part20-第17章

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for　us　in　different　ports　of　the　United　States；　ten　boxes　of　books

from　Paris；　seven　from　London；　and　from　Germany　I　know　not　how　many；

in　all；　perhaps；　about　twenty…five　boxes。　　Not　one　of　these　can　be

opened　until　the　book…room　is　completely　finished；　and　all　the

shelves　ready　to　receive　their　charge　directly　from　the　boxes　as　they

shall　be　opened。　　This　cannot　be　till　May。　　I　hear　nothing　definite

of　the　three　thousand　dollars　duty　of　which　we　are　asking　the

remission　from　Congress。　　In　the　selection　of　our　Law　Professor；　we

must　be　rigorously　attentive　to　his　political　principles。　　You　will

recollect　that　before　the　revolution；　Coke　Littleton　was　the

universal　elementary　book　of　law　students；　and　a　sounder　whig　never

wrote；　nor　of　profounder　learning　in　the　orthodox　doctrines　of　the

British　constitution；　or　in　what　were　called　English　liberties。　　You

remember　also　that　our　lawyers　were　then　all　whigs。　　But　when　his

black…letter　text；　and　uncouth　but　cunning　learning　got　out　of

fashion；　and　the　honied　Mansfieldism　of　Blackstone　became　the

student's　hornbook；　from　that　moment；　that　profession　（the　nursery　of

our　Congress）　began　to　slide　into　toryism；　and　nearly　all　the　young

brood　of　lawyers　now　are　of　that　hue。　　They　suppose　themselves；

indeed；　to　be　whigs；　because　they　no　longer　know　what　whigism　or

republicanism　means。　　It　is　in　our　seminary　that　that　vestal　flame　is

to　be　kept　alive；　it　is　thence　it　is　to　spread　anew　over　our　own　and

the　sister　States。　　If　we　are　true　and　vigilant　in　our　trust；　within

a　dozen　or　twenty　years　a　majority　of　our　own　legislature　will　be

from　one　school；　and　many　disciples　will　have　carried　its　doctrines

home　with　them　to　their　several　States；　and　will　have　leavened　thus

the　whole　mass。　　New　York　has　taken　strong　ground　in　vindication　of

the　constitution；　South　Carolina　had　already　done　the　same。　　Although

I　was　against　our　leading；　I　am　equally　against　omitting　to　follow　in

the　same　line；　and　backing　them　firmly；　and　I　hope　that　yourself　or

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　favo