part20-第14部分

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some　other　will　mark　out　the　track　to　be　pursued　by　us。




　　　　　　　　You　will　have　seen　in　the　newspapers　some　proceedings　in　the

legislature；　which　have　cost　me　much　mortification。　　My　own　debts　had

become　considerable；　but　not　beyond　the　effect　of　some　lopping　of

property；　which　would　have　been　little　felt；　when　our　friend　Nicholas

gave　me　the　_coup　de　grace_。　　Ever　since　that　I　have　been　paying

twelve　hundred　dollars　a　year　interest　on　his　debt；　which；　with　my

own；　was　absorbing　so　much　of　my　annual　income；　as　that　the

maintenance　of　my　family　was　making　deep　and　rapid　inroads　on　my

capital；　and　had　already　done　it。　　Still；　sales　at　a　fair　price　would

leave　me　competently　provided。　　Had　crops　and　prices　for　several

years　been　such　as　to　maintain　a　steady　competition　of　substantial

bidders　at　market；　all　would　have　been　safe。　　But　the　long　succession

of　years　of　stunted　crops；　of　reduced　prices；　the　general　prostration

of　the　farming　business；　under　levies　for　the　support　of

manufactures；　&c。；　with　the　calamitous　fluctuations　of　value　in　our

paper　medium；　have　kept　agriculture　in　a　state　of　abject　depression；

which　has　peopled　the　western　States　by　silently　breaking　up　those　on

the　Atlantic；　and　glutted　the　land　market；　while　it　drew　off　its

bidders。　　In　such　a　state　of　things；　property　has　lost　its　character

of　being　a　resource　for　debts。　　Highland　in　Bedford；　which；　in　the

days　of　our　plethory；　sold　readily　for　from　fifty　to　one　hundred

dollars　the　acre；　（and　such　sales　were　many　then；）　would　not　now　sell

for　more　than　from　ten　to　twenty　dollars；　or　one…quarter　or　one…fifth

of　its　former　price。　　Reflecting　on　these　things；　the　practice

occurred　to　me；　of　selling；　on　fair　valuation；　and　by　way　of　lottery；

often　resorted　to　before　the　Revolution　to　effect　large　sales；　and

still　in　constant　usage　in　every　State　for　individual　as　well　as

corporation　purposes。　　If　it　is　permitted　in　my　case；　my　lands　here

alone；　with　the　mills；　&c。；　will　pay　every　thing；　and　leave　me

Monticello　and　a　farm　free。　　If　refused；　I　must　sell　everything　here；

perhaps　considerably　in　Bedford；　move　thither　with　my　family；　where　I

have　not　even　a　log　hut　to　put　my　head　into；　and　whether　ground　for

burial；　will　depend　on　the　depredations　which；　under　the　form　of

sales；　shall　have　been　committed　on　my　property。　　The　question　then

with　me　was　_ultrum　horum_？　　But　why　afflict　you　with　these　details？

Indeed；　I　cannot　tell；　unless　pains　are　lessened　by　communication

with　a　frt；　which；　with　my　own；　was　absorbing　so　much　of　my　annual

income；　as　that　the　maintenance　of　my　family　was　making　deep　and

rapid　inroads　on　my　capital；　and　had　already　done　it。　　Still；　sales

at　a　fair　price　would　leave　me　competently　provided。　　Had　crops　and

prices　for　several　years　been　such　as　to　maintain　a　steady

competition　of　substantial　bidders　at　market；　all　would　have　been

safe。　　But　the　long　succession　of　years　of　stunted　crops；　of　reduced

prices；　the　general　prostration　of　the　farming　business；　under　levies

for　the　support　of　manufactures；　&c。；　with　the　calamitous

fluctuations　of　value　in　our　paper　medium；　have　kept　agriculture　in　a

state　of　abject　depression；　which　has　peopled　the　western　States　by

silently　breaking　up　those　on　the　Atlantic；　and　glutted　the　land

market；　while　it　drew　off　its　bidders。　　In　such　a　state　of　things；

property　has　lost　its　character　of　being　a　resource　for　debts。

Highland　in　Bedford；　which；　in　the　days　of　our　plethory；　sold　readily

for　from　fifty　to　one　hundred　dollars　the　acre；　（and　such　sales　were

many　then；）　would　not　now　sell　for　more　than　from　ten　to　twenty

dollars；　or　one…quarter　or　one…fifth　of　its　former　price。　　Reflecting

on　these　things；　the　practice　occurred　to　me；　of　selling；　on　fair

valuation；　and　by　way　of　lottery；　often　resorted　to　before　the

Revolution　to　effect　large　sales；　and　still　in　constant　usage　in

every　State　for　individual　as　well　as　corporation　purposes。　　If　it　is

permitted　in　my　case；　my　lands　here　alone；　with　the　mills；　&c。；　will

pay　every　thing；　and　leave　me　Monticello　and　a　farm　free。　　If

refused；　I　must　sell　everything　here；　perhaps　considerably　in

Bedford；　move　thither　with　my　family；　where　I　have　not　even　a　log　hut

to　put　my　head　into；　and　whether　ground　for　burial；　will　depend　on

the　depredations　which；　under　the　form　of　sales；　shall　have　been

committed　on　my　property。　　The　question　then　with　me　was　_ultrum

horum_？　　But　why　afflict　you　with　these　details？　　Indeed；　I　cannot

tell；　unless　pains　are　lessened　by　communication　with　a　friend。　　The

friendship　which　has　subsisted　between　us；　now　half　a　century；　and

the　harmony　of　our　political　principles　and　pursuits；　have　been

sources　of　constant　happiness　to　me　through　that　long　period。　　And　if

I　remove　beyond　the　reach　of　attentions　to　the　University；　or　beyond

the　bourne　of　life　itself；　as　I　soon　must；　it　is　a　comfort　to　leave

that　institution　under　your　care；　and　an　assurance　that　it　will　not

be　wanting。　　It　has　also　been　a　great　solace　to　me；　to　believe　that

you　are　engaged　in　vindicating　to　posterity　the　course　we　have

pursued　for　preserving　to　them；　in　all　their　purity；　the　blessings　of

self…government；　which　we　had　assisted　too　in　acquiring　for　them。　　If

ever　the　earth　has　beheld　a　system　of　administration　conducted　with　a

single　and　steadfast　eye　to　the　general　interest　and　happiness　of

those　committed　to　it；　one　which；　protected　by　truth；　can　never　know

reproach；　it　is　that　to　which　our　lives　have　been　devoted。　　To　myself

you　have　been　a　pillar　of　support　through　life。　　Take　care　of　me　when

dead；　and　be　assured　that　I　shall　leave　with　you　my　last　affections。







　　　　　　　　_NUNC　DIMITTIS_　ON　SLAVERY




　　　　　　　　_To　James　Heaton_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　May　20；　1826_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　The　subject　of　your　letter　of　April　20；　is　one　on

which　I　do　not　permit　myself　to　express　an　opinion；　but　when　time；

place；　and　occasion　may　give　it　some　favorable　effect。　　A　good　cause

is　often　injured　more　by　ill…timed　efforts　of　its　friends　than　by　the

arguments　of　its　enemies。　　Persuasion；　perseverance；　and　patience　are

the　best　advocates　on　questions　depending　on　the　will　of　others。　　The

revolution　in　public　opinion　which　this　cause　requires；　is　not　to　be

expected　in　a　day；　or　perhaps　in　an　age；　but　time；　which　outlives　all

things；　will　outlive　this　evil　also。　　My　sentiments　have　been　forty

years　before　the　public。　　Had　I　repeated　them　forty　times；　they　would

only　have　become　the　more　stale　and　threadbare。　　Although　I　shall　not

live　to　see　them　consummated；　they　will　not　die　with　me；　but　living

or　dying；　they　will　ever　be　in　my　most　fervent　prayer。　　This　is

written　for　yourself　and　not　for　the　public；　in　compliance　with　your

request　of　two　lines　of　sentiment　on　the　subject。　　Accept　the

assurance　of　my　good　will　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　LAST　LETTER：　APOTHEOSIS　OF　LIBERTY




　　　　　　　　_To　Roger　C。　Weightman_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　June　24；　1826_




　　　　　　　　RESPECTED　SIR；　　The　kind　invitation　I　receive　from　you；　on

the　part　of　the　citizens　of　the　city　of　Washington；　to　be　present

with　them　at　their　celebration　on　the　fiftieth　anniversary　of

American　Independence；　as　one　of　the　surviving　signers　of　an

instrument　pregnant　with　our　own；　and　the　fate　of　the　world；　is　most

flattering　to　myself；　and　heightened　by　the　honorable　accompaniment

proposed　for　the　comfort　of　such　a　journey。　　It　adds　sensibly　to　the

sufferings　of　sickness；　to　be　deprived　by　it　of　a　personal

participation　in　the　rejoicings　of　that　day。　　But　acquiescence　is　a

duty；　under　circumstances　not　placed　among　those　we　are　permitted　to

control。　　I　should；　indeed；　with　peculiar　delight；　have　met　and

exchanged　there　congratulations　personally　with　the　small　band；　the

remnant　of　that　host　of　worthies；　who　joined　with　us　on　that　day；　in

the　bold　and　doubtful　election　we　were　to　make　for　our　country；

between　submission　or　the　sword；　and　to　have　enjoyed　with　them　the

consolatory　fact；　that　our　fellow　citizens；　after　half　a　century　of

experience　and　prosperity；　continue　to　approve　the　choice　we　made。

May　it　be　to　the　world；　what　I　believe　it　will　be；　（to　some　parts

sooner；　to　others　later；　but　finally　to　all；）　the　signal　of　arousing

men　to　burst　the　chains　under　which　monkish　ignorance　and

superstition　had　persuaded　them　to　bind　themselves；　and　to　assume　the

blessings　and　security　of　self…government。　　That　form　which　we　have

substituted；　restores　the　free　right　to　the　unbounded　exercise　of

reason　and　freedom　of　opinion。　　All　eyes　are　opened；　or　opening；　to

the　rights　of　man。　　The　general　spread　of　the　light　of　science　has

already　laid　open　to　every　view　the　palpable　truth；　that　the　mass　of

mankind　has　not　been　born　with　saddles　on　their　backs；　nor　a　favored

few　booted　and　spurred；　ready　to　ride　them　legitimately；　by　the　grace

of　God。　　These　are　grounds　of　hope　for　others。　　For　ourselves；　let

the　annual　return　of　this　day　forever　refresh　our　recollections　of

these　rights；　and　an　undiminished　devotion　to　them。




　　　　　　　　I　will　ask　permission　here　to　express　the　pleasure　with　which　I

should　have　met　my　ancient　neighbors　of　the　city　of　Washington　and

its　vicinities；　with　whom　I　passed　so　many　years　of　a　pleasing　social

intercourse；　an　intercourse　which　so　much　relieved　the　anxieties　of

the　public　cares；　and　left　impressions　so　deeply　engraved　in　my

affections；　as　never　to　be　forgotten。　　With　my　regret　that　ill　health

forbids　me　the　gratification　of　an　acceptance；　be　pleased　to　receive

for　yourself；　and　those　for　whom　you　write；　the　assurance　of　my

highest　respect　and　friendly　attachments。




End