A Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and of Washington and Patrick Henry: With an appendix, containing the Constitution of the United States, and other documents — John Shaqi
A Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and of Washington and Patrick Henry: With an appendix, containing the Constitution of the United States, and other documentsJudson, L. Carroll (Levi Carroll)
History
A Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and of Washington and Patrick Henry: With an appendix, containing the Constitution of the United States, and other documents
Judson, L. Carroll (Levi Carroll)
Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799; United States. Declaration of Independence -- Signers; Washington, George, 1732-1799
At the next presidential election, he was again a candidate in
opposition to Mr. Adams. The mountain waves of party spirit rolled over
the United States like a mighty torrent. Each party presented a bold
front regardless of danger, pressed on by a rear rushing to conflict.
The political campaign terminated in favour of the democrats, who
returned an equal number of votes for Mr. Jefferson as President, and
Aaron Burr as Vice President. This singular circumstance imposed the
election of the chief magistrate upon the House of Representatives.
To defeat the election of the great leader of the popular party, some
of his opponents voted for Mr. Burr. A most spirited contest ensued,
and thirty-five ineffectual ballotings were made. The ambition of the
latter gentleman for promotion, at last so much subsided, as to induce
him to withdraw from a farther contest with the man of the people’s
choice; and, on the thirty-sixth ballot, Mr. Jefferson was duly elected
President, and Mr. Burr Vice President; the former by a majority of
eight votes.
The following extract from his inaugural address will show with what
sentiments he entered upon the performance of his arduous duties.
“Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion,
religious or political; peace, commerce, and honest friendship with
all nations; entangling alliances with none; the support of the state
governments in all their rights, as the most competent administrations
for our domestic concerns, and the surest bulwarks against
anti-republican tendencies; the preservation of the general government
in its whole constitutional vigour, as the sheet anchor of our peace at
home and safety abroad; a zealous care of the right of election by the
people, a mild and safe corrective of abuses which are lopped by the
sword of revolution where peaceable remedies are unprovided; absolute
acquiescence in the decisions of the majority, the vital principles
of republics, from which there is no appeal but to force, the vital
principle and immediate parent of despotism; a well disciplined militia
our best reliance in peace, and for the first moments of war till
regulars may relieve them; the supremacy of the civil over the military
authority; economy in the public expense, that labour may be lightly
burthened; the honest payment of our debts and sacred preservation of
the public faith; encouragement of agriculture and of commerce as its
handmaid; the diffusion of information and arraignment of all abuses
at the bar of public reason; freedom of religion, freedom of the
press, and freedom of the person under the protection of the habeas
corpus; and trial by juries impartially selected. These principles
form the bright constellation which has gone before us, and guided our
steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our
sages and blood of our heroes have been devoted to their attainment.
They should be the creed of our political faith, the text of civic
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