various instances unquestionably unmerited. Much of all of this, had it been published by him, would have been inexcusably aggressive on the beliefs and feelings of others.

Mr. Jefferson was neither a proselyter nor a system-founder in theology, and consequently having given a pretty full outline of his beliefs (far fuller than would have been given but for special circumstances already named), we regard it as no part of our duty to attempt to follow him through the whole range of his particular opinions and speculations; and still less do we propose to cull out and array for connected perusal every word that would be offensive to persons of a different belief.

Every one, of course, is entitled to form his own opinions as to the truth or error of Mr. Jefferson's views, but in taking his language as a criterion of his feelings and even of his ideas, justice demands that a few considerations be kept distinctly in view. First, his habitual freedom and strength of expression. Second, that his language was confidential. Third, that the controversial language of any period can only be fairly judged by the customs and the spirit of that period.' Fourth, that his remarks were not addressed to opponents whose feelings they would injure, to the young or the unsettled whose sentiments they could influence, or to any person whatever with a view of propagandism. Fifth, that he had received peculiar provocations to anger, prejudice, and acerbity of tone, by attacks on his public and private character from the clergy of particular denominations."

Mr. Jefferson declared' that "he never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed." His oldest grandson writes us:

1 No man, for example, would now think of culling out all the harsh and disrespectful expressions used towards opposing sects, or opinions, by Calvin, Luther, and Knox, judging these by the standards of the present day, and then presenting them as fair expositions of the characters, feelings, and beliefs of the men. No one need to be told that it is but yesterday, as it were, since sects which now freely concede each other's orthodoxy, and which work harmoniously together in the Christian field, imprisoned, exiled, and put to death each other's members, and shook kingdoms with their religious wars. In this they represented the civilization of their day and generation. In religion as in politics, the opening of the present century had not witnessed any general advent of toleration in feeling, or respectfulness of language in controversy. Priestley, though his character was defended by such men as Dr. Parr, Robert Hall, and Lord Brougham, was persecuted, mobbed, and driven out of England. A wide-spread and bitter contest between the Congregationalists and Unitarians was going on in our country among the descendants of the crew of the Mayflower, and in sight of "Pilgrim Rock." The denunciations, the insinuations, the ridicule, etc., freely thrown out, are in the recol lections of all aged men who lived within the theatre of the dispute. Nay, it would be difficult to find an aged man who had not heard nearly as severe language employed by disputants whose theological differences were infinitely smaller than those which exist between the Trinitarian and the Unitarian.

See vol. i. p. 491, et seq.; and vol. ii. p. 567, 568; and Appendix No. 18. 3 See letter to Mrs. M. Harrison Smith, August 5th, 1816.

"Of his peculiar religious opinions his family know no more than the world. If asked by one of them his opinion on any religious subject, his uniform reply was that it was a subject each was bound to study assiduously for himself, unbiased by the opinions of others; it was a matter solely of conscience; after thorough investigation they were responsible for the righteousness, but not the rightfulness of their opinions; that the expression of his opinion might influence theirs, and he would not give it." 1

All of Mr. Jefferson's grandchildren concur in this statement. One of them informs us that on asking him his reasons for with holding his religious views, he answered: "If I inform you of mine, they will influence yours-I will not take the responsibility of directing any one's judgment on this subject."

The paper which he gave his oldest daughter in 1803 to enable his family "to estimate the libels published against him,” on the subject of religion, was intended for the eye of those who were, at the time, small children. It was seen by none of his grandchildren during his life; and he survived for twenty-three years. During that period not a view contained in it was pressed upon one of them-indeed they remained in ignorance that most of the views it contained were his. They were aware that towards the close of his life he occasionally cut short all further inquiries or remarks tending towards discussion on the subject of religion from some of his old friends, by saying that he was a Unitarian-and that was about all they knew of any peculiar doctrine entertained by him. They heard him habitually speak reverently of God, the Saviour, and the great truths of Christianity.

It remains to us to state the closing up of Mr. Jefferson's pecuniary affairs. The plan of paying his debts by a subscription very naturally dropped at his death. The amount of money which had been already contributed in this way was greatly overestimated by the public. And it is probable that most persons thought his heirs could still successfully resort to the lottery if it should become necessary. Mr. Jefferson's executor attempted to dispose of the lottery scheme, but the feelings which

The entire letter containing this, and many other passages previously quoted, will be found in APPENDIX, No. 36.

After Dr. Rush's death, Mr. Jefferson wrote to Dr. Rush's family requesting the return of the Syllabus, etc., a request which was at once complied with. He never showed it to more than two or three other persons, two of whom were John Adams and William Short.

VOL. III.-36

at first would have made it salable had now died away. The thing had become a mere matter of business; and as a matter of business, an investment was more desirable in a lottery where the prizes were payable in money. Friends were will ing to purchase tickets; but it was found that without taxing them too severely, a sufficient number would not be disposed of.

The executor took the only course that was left to him. The greater portion of the personal property was sold in January 1827, at a very great sacrifice; and the remainder in 1828. Owing to the depression of real estate in the market, the lands were not sold until 1829-and the sacrifice on these was still more severe. For example, a farm sold for six dollars an acre that in 1856 was readily marketable at forty dollars an acre. Another sold for ten dollars an acre which was bought back by the husband of one of Mr. Jefferson's descendants, in 1855, at forty dollars an acre. Bedford lands sold at from three to nine dollars an acre, which were subsequently worth from twenty to thirty; and the falling off was nearly as great compared with previous prices at various periods.

The proceeds of the sales did not fully meet the debts-but the executor paid all the remaining ones, besides making the manumissions' and carrying out the minor bequests of the will.

When some general knowledge of these facts became public -when it became known that Monticello had gone, or must go out of the hands of Mr. Jefferson's family, and that his only child was left without any independent provision, another exhibition of public feeling took place. The Legislatures of South Carolina and Louisiana promptly voted her $10,000 each-and the stocks they created for the purpose, sold for $21,800. Other plans were started in other States, which, had they been carried out, would have embraced a liberal provision for Mr. Jefferson's descendants. But, as is usual on such occasions, the people in each locality obtained exaggerated impressions of what was doing in others, and slackened their own exertions until the feeling that prompted them died away. That feeling was not any

1 It will be seen by reference to the will, that Burwell (so often named in these pages), was among those manumitted. His half-brother Wormley, was not formally manumitted, for reasons which it is needless here to state: but his manumission, in case he should desire it, was orally recommended to Mrs. Randolph. At her request, he received his freedom.

where kept alive for a moment by solicitations from those who were interested in the result.

Mr. Jefferson left, at his decease, the following descendants: his daughter Martha, wife of Thomas Mann Randolph, and her ten children :-1. Thomas Jefferson Randolph, intermarried with Jane Nicholas, daughter of Wilson Cary Nicholas, and their six children: 2. Ellen Wayles Randolph, wife of Joseph Coolidge of Boston, and one child: 3. Virginia Jefferson Randolph, wife of Nicholas P. Trist, and one child: 4. Cornelia Jefferson Randolph: 5. Mary Jefferson Randolph: 6. James Madison Randolph: 7. Benjamin Franklin Randolph: 8. Meriwether Lewis Randolph: 9. Septimia Anne Cary Randolph: 10. George Wythe Randolph.

The only surviving issue of Mr. Jefferson's second daughter, Maria, and her husband, John Wayles Eppes, was Francis Eppes. Francis Eppes was intermarried with Mary Elizabeth Cleland Randolph, daughter of Thomas Eston Randolph, and had two children.

By a deceased granddaughter, Anne Cary Randolph, daughter of Thomas Mann and Martha (Jefferson) Randolph, and intermarried with Charles Lewis Bankhead, Mr. Jefferson had four other great-grandchildren.

Of the grandchildren surviving at his death, but two are now (1857) deceased, namely, James Madison Randolph, and Meriwether Lewis Randolph. The number of his great-grandchildren has largely increased.

It has been mentioned that after Mr. Jefferson's death, in a private drawer were found various souvenirs of his wife and deceased children. In the same receptacle were some epitaphs, and a rough pen-and-ink sketch of a monument for himself. It was to be an obelisk of granite, eight feet high, and to bear the following inscription:

HERE WAS BURIED

THOMAS JEFFERSON,

AUTHOR

OF THE DECLARATION OF

AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE,

OF

THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA,

FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AND
FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY

OF VIRGINIA.

The inscription for the base was:

BORN APRIL 2D,

1743, O. S.

DIED

His wishes were carried out,' the blank in the last line being filled with "July 4th, 1826."

Governor Thomas Mann Randolph died on the 20th day of June, 1828. At some period before, he was riding on horseback near nightfall, on a wet cold day, when he overtook an aged man thinly clad, and apparently suffering. They were remote from any dwelling. Randolph unsolicited unbuckled his cloak, threw it on the old man, and rode on. He had a number of miles to go, and the exposure proved fatal to him. The gloom and misanthropy which had clouded his later years broke away at his dying couch. He expired at peace with all the world, and invoking blessings on every member of his family.

Mrs. Randolph died on the 10th of October, 1836. Her health had not been quite as good as usual during the autumn, but its condition excited no uneasiness, and she was preparing to make a long journey to visit one of her daughters. She was subject to severe attacks of sick-headache, and was suffering from one of these without appearing unusually ill until a few moments before her death. In the efforts produced by the nausea, a small blood-vessel was ruptured in her head, and she expired almost instantly in the arms of her children.

Three years after Mr. Jefferson's death (in 1829), appeared the first edition of his writings, published by his grandson who was the legatee of the papers."

In 1848, Congress appropriated twenty thousand dollars for the purchase of Mr. Jefferson's manuscripts of a public character, and six thousand for printing and publishing them "under

1 His monument is in the centre of a close group of graves, which are covered with horizontal tablets of white marble, on a level with the ground. His wife lies on one side of him, his youngest daughter on the other, Mrs. Randolph at right angles at the head of these, and Governor Randolph at their feet. The grave of Dabney Carr (the elder) is a yard or two off.

2 These reopened wounds, and furnished new grounds of attack. Nowhere was this warfare more rancorously prosecuted than by a few persons in Charlottesville. For a circumstance which this led to, and for a decisive expression of the feelings of the people of Albemarle on the subject, see APPENDIX No. 37.