"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time." - TJ
John Esten Cooke
On the day when Patrick Henry made his great speech against the Stamp Act, a number of students from William and Mary College were standing at the door listening. Among these was a young man of twenty-two, who drank in every word. When he was afterward asked about the debate, he said it was "most bloody." He was unknown at the time but was destined to become as famous as Henry himself; for the name of this youth was Thomas Jefferson.
I have told you that I meant to try and give you some idea of these men of the Revolution as they appeared every day to their friends and those who knew them best. This I can do in the easiest way by giving you anecdotes and familiar details of them, from which you will see how they passed their time, and what their real characters were. Jefferson has told us himself, in his letters, about his youthful days; and as these were very different from his afterlife as a famous statesman and ruler, I will tell you about them, to show you what a happy youth this great man was.
He was the son of a wealthy farmer in Albemarle County, Virginia, and was born in the month of April, 1743. As was then the fashion, he was sent to William and Mary College at Williamsburg, and here for a part of his time, he studied very hard. While not thus engaged he was visiting young ladies, and from all accounts he was very much liked by them. He was tall and not very graceful, and had sandy hair; but he was full of wit and fun, and fond of dancing and other amusements.
There is no reason to believe that he neglected his studies for the society of young ladies, but he certainly had his share of the fun and frolic around him. He tells us so himself. He had a friend named John Page, who was afterward Governor of Virginia, and wrote him a number of letters, which were published. In these he gave an account of his daily doings, and it is amusing to read them.
In one, he describes a night which he spent at an old country house, where the rain leaked upon his watch, and the rats ate up his pocketbook and garters, which were then worn by men; and in another he speaks of " dancing with Belinda in the 'Apollo,'" and tells his friend how happy he felt while doing so.
The "Apollo" was a large room in the old Raleigh Tavern at Williamsburg, and became famous afterward, like Faneuil Hall in Boston, as the place of meeting of the patriots. At that early day, however, it was only used as a ballroom, and the "Belinda" the young man speaks of was a young lady with whom he had fallen in love. His letters are full of her; and it is amusing to find a person who afterward became the grave President of the United States breaking forth into exclamations at the delight he felt in dancing with her. They were never married, and young Jefferson either was, or pretended to be, very disconsolate. He meant to rig out a boat, he said, and sail to Europe, and remain absent two years; but this was probably a jest, and he turned his attention elsewhere.
Soon afterward he left college and began the practice of law, and it was not till he was nearly thirty that he was married. On this occasion an interesting little scene occurred; and as it gives us a good idea of his light-hearted disposition, I will relate it.
His bride was a beautiful young widow of Charles City County, named Mrs. Skelton. She was about twenty-three and lived at a place called " The Forest;" and, as she was very wealthy; she had a number of admirers. Of these she preferred Mr. Thomas Jefferson, and in January 1772, they were married at "The Forest." It was an old Virginia party, with crowds of friends and relatives, huge roaring fires, and music and dancing, which was kept up throughout the night. On the next morning the bride and groom set out in their carriage, drawn by four horses, for the mountains, where Jefferson lived, and then their troubles began.
It was the depth of winter, and a snowstorm began to fall. They stopped at " Blenheim," the residence of Colonel Carter, not far from the end of their journey; but as the family were not at home, they determined to push on and reach " Monticello," the name of Jefferson's place, be- fore night. They therefore continued their way, but it proved a terrible undertaking. The snow was falling steadily, and the mountain roads were full of drifts, through which they could scarcely force their way. The horses plunged and snorted, and the coach rolled from side to side, and it seemed probable that they would be compelled to spend the night in the fields or forests, without fire or food. It must have tried the young lady's courage, but she laughed and kept up her good spirits, and at last the coach plunged through and ascended the winding road to "Monticello."
The sight before them was dreary enough. The hill was covered with snow, and not a light or a fire was to be seen. But this did not affect the young married couple. Jefferson opened a small pavilion, and led his bride in. He then kindled a fire, and brought out a bottle of wine and some biscuits from behind the books on the shelves, and they supped, and laughed, and sang, and were as happy as if they bad been two children enjoying a frolic.
This is one of the small incidents which I set out with the intention of relating. They are not very important in themselves, but they afford us an idea of the persons who figured in there, and that is precisely what we wish to obtain. Jefferson's good humor on this occasion shows one trait in his character which many persons gave him no credit for; and I have always thought of this little incident with pleasure. The snow was falling and the wind blowing outside the mountain pavilion, but within all was warmth and laughter. They were happy, for they loved each other, and did not mind the snow. None of us mind it in youth, when those we love are beside us. As we grow old, they leave us sometimes, and the snow settles in our hearts — when we have a dreary time enough.
In the spring of 1773, which was the year after his marriage, Thomas Jefferson took his seat in the House of Burgesses. He was only about thirty, and therefore quite a young man still, but it soon became plain that he would be one of the greatest leaders of the Revolution. He was a very poor speaker, and it is doubtful whether he ever made a regular speech in bis life; but he was an excellent writer, and this was the foundation of his fame. He wrote a pamphlet on the subject of the quarrel be- tween England and America, which was so defiant that he was declared a traitor by the English government. But this had no effect upon him. He said what he thought, and men like himself are always ready to support their opinions. He was heart and soul for resistance to England, and now became the author of one of the greatest of all plans for uniting the colonies. This was a " Committee of Correspondence," whose duty it was to write to similar committees to be formed in other parts of the country, by which means each colony would know what the rest were ready to do. Jefferson proposed this, and the committee was appointed. The effect was soon seen. From the North to the South the scattered colonies formed one country in their resistance to oppression; and through their committees they made an arrangement to meet in Congress at Philadelphia.
In these movements at Williamsburg Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson were the great leaders. Each had his peculiar gift. Jefferson could not speak but was a powerful writer. Henry could not write but was a wonderful orator. Thus, each did his part and urged resistance as the only course now left. The Burgesses followed their suggestions, and the English governor dissolved them, as it was called; but they determined to meet at the Raleigh Tavern, in the "Apollo Room," and did so. Here they consulted as to the next step. Jefferson was among them. He must have looked around him, and remembered the days of his youth, when he was so well acquainted with the old apartment. He had danced many a set with "Belinda" and other young ladies in this very room when he was a thoughtless young man; and now he was a grave statesman, organizing revolution on the same floor which he had danced upon. He must have closed his eyes sometimes, and fancied he heard the music again, for even the busiest men find time to go back in this way often, and return in memory to the happy days of their youth.
I have mentioned the General Congress of the colonies which met at Philadelphia. Jefferson was one of the delegates to it, and in the year 1776 he became immortal in American history as the author of the Declaration of Independence. In May of that year, Virginia suggested that this declaration should be made, and directed Richard Henry Lee, one of her most distinguished patriots, to move the resolution. He did so, and Congress resolved that the declaration should be made; after which they looked about for a person to write it.
The choice fell upon Jefferson. He had scarcely risen in Congress since he had been a delegate, for he was nothing of a public speaker, as I have said, and left debating to Others. But his powers as a writer were well known. His style was plain, vigorous, and went straight to the point. What he had to say he said clearly always, and he knew well what to say. The colonies meant in this great paper to declare themselves independent, and give the reasons for doing so; and, sitting down in an old house in Philadelphia, Jefferson wrote the Declaration.
It was then offered to Congress, and a hot debate took place upon it. Jefferson had no share in this; he left the struggle to the great John Adams and other friends, who fought like giants for it. Many were opposed to it and did all they could to defeat it but failed. The time had come to declare that the colonies were independent, and Congress resolved that this declaration should be made in the terms used by Jefferson. It was passed with a few changes which did not alter the meaning and was the crown of Jefferson's fame as a statesman.
It was natural that he should be proud of it, and he seems to have been so. By his own request, the words "Author of the Declaration of American Independence" were cut upon his tombstone.
I cannot tell you, in this short story, of Jefferson's long and famous career as a statesman and ruler. He became President of the United States, and the head of a great party; and his fame as an upholder of 'democracy extended throughout the world. For good or evil — and there are different opinions as to that — he left a powerful impress on the country; and his name will probably last as long as its history.
All this you will read of some day. I cannot speak of it here. With a glance at Jefferson as an old man, I will proceed to other stories.
He passed his last days at "Monticello," where he and his bride had spent that snowy night so long before. He was old, but still active. The University of Virginia was established by him, and he spared no exertions in these his last years to make a great institution of it, in which he succeeded. He wrote many letters, and still watched political affairs keenly; but his chief sources of happiness were literature and the society of his family.
He was happy in his home. His family loved him tenderly, for he was kindly and affectionate. His neighbors liked him, for he was extremely hospitable and cordial whenever they came to see him, and he entertained so many visitors that it nearly ruined him. These came to see him from all parts of the world, and especially from France, where he had been minister and was exceedingly popular. One and all were met with a warm welcome and smiles; and they went away and said that the " Sage of Monticello " was one of the most agreeable as well as one of the greatest men in the world.
He still remained busy. Such a man, with a mind so keen and active, never rests. He labored to establish firmly the great University of Virginia. He wrote thou- sands of letters to people on politics or other subjects. He read and studied, and wrote for many hours every day, and took a very deep interest in everything relating to Virginia. He had himself, you know, played a great part in her history. He and Edmund Pendleton had rewritten the laws, and Jefferson had overturned with his own hand the old order of things and made all new. He had put everybody on a level. The old religious intolerance was swept away by his exertions, and, in spite of Edmund Pendleton's opposition, he had destroyed the old system of giving the land to the eldest son, which kept up distinctions in society. This quite altered the State, and he was not much liked by the old planters for it, but the people in general, were delighted, and said he was the defender of the "rights of man."
He was very fond of farming operations and would go into the harvest-field in the hottest part of the day to see his cradlers cut the wheat. He also took a deep interest in stock and raised blooded horses and fine breeds of cattle. He was an excellent rider. Even when he was an old man and very feeble, he would mount the most spirited horses, and control them with ease. To the last his seat in the saddle was erect and firm, and he continued to ride out on his high-mettled horses when his servants had to lead them up to the porch for him to mount them.
These little details will give you an idea how Thomas Jefferson passed the evening of his life at " Monticello." His sun was setting gradually, and all eyes were fixed upon it as it sank. At last, it began to descend below the horizon, as you may have seen the large red orb of the real sun touch the blue mountains in the west and slowly disappear. In the year 1826, he was taken sick and went to bed. His family and friends gathered around him, and were deeply distressed, but he himself was entirely re- signed. He did not seem afraid to die. But he gradually sank; and on the night of the third of July, those at his bedside saw that he was dying. Very singularly, the famous John Adams, who had been his friend and supporter in the great struggle over the Declaration of Independence, was dying at the very same time, far off in Massachusetts. He remembered his old friend in Virginia, and was heard to say to himself,
" Thomas Jefferson still lives!"
Just as midnight struck, Jefferson roused himself, and his lips moved. Those beside him bent over hira, and heard him murmur, in a low voice,
"This is the fourth of July!"
He lived until twelve o'clock in the day. He then said, in a feeble voice,
"I resign myself to my God, and my child to my country!"
After uttering these words, he expired, and John Adams died on the same evening. Fifty years before, almost hour for hour, these two great men had placed their names to the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.
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