"Che Conservative. JEFFERSON ON WASHINGTON , [ Ford's .Toffcrson , Vol. IX , Pngo 448. ] "Washington's mind was great and powerful without being of the very first orders. His penetration was strong though not so acute as that of a New ton , Bacon or Locke. As far as ho saw no judgment was over sounder. It was slow in operation being little aided by invention or imagination , but sure in conclusion. Hence , the common re mark of his officers of the advantage ho derived from councils of war where , hearing all suggestions , he selected whatever was best , and , certainly no general ever planned his battles more judiciously. But , if deranged in the course of the action , if any member of lu's plans was dislocated by sudden cir cumstances , he was slow in readjust ment. The consequence was that he often failed in the field but rarely against an enemy in station , as at Bos ton and York. Perhaps the strongest point in his character was prudence , never acting until every circumstance , every consideration , was maturely weighed ; refraining if he saw doubt , but when once decided , going through with his purpose whatever obstacles op posed. His integrity was most pure His justice the most inflexible I have ever known , no motive of interest or consanguinity , of friendship or hatred , being able to bias his decision. He was , indeed , in every sense of the word , a wise , a good , and a great man. His temper was naturally high-toned , but reflection and resolution had obtained a firm aud habitual ascendency over it. If over , however , it broke its bonds , he was tremendous in his wrath. In his expenses he was honorable but exact liberal in contributions to whatever promised utility ; but frowning and un yielding on all visionary projects and on all unworthy calls of charity. His heart was not warm in his affections but he exactly calculated every man's value and gave him a solid esteem proportioned tioned to it. His person was fine , his stature exactly what one would wish ; his deportment easy , erect , noble. The best horseman of his age , and the most graceful figure that could be seen on horseback. Although in the circle of his friends , where he might bo unre served with safety , he took a free share conversation , his colloquial talents were not above mediocrity. In public , when called on for a sudden opinion , he was unready , short , embarrassed. Yet , he wrote readily , rather diffusely , in an easy and correct style. This he had ac quired by conversation with the world for his education was only reading , writing and common arithmetic , to which ho added surveying "later. His time was employed in action chiefly , , reading little , and that only in agricul ture and English history. His corres pondence necessarily became extensive and , with journalizing "his "agricultural proceedings , occupied most of MR. Jerauro lours within doors. On the \vhole- , his character wa1 * , iu its mass , perfect ; in nothing bad ; in a few points indifferent ; it may be truly said , that never did Na ture and fortune combine more perfectly to make a great man , and place him in the same constellation with whatever worthies have merited from man's 'over- lasting remembrance. * * * I do believe that General Washington had not a firm confidence in the durability of our government. He was naturally distrustful of men and inclined to gloomy apprehensions , and I was ever persuaded had a belief that we must at length end iu something like the British constitution. " JEFFERSON ON A GOVERNMENT MY ARISTOCRACY. The average democrat would probably consider it a case of libel or defamation of character if told that Mr. Jefferson believed in exactly what he represented , a government by an aristocracy. In other words , Mr. Jefferson advocated the survival of the fittest as the law of gov ernment. He did not believe in social istic-communistic equality , or with that Jeffersonian apostle , the late presiden tial impossibility , the "Boy Orator of the Platte , " that "We can go out in any of the stores , the machine shops , the farms , or to the man who works along the roads , and find men who know enough about the principles of this government to be able to discuss these questions and apply them to themselves. The great com mon people do not need any particular class to tell them what they shall do. They can think for themselves. " The most interesting and in many re spects valuable part of Jefferson's writ ings , is to be found in the letters to John Adams when those two old war riors fought the battles of youth over again , and opened to each other the most secret of their thoughts. Such a letter is that of Jefferson to Adams , Oc tober 28 , 1818 , in which he considers the subject of stirpiculture or , Sexual Solution In Kolatloii to Govern ment. Among other things Mr. Jefferson says : "We are especially to lay down as a. principle that coition is not for the sake of pleasure. The selecting the best mate for a harem of well-chosen females would doubtless improve the human as it does the brute animal , aud produce a race of veritable aristocrats. " ( The remarkable results of the union of John and Abigail Adams iu the ascending their descendants have maintained to the present day is perhaps the best ex ample this country affords of what this principle , intelligently applied , would result in. ) "Experience proves that the moral and physical qualities of man , whether good or evil , nre transmissible , in a certain degree , from father to son. I snspecfc that the equal rights of men will rise up against this privileged Solo mon and his harem , and oblige us to continue acquiescence with the acciden tal aristocracy produced by fortuitous : breeding. I agree with you that there is a natural aristocracy among men. . The grounds of this are virtue andi talents. Formerly bodily powers gave * place among the aristocracy. There is ! also an Artificial Aristocracy founded on wealth and birth , -without either virtue or talents , for with theso- it would belong to the first class. The- natural aristocracy I consider as. the- most precious gift of Nature , for the instruction , the trusts , and government of society. It would have been incon sistent with Creation to have formed men for the social state and not to have provided virtue and wisdom enough to manage the concerns of society. That form of government is the best which provides most effectually for a pure se lection of these natural aristocrats into the offices of governments. " If the democracy , as at present writ , i or the various socialistic vagaries , can find any comfort in Thomas Jefferson they are welcome to it. FKANK S. BILLINGS. In his speech atrt BRAVERY. the premature- meeting of the national conglomerate ) party committee in St. Louis Col. Wil liam Jennings Bryan , who has been in a hundred battles where words were flying thicker than bullets , with vocal valor declared : "The man who fights the trust of commerce is quite as brave as a man who swims a river or climbs a San Juan hill. " Who fights trusts most efficiently , the > man who expending only bren i/audi words declaims against them , or the man who organizes and puts into- productive - - ductive operation real competitors who enter the markets against trusts and re duce prices if they have been put up ? Who have been most formidable to the trusts in Nebraska ? Those who. have been convulsed with eructations of anti-trust orations or those who have builfc and operated vast mills and fac tories which have successfully sold tbeir commodities , made out of Nebraska corn and other cereals , in competition with trusts ? Which is the best anti-trust crusader , a factory like the Argo , turning out thirty tons of starch each day , and sel ling it , too , or an orator like BillDech , Bryan or Poynter ? Mind'your own business and it will thrive and grow. Mind your neighbor's and yon will annoy him aud destroy yourself.