Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-09-09
Bruce Grit continues the
Story of a Negro who
was associated with
Thomas Jefferson

Mr.. Hume" said Mr. Jefferson,
was profound and subtle reasoner
and an acute metaphysician; as an
historian too he is very able and ar
ranges, systematiZes and generalizes
with great skill and talent, but he
wrote to please the English aristoc
racy; and think from high venera-
ton. and perhaps innate love for her
editary power, he imbibed such a con-
tempt for the masses that he became
insensible to human rights; or rather
he seems to have forgotten that they
had any rights, or if they had he be-
lieved that they were utterly incap-
able of judging of what was for their
best good. He labors through the
whole of his history TO represent the
actions of the masses as absurd and
to cast ridicule and contempt upon
all their attempts to regain their ma
tural rights. II is painful that so
profound a thinker and so able phil
osopher as David Hume should have
finally settled down in the professed
belief that the fitness OF things re-
quired that an immense majority of
men should be slaves to a pitiful min
ority of their brethren. His venera-
ton and love for the aristocracy, in
creased. perhaps. by his pecuniary in
terests land IL so he was mean as
we'll rs unprincipled). induced in his
mind conclusions which rendered him
(Mr. Jefferson here spoke with some
warmth) a traitor TO human nature.
l remained in the neighborhood of
Monticello nearly a week, and spent
portion of every day in Mr.. Jeffer-
sons library at his pressing invita-
ton. On Tuesday before left those
quiet, philosophical shades. | received
a card from Mr.. Jefferson inviting me
to dine with him, in company with a
few friends. the next day at 4 o'clock
l went to his house and found there
Chief Justice Marshall. Mr.. Writ, Mr.
Samuel Dexter of Boston, and DR.
Samuel l.. Mitchell of New York The
Chief Justice had come into the neigh
borhood on some business pertaining
to the university. Mr.. Writ was on
his annual visit TO Mr.. Jefferson, and
Mr. Dexter aud DR.. Mitchell being on
a tour to South Carolina, so arranged
their journey as on their way to call
on the old sage at Monticello. ! was
announced as young gentleman from
North Carolina, introduced by Mr.
Pendleton, who was well known to
1t will be recollected that in the
year 1898. Judge Marshall was Vir-
ginia Federalist. that he was favor
lite of the then president, MIR. John
Adams, who appointed him ambassa-
dor to France. Secretary of State, and
afterward chief justice of the United
States. 1t is only necessary to re-
mark that before and during the pres
idency of Mr.. Jefferson. in conse-
quence of political differences, cold
ness had existed between him and the
chief Justice: and l could perceive
for time some restraint in the de-
pertinent of the latter when address
ing the former. Mr.. Dexter was, dur
ing the presidency of the elder Adams,
an ardent Federalist and secretary of
the War Department After the cleo
ton of Mr.. Jefferson in 1900. he re-
tired from the field OF politics and de-
voted himself to the practice of law,
and at the time | first saw him was
regarded as one of the most, If not
the most eloquent and eminent of the
New England lawyers. During the
war which had just closed Mr.. Dexter.
without abandoning any of the polit-
ical doctrines which he held when in
an executive department under MIR.
Adams differed from his party gen
orally; for he thought 1t the duty of
every American citizen to support
with his influence and money the gov
ernment in the prosecution of the
war, while the great body of New
England Federalists carried their op-
position to the administration of the
general government so far that they
discouraged erlistments in the Amer
lean army and refused to loan dol
lar of their money to aid in carrying
on the war on the credit of the gov
ernment, DR.. Mitchell was very
learned man, passionately devoted to
the natural sciences. He had been
Democratic senator of the United
States when Mr. Jefferson was presi-
dent, He was an admirer-I was GO
ing to say an adorer-of the late pres
ident because he was Republican.
and more especially because he was
philosopher. l can in my minds
eye see the good old Doctor NJ, his
large. corpulent form. his fine, good
natured. honest face, with his well
powdered hair and neat little queue
nicely folded in riband suspended