The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-02-23
QgSb


1eDsr Read Before the ChautaoQua Circle.
1T is not my purpose to impress up
on your minds that have delved
among the manuscripts of century
ago in the endeavor to bring to
light some forgotten history. l wish to
refresh your memory with facts and
conditions of the times from which we
date the beginning of our national ex-
istence. 1 have chosen our third presi-
dent as my theme, for to him is given
the credit of having framed the Dec
laration of Independence; and that
famous account, as it now stands, is
the result of his hand and mind, with
the exception of one or two small
changes made by DR.. Franklin and
John Adams. l will not deal with the
religious intolerance of the early
settlers. The American COlOnists were
composed of Englishmen who did not
desire a political separation from Eng
land. 1t is true there were Dutch,
German, Swedish, French and other
European settlers. Yet these colOnists
were comparatively few in numbers
and were practically absorbed by the
English.
Prior to the war each colony had its
local government, perfect in itself and
entirely independent of the other col
onies. A governor $50 to speak, was
either appointed by the King of Eng
land or elected by the colonists them
selves. Here we find the weak point
divided country. Each colony was
jealous of the prosperity of the Others.
This retarded the national growth. 1t
was not untilSeptember,1 1874, when del
egates appointed by each colony through
the direct influence of Thomas Jefferson
and met in Philadelphia. did the exis-
tence of the American Union begin,
This first meeting was largely for the
purpose of presenting their grievances
unitedly to George III. Two years
later, on July End, 1776, this congress
resolved, "that these United Colonies
are, and of right ought to be, free
and independent states" Two days
later, July 4th, 1776, the famous Dec.
iaration was presented, agreed upon
and read publicly to the people. On
September 9th Of the same year this
congress amended the declaration by
inserting in place of the words "UniteC
Colonies" "United States of America,
and on November 18th, I777 the articles
of confederation and. perpetual unior
were agreed upon by all the delegates
subject to the ratification of the STATE
legislatures severally.
No one man was more instrumental
in bringing about the union of tn
colonies than was Thomas Jefferson
l will not 60 into details as to hi
earlier education further than to sa.
that 1t was as thorough as could b
obtained at that time. In 1867, at tn
age of twenty-four, he was admitted t,
the bar, and historians tells us that il
the first three years of his practice h
had three hundred and eighty-one case
before the general court 1 merely cit
this as an illustration of the faith pee
pie had in him as an attorney.
Jefferson, tho an educated mar
might rightfully be called the farme
president, for it was calling whic
throughout his life he loved, a passio
which was never quenched by his iI
terest in public life. We are told tina
he was the first to import from Franc
olive plants and from Africa har
rice. He said that the greatest servic
a man could render to any countr
was to add useful plant to its cultur
especially bread grain, and next t
it in value was oil. 1t is said that b
welcomed an epidemic of yellow feve
because he viewed the great cities &
pestilential to the morals, the healt
and the liberties of man.
Probably the turning point in Je
ferson's career was in 1865 when
listened to Patrick Henry, (afterwart
the first governor of the independel
state of Virginia) make his famol
speech in the House of Burgess,
against taxation without represent
tion. He was an intimate friend