ited views, I have to pass such a length of time in the thraldom of mind (financial depletion) never before known to me. Except for this, my happiness would have been perfect."

His disposition, however, in the face of this, never changed, for, as in youth it continued always sunny and hopeful. After an unfavorable crop or event he looked forward with assurance for a better next one but he was severely prudent when confronting debt, as he then believed it a duty to cut off every needless expense-that which he did from the moment of his retirement.

During 1811 there was considerable friction in Madison's Cabinet, in which Mr. Jefferson took much interest, indulging in no little correspondence for its relief. The attitude of England and France towards us gave him great concern, and though he wished for peace, he finally concluded that war was our only alternative, and approved of it when it came the following year, 1812. In the summer of 1811 he experienced a severe spell of sickness, after which he wrote Dr. Rush: "Having to conduct my grandson through his course of mathematics, I have resumed that study with great avidity. It was ever my favorite one. I have forgotten much and recover it with more difficulty than when in vigor of mind I originally acquired it. It is wonderful to me that old men should not be sensible that their minds keep pace with their bodies in the process of decay. It has been the delight of my retirement to be in constant bodily activity, looking after my affairs. It was never damped, as the pleasures of reading are, by the question cui bono? for what object? The sedentary character of my public occupations sapped a constitution naturally sound and vigorous, and draws it to an earlier close, but it will still last quite as long as I wish. There is a fullness of time when men should go, and not occupy too long the ground to which others have the right to advance."

During 1812 he enjoyed a complete reconciliation with Adams, through the kindness of their mutual friend, Dr. Rush, and thereafter the two Ex-Presidents until death indulged an uninterrupted correspondence, much to the delight and buoyancy of both. He was advocated in many directions for the Presidency in 1812, and, stranger yet, for the Secretary of State under Madison, but both of these proffers he gracefully

declined, stating: "The hand of age is upon me, the decay of bodily faculties apprise me that those of the mind could not be unimpaired, had I not still better proofs." In spite of this, however, his familiarity with the languages remained immutable, for he read Homer, Dante, Corneille and Cervantes as he did Shakespeare and Milton, and even the year before death went over Esculus, Sophocles, Thucydides, and Tacitus.

The continuation of the War of 1812 deprived us of imported goods, and increased the prices of our own manufactured articles, at the depreciation of agricultural products, so that we were stimulated not only to establish additional industrial factories in cities, but also to introduce the smaller machinery into our homes. Upon this subject Mr. Jefferson, January, 1813, wrote: "I had no idea that manufactures had made such progress in the maritime States, and particularly of the number of carding and spinning machines dispersed throughout the whole country. I have hitherto, myself, depended on foreign manufactures, but I have now thirty-five spindles going, a hand carding-machine, and looms for flying shuttles for the supply of my own farms, which will never be relinquished in my time. The continuance of war will fix the habit generally, and out of the evils of impressment and of the Orders of Council, a great blessing for us will grow. I have not formerly been an advocate of great manufactories. I doubted whether our labor, employed in agriculture, and aided by the spontaneous energies of the earth would not procure us more than we could make ourselves of other necessities. But other considerations entering into the question have settled my doubts."

Throughout this and the following year (1813-1814) Mr. Jefferson continued to be much interested in the progress of the war-giving advice to those in authority, conducting a liberal correspondence, and strongly expressing opposition to the Hartford Convention.

When we consider the gradually increasing personal discomfort that the mechanical side of writing gave Mr. Jefferson -owing to his long ago imperfectly set right wrist, and more recent rheumatic attacks-it seems almost incredible that time was sufficiently long, at that ripe age, to write such lengthy and studied letters, veritable essays and literary productions

of high order, requiring research, if for nothing else, at least dates and figures. The scanning of this correspondence from his retirement up to this period certainly implies a great demand upon energy, patience and thought. Among that coterie, which was legion, all classes were represented-the more humble citizens receiving none the less consideration on account of station or want of political influence. Besides family connections, there were many regulars, including such personages as Madison, Monroe, Adams, Rodney, Gerry, Tyler, Lafayette, Kosciusko, Rush, Gallatin, DeStael, Sparks, Livingston, Cartwright, Van Buren, Everett, Cabell, Giles, etc. The subjects treated and discussed were all of a serious nature conveying an interchange of opinions on the Bible, clergy, religion, Christianity, infidelity, ethics, politics, Congressional acts, foreign questions, criticism of books, Latin and Greek writings and authors, etc.

CHAPTER IV

THOMAS JEFFerson-AdvocATE OF KNOWLEDGE AND

EDUCATION

University of Virginia-interest in "Diffusion of Knowledge "; his educational plan, bills incorporating same; Quesnay French Academy; Swiss College of Geneva; correspondence with Joseph Priestley; Mons. Dupont de Nemours; National University at Washington; Professor Pictet; Joseph C. Cabell, Dr. Thomas Cooper, Samuel Knox; sold library to Congress; letters to Dr. Jones, Adams, Burwell; Lieutenant Hall's visit to Monticello; educational plan submitted to Peter Carr; Albemarle Academy; Central College-first Board of Visitors; Charles Fenton Mercer's plan; Governor Nicholas' report, etc.

EDUCATION seems to have held Mr. Jefferson an ardent votary from his earliest association with William and Mary College to his latest realization-the University of Virginia. From manhood to old age he never ceased expressing paternal gratitude for his classic training in these words: "If I had to decide between the pleasure derived from a classical education which my father gave me and the estate he left me, I would decide in favor of the former." In his day and environment education was "conspicuous by its absence" as the majority possessed it only in low, the minority in high degree-presenting a difference in these two classes, self-evident to every one, that amounted to an inhuman contrast to a man with Mr. Jefferson's sensitive and generous nature, eager to give others that which he possessed and enjoyed. He was a firm believer in the Latin proverb, "veritas vos liberabit," and recognized the passing of his existence in an atmosphere, yes a country, sadly lacking in its observance-bound by ironclad heresies, superstitions, apathy and ignorance. His entire being was enthused and exhilarated over the possibilities in reform— by evolution, or preferably revolution, as he realized a great change to be an immediate need. At the same time he desired to destroy nothing bad without creating something good in its stead, and heeding common sense plans and policies he accomplished and predicted many wholesome results. He not only

believed that "knowledge was power," but that the emancipation of mankind from the bonds of various servitudes centered in education. It is, therefore, not surprising that almost his very first energies were directed in procuring for his fellowstatesmen better opportunities for acquiring knowledge. Although re-elected to Congress, June, 1776, he resigned three months later, in order to remain in his State Legislature, where he considered his efforts most needed in forming a new Constitution and in aiding many desirable reforms. Among these he reckoned as greatest-the curtailment of ignorance, by a more general "Diffusion of Knowledge" among the people, and to that end introduced during the session three educational bills furthering the support of his governmental philosophy: "Experience has shown that under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have in time perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be to illuminate the minds of the people by giving them historic facts of past experience, so that they may know ambition under all its shapes, and may exert their natural powers to defeat its purposes. It is generally true that people will be happiest where laws are best administered, and that laws will be wisely formed, and honestly administered, in proportion as those who form and administer them are wise and honest; whence it becomes expedient for promoting public happiness that those persons, whom nature hath endowed with genius and virtue, should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and able to guard, the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of our fellow citizens, and that they should be called to that charge without regard to wealth, birth, or other accidental circumstance. But the greater number, by indigence, being unable to educate their children whom nature hath fitly formed and disposed to become useful instruments of the public, it is better that such should be sought for and educated at the common expense of all, than the happiness of all should be confined to the weak and wicked. Instead of putting the Bible in the hands of children with immature judgments for religious inquiries, their memories, in my plan, may be stored with the most useful facts from Grecian, Roman, European, and American history. The finest element of morality too may be instilled into