part20-第16节

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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