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of　liberty　had　been　kindled　in　every　breast；　&　had　become　as　it　were

the　vital　spirit　of　every　American；　that　the　generous　temperament　of

youth；　analogous　to　the　motion　of　their　blood；　and　above　the

suggestions　of　avarice；　would　have　sympathized　with　oppression

wherever　found；　and　proved　their　love　of　liberty　beyond　their　own

share　of　it。　　But　my　intercourse　with　them；　since　my　return　has　not

been　sufficient　to　ascertain　that　they　had　made　towards　this　point

the　progress　I　had　hoped。　　Your　solitary　but　welcome　voice　is　the

first　which　has　brought　this　sound　to　my　ear；　and　I　have　considered

the　general　silence　which　prevails　on　this　subject　as　indicating　an

apathy　unfavorable　to　every　hope。　　Yet　the　hour　of　emancipation　is

advancing；　in　the　march　of　time。　　It　will　come；　and　whether　brought

on　by　the　generous　energy　of　our　own　minds；　or　by　the　bloody　process

of　St　Domingo；　excited　and　conducted　by　the　power　of　our　present

enemy；　if　once　stationed　permanently　within　our　Country；　and　offering

asylum　&　arms　to　the　oppressed；　is　a　leaf　of　our　history　not　yet

turned　over。　　As　to　the　method　by　which　this　difficult　work　is　to　be

effected；　if　permitted　to　be　done　by　ourselves；　I　have　seen　no

proposition　so　expedient　on　the　whole；　as　that　as　emancipation　of

those　born　after　a　given　day；　and　of　their　education　and　expatriation

after　a　given　age。　　This　would　give　time　for　a　gradual　extinction　of

that　species　of　labour　&　substitution　of　another；　and　lessen　the

severity　of　the　shock　which　an　operation　so　fundamental　cannot　fail

to　produce。　　For　men　probably　of　any　color；　but　of　this　color　we

know；　brought　from　their　infancy　without　necessity　for　thought　or

forecast；　are　by　their　habits　rendered　as　incapable　as　children　of

taking　care　of　themselves；　and　are　extinguished　promptly　wherever

industry　is　necessary　for　raising　young。　　In　the　mean　time　they　are

pests　in　society　by　their　idleness；　and　the　depredations　to　which

this　leads　them。　　Their　amalgamation　with　the　other　color　produces　a

degradation　to　which　no　lover　of　his　country；　no　lover　of　excellence

in　the　human　character　can　innocently　consent。　　I　am　sensible　of　the

partialities　with　which　you　have　looked　towards　me　as　the　person　who

should　undertake　this　salutary　but　arduous　work。　　But　this；　my　dear

sir；　is　like　bidding　old　Priam　to　buckle　the　armour　of　Hector

〃trementibus　aequo　humeris　et　inutile　ferruncingi。〃　No；　I　have

overlived　the　generation　with　which　mutual　labors　&　perils　begat

mutual　confidence　and　influence。　　This　enterprise　is　for　the　young；

for　those　who　can　follow　it　up；　and　bear　it　through　to　its

consummation。　　It　shall　have　all　my　prayers；　&　these　are　the　only

weapons　of　an　old　man。　　But　in　the　mean　time　are　you　right　in

abandoning　this　property；　and　your　country　with　it？　　I　think　not。　　My

opinion　has　ever　been　that；　until　more　can　be　done　for　them；　we

should　endeavor；　with　those　whom　fortune　has　thrown　on　our　hands；　to

feed　and　clothe　them　well；　protect　them　from　all　ill　usage；　require

such　reasonable　labor　only　as　is　performed　voluntarily　by　freemen；　&

be　led　by　no　repugnancies　to　abdicate　them；　and　our　duties　to　them。

The　laws　do　not　permit　us　to　turn　them　loose；　if　that　were　for　their

good：　and　to　commute　them　for　other　property　is　to　commit　them　to

those　whose　usage　of　them　we　cannot　control。　　I　hope　then；　my　dear

sir；　you　will　reconcile　yourself　to　your　country　and　its　unfortunate

condition；　that　you　will　not　lessen　its　stock　of　sound　disposition　by

withdrawing　your　portion　from　the　mass。　　That；　on　the　contrary　you

will　come　forward　in　the　public　councils；　become　the　missionary　of

this　doctrine　truly　christian；　insinuate　&　inculcate　it　softly　but

steadily；　through　the　medium　of　writing　and　conversation；　associate

others　in　your　labors；　and　when　the　phalanx　is　formed；　bring　on　and

press　the　proposition　perseveringly　until　its　accomplishment。　　It　is

an　encouraging　observation　that　no　good　measure　was　ever　proposed；

which；　if　duly　pursued；　failed　to　prevail　in　the　end。　　We　have　proof

of　this　in　the　history　of　the　endeavors　in　the　English　parliament　to

suppress　that　very　trade　which　brought　this　evil　on　us。　　And　you　will

be　supported　by　the　religious　precept；　〃be　not　weary　in　well…doing。〃

That　your　success　may　be　as　speedy　&　complete；　as　it　will　be　of

honorable　&　immortal　consolation　to　yourself；　I　shall　as　fervently

and　sincerely　pray　as　I　assure　you　of　my　great　friendship　and

respect。







　　　　　　　　A　SYSTEM　OF　EDUCATION




　　　　　　　　_To　Peter　Carr_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　September　7；　1814_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　On　the　subject　of　the　academy　or　college　proposed

to　be　established　in　our　neighborhood；　I　promised　the　trustees　that　I

would　prepare　for　them　a　plan；　adapted；　in　the　first　instance；　to　our

slender　funds；　but　susceptible　of　being　enlarged；　either　by　their　own

growth　or　by　accession　from　other　quarters。




　　　　　　　　I　have　long　entertained　the　hope　that　this；　our　native　State；

would　take　up　the　subject　of　education；　and　make　an　establishment；

either　with　or　without　incorporation　into　that　of　William　and　Mary；

where　every　branch　of　science；　deemed　useful　at　this　day；　should　be

taught　in　its　highest　degree。　　With　this　view；　I　have　lost　no

occasion　of　making　myself　acquainted　with　the　organization　of　the

best　seminaries　in　other　countries；　and　with　the　opinions　of　the　most

enlightened　individuals；　on　the　subject　of　the　sciences　worthy　of　a

place　in　such　an　institution。　　In　order　to　prepare　what　I　have

promised　our　trustees；　I　have　lately　revised　these　several　plans　with

attention；　and　I　am　struck　with　the　diversity　of　arrangement

observable　in　them　　no　two　alike：　Yet；　I　have　no　doubt　that　these

several　arrangements　have　been　the　subject　of　mature　reflection；　by

wise　and　learned　men；　who；　contemplating　local　circumstances；　have

adapted　them　to　the　conditions　of　the　section　of　society　for　which

they　have　been　framed。　　I　am　strengthened　in　this　conclusion　by　an

examination　of　each　separately；　and　a　conviction　that　no　one　of　them；

if　adopted　without　change；　would　be　suited　to　the　circumstances　and

pursuit　of　our　country。　　The　example　they　set；　then；　is　authority　for

us　to　select　from　their　different　institutions　the　materials　which

are　good　for　us；　and；　with　them；　to　erect　a　structure；　whose

arrangement　shall　correspond　with　our　own　social　condition；　and　shall

admit　of　enlargement　in　proportion　to　the　encouragement　it　may　merit

and　receive。　　As　I　may　not　be　able　to　attend　the　meetings　of　the

trustees；　I　will　make　you　the　depository　of　my　ideas　on　the　subject；

which　may　be　corrected；　as　you　proceed；　by　the　better　view　of　others；

and　adapted；　from　time　to　time；　to　the　prospects　which　open　upon　us；

and　which　cannot　be　specifically　seen　and　provided　for。




　　　　　　　　In　the　first　place；　we　must　ascertain　with　precision　the　object

of　our　institution；　by　taking　a　survey　of　the　general　field　of

science；　and　marking　out　the　portion　we　mean　to　occupy　at　first；　and

the　ultimate　extension　of　our　views　beyond　that；　should　we　be　enabled

to　render　it；　in　the　end；　as　comprehensive　as　we　would　wish。




　　　　　　　　1。　Elementary　schools。




　　　　　　　　It　is　highly　interesting　to　our　country；　and　it　is　the　duty　of

its　functionaries；　to　provide　that　every　citizen　in　it　should　receive

an　education　proportioned　to　the　condition　and　pursuits　of　his　life。

The　mass　of　our　citizens　may　be　divided　into　two　classes　　the

laboring　and　the　learned。　　The　laboring　will　need　the　first　grade　of

education　to　qualify　them　for　their　pursuits　and　duties；　the　learned

will　need　it　as　a　foundation　for　further　acquirements。　　A　plan　was

formerly　proposed　to　the　legislature　of　this　State　for　laying　off

every　county　into　hundreds　or　wards　of　five　or　six　miles　square；

within　each　of　which　should　be　a　school　for　the　education　of　the

children　of　the　ward；　wherein　they　should　receive　three　years'

instruction　gratis；　in　reading；　writing；　arithmetic　as　far　as