"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.
