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SHATTERING CENTENNIAL IDOLS.
Governor Morris, a great grand-nephew of Thomas Jefferson, has recently given to the press the result of his search among old documents and correspondence with a view to ascertain what manner of men the revolutionary heroes were. Mr. Morris, as quoted in the Portland Press, brings out the rather extraordinary statement that the majority of the people in the thirteen colonies were undoubtedly opposed to revolution. "My grandfather and his contemporaries," writes Mr. Morris, "always held to the end of their lives that up to the end of 1781 a plebiscite would have given King George a two-thirds majority." This seems surprising in view of the results, but a determined body of men in control of the military power can, no doubt, accomplish much. The strong will of Washington, and his ability and skill as a commander, contributed very greatly to the success of the revolution, but it is a most extraordinary confession that the republic had its foundation against the wishes of the majority.
As to the politics of that time, Mr. Morris is of opinion that they were quite as corrupt as those of the present time, of which he has no very high opinion. Long after the war, John Jay and Governor Morris, the latter the grandfather of the writer we are following, happened to meet at dinner, and Jay said: “Morris, do you happen to know of such a collective set of rascals as the revolutionary congress?” “Bar the French directory,” Morris replied, “and I do not.” The Grandson Morris now writes:—
I personally have read reams of private political correspondence of the olden time, and although rather hardened, many of these documents have fairly made me shudder.
He proceeds to give details which we need not repeat, but which place the revolutionary fathers in a most unfavorable light. On this side the line the traditions of the Loyalists have conveyed similar impressions, but they were thought to be prejudiced. Mr. Morris is not under any such prejudice, and yet he shatters the centennial idols of the republic like a bold, bad iconoclast.