The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-04-05
JEFFERsoN-THE GREAT DEMO.
GRAFT

true and consistent democrat this
country has ever known, to have been
born so wealthy, at a time when aris-
tocracy was in vogue, and to have oc-
cupied so many distinguished places
of honor.
He was a great thinker, carniver-
GUS reader, and his simplicity and
democratic tendencies was the result
of the boundlessness of his knowl-
edge.
Though a large slave-owner, he ear
ly saw it's dangers, and was the first
statesman in America, by statutory
enactment, to propose the manumis-
sion of the slave.
Charles Sumner, Roscoe 'Conkling,
and a great many other statesmen
that we might name, only in their
writings possessed democratic ideas.
Personally they were aristocrats, and
had an aversion to come into contact
with the common people.
Abraham Lincoln had the most
kindly sympathy for the common peo-
pie and a boundless confidence in
their ability for self-government, but
he was one of them; he was brought
up in humble surroundings; his edu-
cation was meager, and until exalted
to office he never mingled in aristo
cratic circles.
Thomas Jefferson, on the contrary,
passed all his life amidst aristocratic
surroundings, he possessed finished
education, he was Greek, Latin and
French scholar, he was rich for his
times, yet loved simplicity, had nat
ural sympathy for the common peo-
pie and a supreme confidence in the
ability of the masses to govern them
selves in justice and freedom,
No better illustration of Jeffer-
sons love for simplicity can be given
than the manner of his Inauguration,
which was so unlike that of his pre-
decessors.
On the day of his Inauguration, in
stead of driving to the capitol in
coach of six, as had been the prac-
tice, he rode on horseback. He was
without body guard, not even a SER
want accompanied him. He dismount-
ed without assistance, and hitched his
horse to fence, the same as any
common farmer would have done lie
abolished all titles of honor. His lex
cellency" was offensive to him, and
he said thta the president should be
addressed as "Mr. President only.
He did not care for rank. Both of
his administrations were characteriz-
ed by the greatest simplicity. AS
president he avoided all pomp- and
ceremonies artificially designed to
distinguish him from the great body
of the people. He dressed plainly,
but not sloyenly.
Jefferson believed that that nation
is governed best which is governed
least. Persistently and courageously
he fought centralism and federalism.
Between Hamilton and himself there
was an irreconcilable political differ
ence.
Jefferson was for state sovereign
ty, decentralization and local self-gov-
eminent. Hamilton was for a strong
centralized government, and favored
all measures which tended to exalt
and strengthen the government in
harmony with tt" English monarchy
His purchase for $15,O0O,OO0 of the
territory of Louisiana, which means
more than the present area of the
state of Louisiana, was believed by
many to have been the browning act
of Jefferson's administration, and il
lustrated his foresight and wisdom in
a remarkable degree, but his steady
and consistent allegiance to the prin-
ciples of democracy was his browning
feature, and was the very life-preserv-
er of the nation.
Mr.. Jefferson wrote the epitaph he
wanted inscribed on the simple slab
that was to be erected over his re-
mains. 1t was: Author of the de-
claration of independence" He aft
added: 1.-The statute of vir-
ginia for religious freedom" and
Founder of the University of Vir-
ginia"
He being the founder of the Univer-
sity of Virginia shows his zeal for
education, and giving prominence to
his being the author for the statute
of freedom of religion in Virginia
showed that he thought it occupied a
place next to the declaration of indie
pendence.
We. of course, cannot grasp its full
having opiovod tho fro<> |