first to discover
the curse and blight OF negro slavery
and although a southern man he early
In his career warned the south of the
impending danger. He Is said to new
er have acquired any slaves by pur.
chase and although he had a large
estate refused to use slaves for the
purpose of cultiyating his holdings.
As a member of the House of Bur-
gesses of Virginia he was among
those to join Massachusetts In pro-
testing against the levying OF custom
duties against certain leading arti-
cles of foreign commerce. One of the
resolutions adopted declared against
taxation without representation" In
order to avoid the necessity of pay
ing duties on such articles OF buying
anything from abroad. it was resolved
at a public meeting to be more eco
nomical and saving and strive TO pro-
duce more of such necessities al
home. One resolve was to save all
of the lambs for WOOL" This was
probably the beginning of the WOO
industry in America, until now we
lead the world in the production Of
wool and its manufacture into cloth
ing. But in this advice Jefferson ad
vocated something foreign to the
ideas of modern Democracy. which
would have our flocks abandoned
while we furnished a market for the
semi-barbarous nations of the world
On the question OF human SLAYER!
the views of Jefferson were antago
nistic TO the entire south as well as L
to the Democratic party of the ma
tion until the question was settled b,
the civil war. Had Jefferson lived an
other half century he would probabl!
have been an abolitionist. While
member of congress in 1888 he draft
ed the report OF a plan for the gov
eminent of the vast territory lying 4
the northward of the Ohio river whicl
had been ceded to the general govern
ment in 1880. Among its provision
was a clause providing that afte
the wear 1900 of the Christian er;
there shall be neither slavery nor in
voluntary servitude in any of the sal,
states otherwise than in punishment
of crimes, whereof the party shall b.
duly convicted TO have been person
ally guilty. IL WIS lnt dlltHlpl U
organize states from this territor,
/ that led to the civil war. In tn
light of the attitude and action o
/, Jefferson in opposing slavery il /
difficult To harmonize the record O
the Democratic party with his teach
: ings.
, But We hear much OF 'Jeifersonial
simplicity" Part of Jefferson's sin
plicity was put on for effect. L
hayeridden on horseback to Washing
ton to be inaugurated would not hav,
caused much comment in his day, e,
en- though not in keeping with tn
dignity OF the Office. To do such
thing now would subject a ~presiden
| to well merited censure and ridicule
In Jefferson's time the means OF tra'
al were meagre and the country wa
poor. Now the occasion is made
: gala time. and why shouldn't ii be
/ The people have the money to spen
I and why not put 1t into circulation
and thereby give employment [
thousands who look to such occasion
to make an extra dollar. A Jefferso
on horseback now would stand a goo
chance of being b~oycotted by tn
hackmen'a union, and he would d.
serve to be.
: The fact is America. under the wis
? industrial policies Of the Republica