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Show THOMAS JEFFERSON. During the infancy of the Republic, and while it was yet weak, in oonse-quence oonse-quence of the terrible struggles of the revolution, a strong party of influential influen-tial men, led by Hamilton, seemed to have no confidence in the idea of state sovereignty, and much less in the capacity of the individual as an integral integ-ral part of the nation to govern himself. him-self. Indeed, that party went so far as to boldly declare against the Constitution Con-stitution as a "wishy-washy" concern of little value. Firmly rooted in these beliefs, they naturally exercised themselves them-selves in favor of a strong central government which should control everything and everybody under its territorial jurisdiction. In other words, they desired to establish upon this continent con-tinent a something that would have resembled a monarchy in all its organic aud functional departments. At this critical moment a moment JJ dark and ominous; a moment that I convulsed the country and threatened its existence; a moment when party leaders were intoxicated with the idea of kingly power for themselves and the reduction and absorption of the -v states by the Federal government - -ia,m,.1 then there arose that champion of g human freedom, Thomas Jefferson, who, with sacred devotion to his country, coun-try, and with H confidence in the ability of man . govern himself, proclaimed pro-claimed with r oice of earnestness i ap-HiriHi, . .... . traitor- I ous combination that sought to make of man a slave and of this republic a kingdom in all but the name. Aroused like a lion when his lair is invaded, he marched forth boldly into the political arena shouting his battle cry, "A government by the people, of ' the people, and for the people." That cry had its effect. The people Mere stirred again as if a voice from heaven had spoken. They looked back but a short period to the days of the revolution; revolu-tion; to the sufferings and privations of Valley Forge; to the encounters of the Cow-perns and Eutaw Springs; to the heroism at Saratoga and the death blow to tyranny at Yorktown. They remembered too well the vassalage of the colonies, the despotism of the English monarchs their scorns and derisions. Were the triumphs of the patriots to be spurned and condemned? Was the consecrated ground to be once more defiled? Was the glorious fabric of Liberty to be ground into powder and thrown to the winds? No, neverl and "No, never!" will be repeated tomorrow to-morrow in tones of deepest earnestness by suillionsof America 's truest patriots, and among these voices will be heard the voice of Utah rising on the wings of the morning breeze and shouting, Never, no never!" |