Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-04-22
Founder of Democratic Party
viii Have Birthday on
Monday.
Owner of slaves But Never Be-
lieved in Tyranny OF Any
Kind.
Drafted Declaration of Inde-
pendence and Founded
Union.
HELD MANY POSTS OF HONOR

Next Monday, April "a, will be
the anniversary of the birth of
Thomas Jefferson, considered the
founder of the Democratic party.
Thomas Jefferson was born In Alber-
marie county, Virginia, on April "a,
1743. His views and writings on
political subjects have influenced
more Americans than those of any
other man who essayed politics. The
consensus of public opinion is that
Thomas Jefferson as a man and an
American is in the class with Wash
ington, Lincoln and Franklin. He
was a contemporary of George Wash
ington and later succeeded to the
head of the United States Govern
ment.
From his childhood the mind of
Thomas Jefferson assumed high
elevation and took a broad and ex-
pansive view of men and things. He
was educated at the College of Will
lam and Mary, Williamsburg, and
was always found at the head of his
class. For assiduity and untiring in
dustry in the exploration of the
fields of science he had no superior
He analyzed every subject that came
under his investigation closely and
carefully, passing through the open
ing avenues of literature with an as
tonishing celerity. By a thorough
investigation of the science of law
and government Jefferson soon be-
came prepared to enter upon the
great theater of public action and
into the service of his injured coun-
try.
At the age of twenty-five he was
elected to the Provincial Legislature
and commissioned Justice of the
Peace, which gave him an opportu-
nifty of disseminating his liberal
principles to a considerable extent.
He proclaimed himself the unyiesd-
ing advocate of equal rights, and
had engraved upon his watch seal
as his motto Resistance to tyrants
is obedience to God" BY his elo-
quence and unanswerable reasoning
he soon kindled the flame of oppo-
sition in old Virginia, which in
creased as tyranny advanced; and in
1869 assumed the shape of resolu-
tion offered and advocated by JEFF
ferson in the Legislature not to ''im-
port a single article from Great
Britain" The boldness and firmness
with which he maintained his posi-
tion astonished the adherents of the
crown, and gave a fresh impetus TO
the glorious cause then in embryo.
The plan of organizing committees
of correspondence through the col
onies was devised by him in the
early part of 1873 and proved en-
inently useful in producing unity of
sentiment and concert of action
among the patriots. About this time
he wrote and published "A Sum
mary View of the Rights of British
America" which also set forth the
wrongs inflicted upon his country
men in bold and glowing colors.
This he addressed to the King in re-
spectful, but plain and impressive
language in the following eloquent
strain: open your breast, sire, to
liberal and expanded thought. 1t
behooves you to think and act for
your people. The great principles of
right and wrong are legible to every
reader; to persuade them needs not
the aid of many counsellors. The
whole art Of government consists in
the art of being homes"
So exasperated was Lord Dun
more, the British Governor OF the
colony of Virginia, on perusing this
article that he threatened to arrest
its author for high treason. Written
and published during the session of
the Legislature, of which Jefferson
was an influential member, and find
ing that resolutions had been passed
by the Representatives quite as
treasonable In their character as the
publication In question, His Lord
ship Immediately dissolved the fur
ther action of that body.
The Declaration OF Independence
was proposed, and Jefferson was
appointed Chairman of the commit
tee 10 draft a form. He was re-
quested by his colleagues TO pre-
pare the important document. He
performed the task with a boldness
of design and beauty OF execution
before unknown and yet unrivaled.
The result of his labor Is before the
world. Admiring nations have
united in applauding the declaration
Of our rights, penned by Jefferson
and sanctioned by the Continental
Congress on the fourth of July,
1916.
In 1888 Thomas jefferson again
took his seat In Congress and be-
came one OF it's brightest ornaments.
The chaste and moving address from
that body to Gen. George Washing
ton. when he surrendered his com
mission to Congress, was from the
soul-stlrring pen OF Jefferson. He
was Chairman OF the committee aD-
pointed to form a plan OF territorial
government for the extensive regions
OF the then Far West" True to
his favorite principle OF finally
emanclpatins the sable African, he