1930.] Thomas Jefferson ai Home

THOMAS JEFFERSON ATB Y A L E X A N D E R M''A]HI<]

TfiÍH piiprr was prrcedíHl hy a. porKunal rcffíriTU'e, Din writiT (»x[il;iniiiiu;that, a nieniher nf hi.s f¡tr[¡¡ly, when a very miuil! girl. liad eií jnyrd úic raro])rivilc|¿i> oí .lifi'ivirifr ii¡i m tlif faiiiib, i<í Ciikinei 'ÍIUUIÍIÍM .li'n'cr.suii Haii-doipii nf VA\^<- ïhl l , AliKTüiarlc Co., Virgiiua. IAÍÍZ,V UVA w:is üut hrancof hi.-; íidliiT {iíiví.Ttííir Thni i îas M a n n Ra!ulol[ih and his wi!> Miirí l ia

lo ÚÚH fírantif^nn, two yí.'ars lii'iori' hi.s lica;}!, Jcllcrson aiii-m;idv<TiiiiL; un r f r ia iu íarisily raattt'fs piud. "Ymirí^vií p;tr!icidarly, d.'¡trJi'lHTSíii!, 1 ruíisiiier as the gre^iteí?! of tiic íluiisond;^ wíiirli iii^ivcfi \iiisi;ni.n('-d \ni.\ " T I Ü ' i iniüdsim was indeed wnr^hy uí ?1HS 1L;^}J c^nninciiFla-tioii, l'iir \n- waí< íis a ínn to the oidor nian, who iievcr }i;id onr u[ !iis rnvn.He wan JcilVrwm'H hí'sr: elusod liiri eyes iii de iah and iiit iniately fi;nd Üic:b e a v \ liulflífedrifS.-- which liad t-.irned wha! slioiilrl liave iH'en the íiafipies!years oí .h'iTí'r-^uii'.s hfe in to a ]-icrkKÍ uf linatH'ial slress. fie wrotí- tíie'".\ít'tiiuir. ('urri'S|tnnde!!C(! a n d Mi!=C!4]anií\-i, " 4 vols,, jiuiiiished ni \'-<U.).Boi^toii, ('(îlunol Randolph was for .s<niie y r a r s l íerfur of tîic I "niviTsií.y(if X'irL'iiii.'i. :\ ¡ ' residential Kicetor, a n d in IS75. presided at the Deino-crai ic >i;diii[iHl C^irivi'iition hi-\d at Hiillirnorc. 1S7Ô. .Vs a rii<'r:i!ier oí ifieVil•^ETlia leiiislaiure he. (»ariy înî rodurei i u lull for t in ' I 'liiaftripalion ofslaves in \ir | j:uiia, íollüwiiii; in !he $lv\/i of his íírandf. 'dhcr. \\\¡n it u¡ll hererrHirnlieri'd advoeaici l emai ic ipat ion, not only for Vlririnia, Imt fur Ihewhole of îlu' new nat ion . Colonel Kamioîph WHH HÍX feet fo;ir inrhes inheigiil, slraiirlit a.s ;ui arrowy a man of ^rrcal s t reni ï th physieally, ami Ihcpoiil oí lutrKir. il(^ ilieil OctoliíT 7, IS7.'3 al tl ie ¡iiir of ci i ibly-threc, at,Kdiif iliil . One of hin ^i.^ileri^. Miss I'^it-anoni V\'ii_\le8 Uandolpii , rnarneiia t Slonticello in 1824 Mr. Josi'[ih Coolidge of P'oston, a ilr.'.eendani ofJ o h n CooHdi;<' \ \ho €amc to thiB coun t ry m itiHO. A yoim.iicr l>rotiier,•Jariies ,\!adi.--on R^tndoiph, was t h e first ehiid horn in ihe \ \ lutf I Ion» ' .

("oloni;! í í ando lph ' s youngest da imhtf r , Misw Sarah Nieholas Ii;indol(i]i(<'liiciiy to p!ea<e IHT fatlu'r) wrotf, " T h e Dorneslie i.ifi' of T h o m a sJf'ffi-rson, HarpiT, Ha rpe r and Brothers , New "l'ork, l'<7'i. 'i 'bis is far a n daway thf> )u;si p resenta t ion of the personal i ty of Thomas .li'flerson hi itw(i iiave ii ciofîe-uii view of tlie m a n in his own hnusehold, amid hiwfailli iy, at ten dint; t 'l his farm,, answering letter.-^ and reading his 'hooks,

' i l ie Hnia!! lisrl referred to at the hoginning of this paper greu tu « o r n a n -hooci in the home of Colonel l i i indolph under the gc idanee of hi.s threedaugh te r s . Mi^s ̂ î a r y B u c h a n a n , Mis.i Carol ina It ' imsiiy, and Miss Sa rahXii'liolas íí;u!dí!Íph. She îieard rnueli of ronversaf íon amoni ; t i i o sewhohad feon and known thii wise a n d beloved ow iier of M o n n c e ü o . It is wi thlîic hop r of prcservinK. l iawevcr imptirfeetiy, some of these familyreminiscences and traditions, that this pajier is wrilteii.

p ñ JEFFERSON lived in the limelight-*• against bis own wishes, lie cared little for

publicity; and by inclination and training viilued

28 American Antiquarian Society [April,

his home, his family and his books above any publi^honor, even the highest in the gift of his fellow"countrymen. In the brief epitaph which he wrote ofhimself, there is no mention of public office nor officialstation; but he does give the work of his pen as authorof the Declaration of American Independence, and ofthe statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom; and isproud of being Father of the University of Virginia.He fully realized the transitory character of politicalprominence; and, moreover, thoroughly disliked theintrigue and dishonesty that were all too evident inParis, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, from1784 to 1809; His soul cried out against the smallnessof it; and over and over again in his letters is a heart-felt longing to be freed from it all. In fact, his was theexperience of any high-minded, disinterested man,after much public service.

Such men are shocked at the rascality of place-hunters and professional politicians. Jefferson wasnever self-assertive and even when nominated for thePresidency, made no special effort to secure election.He was entirely satisfied with the election of JohnAdams, and although later these two were for a timepolitically opposed, Jefferson was not himself an activepartisan. He left that to Madison and others. It wasonly at the solicitation of Washington, for whom hehad the greatest respect and admiration, that heconsented to serve as Secretary of State in the FirstCabinet. Writing to a friend (Mrs. Church) Novem-ber 27, 1793, five weeks before resigning his portfolioin the first Cabinet he says,

I have at length become able to fix that [his resignation] tothe beginning of the new year. I am then to be liberated fromthe hated occupations of politics and to remain in the bosomof my family, my farm and my books. I have my house tobuild, my fields to farm and to watch for the happiness of thosewho labor for mine. I have one daughter married to a man ofscience, sense, virtue and competence in whom I have nothingmore to wish. They live with me. [The reference is toMartha Jefferson Randolph.]

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 29

He had made known to Washington his wish toretire early in the summer. To Madison, with whomhe was on intimate terms, he wrote June 9, 1793, hisintention, mentioning at the same time his estimate ofpublic position: "Giving up everything he loved inexchange for everything he hated." He was inearnest; homesick and weary of the constant embroil-ments incident to that office. He had a poor opinionof most of the members of the First and SecondCongresses.

So we find him longing to return to his family, hisfarm and his books. His Chief did not want him toleave. Contrary to what is quite generally thought,there was no friction between Washington and Jeffer-son. Nor was there jealousy of the inñuence ofHamilton with the great President. As a matter offact, Washington and Jefferson thought alike on manymatters, and not once but often the General turneddown Hamilton's plans, unless supported by a ma-jority vote in the Cabinet. Jefferson and Hamiltondid not pull as a team; and their plans and purposesdiffered considerably.

In Jefferson's second and more formal letter toWashington, asking to be relieved, the tone is quitewarm and rather affectionate; " to retire to scenes ofgreater tranquility from those which I am every daymore and more convinced that neither my talents,tone of mind or time of life fit me for * * * that youmay find one more able to lighten the burthen of yourlabors I most sincerely wish, for no man living moresincerely wishes that your administration could berendered as pleasant to yourself as it is useful andnecessary to our country, nor feels for you a morerational or cordial attachment and respect than.Dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble ser-vant. "

Washington of course urged him to stay as long ashe would and at least until the end of the year, whichJefferson did. So, on the first day of 1794, we find

30 American Antiquarian Society [AprU,

him starting home to his farm and books, far happierthan he had been while in New York or Philadelphia.

Much capital was made of the withdrawal ofJefferson by his political opponents, which time hasshown to have been unjust and a distortion of facts.We have the written words of Washington and Jeff errson that they entertained only the highest regard foreach other. Jefferson says that the friendship wasnever broken, and the story so diligently spread bythe Federalists that Washington rebuked Jeffersonand took him to task for some scurrilous attacks uponhimself by rabid Republican writers, falls to theground in the light of these words. Again at a laterdate he writes, " I do affirm that there never passed aword written or verbal, directly or indirectly betweenGeneral Washington and myself on the subject of thatletter. He would never have degraded himself so faras to take to himself the imputations in that letter tothe 'Samsons in combat'; an unqualified falsehood."It was seldom that Jefferson answered any of theattacks upon his public acts or personal character;and some of the clergy certainly did spread mostslanderous tales about him. His attitude was that"in time their consciences would lead them to ac-knowledge the wrong done and apologize." Pure inhis morals, he was denounced as a libertine, theanimus no doubt arising from his separation of Churchand State in Virginia and his views on certain doctrinalmatters and ecclesiastical claims. He was essentiallya "broad-church" Episcopalian, almost a Unitarian.

To illustrate the thoroughly correct attitude ofWashington, recaU that at the conclusion of the cere-monies attending the inauguration of John Adams,the new President was the first to leave the hall.Jefferson as Vice-President, rose to follow, but per-ceiving that Washington had also risen, withdrew afew steps and waited for Washington to precede him.Washington however stood in his place and insisted onfollowing the new Vice-President. "My last parting

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 31

with Washington," says Jefferson, "was at theinauguration of Mr. Adams in March 1797 and waswarmly affectionate, and I never had any reason tobelieve any change on his part as there certainly wasnone on mine."

Only one session of Congress intervened beforeWashington's death. Jefferson says, "both of us weretoo much oppressed with letter writing to trouble eitherthe other with a letter about nothing." And so weleave them, two Virginia gentlemen, with highestopinions of each other.

More directly illustrating the activities of Jefferson,after his term of office as President expired, are theletters to John Adams. Disagreeing as politicaladversaries, and often at grips when in the prime oflife, the two veterans, as the shadows of life lengthened,Adams seventy-seven and Jefferson sixty-nine, beganan interchange of ideas expressed in a correspondencethat is without equal in American letters. It beganabout 1812. There are 150 letters extant and anumber missing. Adams wrote twice as frequentlyas Jefferson, and in one letter says, " "Never mind if Iwrite four letters to your one, your one is worth morethan my four, " which shows a fine streak of generosityin the old Spartan. Both wore homespun. Wilstachputs it nicely in a recent article on the reconciliation,"the old boys were figuratively if not literally back ineach other's arms." They had been close to eachother in the late seventies and eighties and nineties.Big-hearted, sensible Abigail Adams had been as amother to J^efferson's motherless little eight-year-oldgirl, Mary, otherwise Polly, and later Maria otherwisePatsy, when after crossing the ocean by herself, shearrived in London.

The young Republic had survived eight administra-tions; and the two old fellows on the sidelines did nothesitate to speak out, and as old people will, comparepresent and past, always to the advantage of the latter.They lament that the science of government had made

32 American Antiquarian Sodety [April,

no progress. There was too much partisan politics tosuit them, being strangely forgetful of their ownstrenuous prime.

Concerning religion, their pens never tired, and bothheld similar views of the hereafter. Adams was aUnitarian and Jefferson one in thought, if not by name.

In one letter Adams asks Jefferson, "Would you goback to your cradle and live over again your seventyyears?" He himself is not so sure that he would careto do this; but Jefferson answered, "Yes!" and ampli-fying his reasons, writes a line that is so characteristicof the man, it must be quoted: "My temperament issanguine. I steer my bark with Hope in the lead,leaving Fear astern." And with a flash of the phil-osophy of Marcus Aurelius, these words follow: "Andthe perfection of moral character is not in stoicalapathy so hypocritically vaunted and so untruly too,because impossible; but in a just equilibrium of all thepassions. "

Adams did not fail to appreciate to the full theallusion to the ship of life; and he wrote back, " Iadmire your navigation, and should like to sail withyou, either in your bark or in my own, alongside ofyours. Hope with her gay ensigns displayed at theprow. Fear with her hobgoblins behind at the stern.Hope springs eternal, and hope is all that endures. "

So we leave them. Adams doubting the value ofthese later days and looking at the joys of life as meresoap bubbles, while Jefferson enjoying good health aridhappy in what was around him, assures the other that"he is ripe for leaving all, this year, this day, thishour." It is reasonable, he holds, that we shoulddrop off and make room for another growth.

Jefferson's last letter to Adams was one introducinghis grandson. Colonel Thomas Jefferson Randolph, tohis old friend. These are some of the lines : "Being ona visit to Boston, he would think he had seen nothing,were he to leave without seeing you. "

Jefferson's correspondence was not confined to

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 33

Adams. It was, in fact, tremendous. His right wristwas broken by a fall from a horse while in Paris andbeing badly set always caused him some pain. Helearned to write with his left hand to take the strainfrom the right; but nevertheless that broken wrist hadplenty to do. To make matters worse, he broke hisleft arm in 1824. To accomplish it all, he had to riseearly. He was a good horseman and rode almostto the last year of his life. Barring occasional head-aches and some rheumatism, he had good health; andat sixty-six, when he returned finally to Monticello, hewas in good condition. He always made his own fires.He did not give much advice to members of his familyon health matters except to warn against fevers, and inthe case of childbirth to have materials ready, so thatthere should be no infection due to delay in gettingwhat was needed. He drank water but once a day andthat when he returned from his ride. He was rather alight eater and maintained that one should rise fromthe table somewhat hungry. He did not play cardsnor games of chance, holding that it was time wasted.He was of course fond of flowers and spent much timein gardening. There is the familiar story of hispurchase of roses with high sounding names likeMarcus Aurelius and Queen of the Amazons, carefullywatched by his young granddaughters, who aftermorning inspection would rush to inform their grand-father that "Marcus Aurelius was coming up thruthe ground, and that the Queen of the Amazons hada new shoot. "

Owing to the distance between Charlottesville andRichmond, poor roads and slow delivery, Jeffersontried to make his home and community self-supporting.Hence the inauguration of mills at Milton and themanufacture and use of homespun. Jefferson and hisgrandson wore homespun.

It was not, however, to be all unalloyed happiness atMonticello. The estate was badly run-down andready money was scarce. Writing to Monroe as early

34 American Antiquarian Society [April,

as March 11, 1794, he tells of the uncertain market forthe produce of the fields. Wheat, according to reportwas selling from 5/6 to 6/ at Richmond; but not forcash. At Milton, close by Shadwell, wheat waspriced at 4/6, but again not payable in cash but ingoods. What was even more serious, the goods wereadvanced in price 50 to 100 per cent above the pricesat Philadelphia. This, wrote Jefferson, "renders theprice of wheat in fact half a dollar. I do not believethat 1000 bushels of wheat could be sold at Milton andCharlottesville for 1/ a bushel cash. " There was noFarm Relief Bureau, sponsored and financed by apaternalistic government, to hold up the prices. Ourmodern conceptions of official control and governmentspeculation would shock not only Jefferson but evenHamilton himself. Then, and later, Jefferson ex-perienced the limitations and tribulations of theFarmer's market; and indeed this, while not the primecause, contributed largely to the steadily increasingload of debt and financial embarrassment which gavehim so much concern at the close of life. A primefactor, however, was the horde of visitors. He wasliterally eaten out of house and home by them. Inaccordance with the code then prevailing, these had tobe entertained. Mrs. Randolph mentions 50 beds,mostly for visitors. The family tradition is that atone time there were no less than seventy.

Jefferson's expense book is a marvel of detail. Herehe entered cost of servants, goods, furnishings and allhousehold and incidental expenses. He drank spar-ingly himself but on his table were high quality wines,and he lays stress upon the value of the clarets pro-duced from home grown grapes.

He advised his grandson to "avoid taverns, drinkers,smokers, idlers and dissipated persons generally, for itis with such that broils and contentions arise. " Heconstantly urged young people never to troubleanother in matters which they could do themselves,never to spend money before they had it, never to eat

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 35

too much, in fact to rise from the table a trifle hungry,to take things by the smooth handle, and when angryto count ten before speaking; and if very angry tocount one hundred.

His granddaughter, Mrs. Joseph Coolidge (EleanoraWayles Randolph), describes him as wearing longwaistcoats when the mode was for very short ones,white cambric stocks fastened behind with a bucklewhen white cravats were universal. He adopted thepantaloon late in life because he found it more com-fortable and convenient and cut off his queue for thesame reason.

Writing to Dr. Vine Utley on March 21, 1819,Jefferson, then being seventy-six years old says, " Iuse spectacles at night but not necessarily in the dayunless reading small print. My hearing is distinct inparticular conversation but confused when severalvoices cross each other, which unfits one for the societyof the table, * * * so free from catarrhs that I have nothad one on an average of eight to ten years. I ascribethis exemption partly to the habit of bathing my feetin cold water every morning for sixty years past. "

Later when about eighty, he wrote to a friend thathe was too feeble indeed to walk much but could ridewithout fatigue six or eight miles a day and sometimesas much as twenty. At this time his correspondenceaveraged over a thousand letters a year. His grand-son found 26,000 letters on file, with copies of 16,000answers. We have mentioned above, the fracture ofthe right wrist while he was in France and the pain itgave him, also that in 1822 he broke his arm by a fallwhile walking on a decayed plank. He was thrownhis full length, this when he was eighty years old.With his arm in a sling, he resumed riding. Hisgrandson. Colonel Randolph, who likewise rode whenhe was well over eighty, describes Jefferson's habits asregular and systematic. "He rose always at dawn,wrote and read until breakfast, dined about three,retired at nine, and was in bed at ten or somewhat

36 American Antiquarian Society [April,

later. He ate heartily, and much vegetable food; alsopreferred French cooking because it made the meatsmore tender." He read as much as his time per-mitted and never missed a number of the "EdinburghReview."

His hair was a dark red when young, turning sandy.as the years passed. His eyes were hazel. "Dyingin his eighty-fourth year," Colonel Randolph states,"he had not lost a tooth nor had one defective." * * *"His skin was thin, peeling from his face on exposureto the sun, and giving it a tettered appearance; thesuperficial veins so weak as upon the slightest blow tocause extensive suffusions of blood, in early life uponstanding to write for any time, bursting beneath theskin. It, however, gave him no inconvenience. Hiscountenance was mild and benignant and attractive tostrangers. Mr. Jefferson's stature was commanding,six feet two and a half inches in height, well formed,indicating strength and activity and robust health, hiscarriage erect, step firm and elastic which he preservedto his death, his temper naturally strong, under perfectcontrol, his courage cool and impassive. No one everknew him to exhibit trepidation. His moral courageof the highest order, his will firm and infiexible, it wasremarked of him that he never abandoned a plan, aprinciple or a friend." * * * "He rode within threeweeks of his death, and never permitted a servant toaccompany him. ' ' He said it annoyed him.

From 1817 to 1824 he gave much time and thoughtto organizing and developing the University ofVirginia. He could watch from Monticello with a

. telescope the progress of building operations. Madisonsucceeded him as Rector; and we note here that thefriendship of the two lasted fifty years without break.Madison hearing of Jefferson's death wrote, "In thesecharacters I have known him and not less in thevirtues and charms of social life, for a period of fiftyyears during which there was not an interruption or

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 37

diminution of mutual confidence and cordial friend-ship for a single moment in a single instance. "

But old John Adams said it better than any other ofhis contemporaries, " I always loved Jefferson and stilllove him."

Jefferson was in the public service, all told, for aperiod of sixty-one years. Naturally his affairssuffered. One of the most pathetic of all his letterswas written on February 8, 1826, to his grandson,Thomas Jefferson Randolph, who had gone securityfor his grandfather's debts to the amount of $58,536.Jefferson at this time turned over the management ofhis affairs to his grandson who was then twenty-fouryears old, Jefferson himself being seventy-three.Speaking of these financial difficulties, he says, "Thesehave been produced in some way by my own unskillfulmanagement and devoting my time to the service ofmy country but much also by the unfortunate fluctua-tion in the value of our money and the long continueddepression of farming business * * * but where thereare no bidders property however great is no resourcefor the payment of debts, all may go for a little ornothing. Perhaps however even in this case, I haveno right to complain as these misfortunes have beenheld back for' my last days when few remain to me. Iduly acknowledge that I have gone through a long lifewith fewer circumstances of affliction than are the lotof most men—uninterrupted health—a competencefor every reasonable want, usefulness to my fellowcitizens—a good portion of their esteem—no com-plaint against the world which has sufi&ciently honoredme, and above all a family which has blessed me bytheir affections and never by their conduct given me amoment's pain—and should this my last request^ begranted I may yet close with a cloudless sun a long andserene day of life. Be assured my dear Jefferson, thatI have a just sense of the part you have contributed

•This request to dispose of his estate by lottery was refused by the legislature of Virginia,although it had been granted in many previous instances.

38 American Antiquarian Society [April,

to this, and that I bear you unmeasured affection."The debts exceeded the assets by $40,000. Six monthsafter his death Jefferson's furniture was sold atauction to pay in part the debts. Monticello andPoplar Forest were advertised for sale at the streetcorners.

Some characteristic letters are appended.

Monticello, June 4, '19^

SIR

In answer to your request to be informed of the particularstyle of dieting the students which would be approved by thevisitors of the University, I can only say that, the Universitynot being yet in action, nor the Hotels for boarding houses inreadiness which will be at their disposal, no style of dietinghas been agreed on: but if I may form a judgment from theconversations we have had on the subject, I think somethinglike the following course will meet their approbation,for breakfast, wheat or corn bread, at the choice of each

particular, with butter, and milk, or Coffee-au-lait, at thechoice of each, no meat,

for dinner, a soup, a dish of salt meat, a dish of fresh meat &as great a variety of vegetables well cooked as you please,

for supper, com or wheat bread at their choice, & milk, orCoffee-au-lait, also at their choice, but no meat,

their drink at all times water, a young stomach needing nostimulating drinks, and the habit of using them beingdangerous,

and I should recommend as late a dinner as the rules of theirschool will admit,

no game of chance to be permitted in the house.TH. JEFFERSON

Mr. Laporte

'Original in Harvard College Library.

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 39

Jefferson to Adams

Monticello, June 27, 1822." I happened to turn to my letter list some time ago and a

curiosity was excited to count those received in a single year.It was the year before last. I found the number to be onethousand two hundred and sixty-seven, many of them re-quiring answers of elaborate research and aU to be answeredwith due attention and consideration. Take an average ofthis number for a week or a day, and I will repeat the questionsuggested by other considerations in mine of the Ist. Is thislife? At best it is, but the life of a mill-horse who sees no endto his circle but in death. To such a life, that of a cabbage isparadise."

* * *

Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Jefferson Randolph.*

"I have mentioned good humor as one of the preservativesof our peace and tranquility. * * * In truth politeness isartificial good humor. It is the practice of sacrificing to thosewhom we meet in society all the little conveniences and prefer-ences which will gratify them, and deprive us of nothing wortha moment's consideration. It is the giving a pleasing andfiattering turn to our expressions which will conciliate othersand make them pleased with us as well as with themselves.How cheap a price to pay for the good will of another! Whenthis is in return for a rude thing said by another, it brings himto his senses, it mortifies and corrects him in the most salutaryway, and places him at the feet of your good nature in the eyesof the company. It was one of the rules which above all othermade Doctor Franklin the most amiable of men in Societynever to contradict anybody. "

June 29, 1824.To Martin Van Buren :DEAR SIR:

I have to thank you for Mr. Pickering's elaborate philippicagainst Mr. Adams, Gerry, Smith and myself; and I have

'Randolph then was about sixteen.

40 American Antiquarian Society [April,

delayed the acknowledgment until I could read it and makesome observations on it.

I could not have believed that for so many years and to sucha period of advanced age, he could have nourished passions sovehement and viperous. It appears that for thirty years past,he has been industriously collecting materials for vituperatingthe characters he has marked for his hatred; some of whomcertainly if enmities toward him had ever existed, had for-gotten them all, or buried them in the grave with themselves.As for myself, there never had been anything personal betweenus, nothing but the general opposition of party sentiment, andour personal intercourse had been that of urbanity, as himselfsays. But it seems he has been all this time brooding over anemnity wbich I had never felt, and that with respect to myselfas well as others, he has been writing far and near and in everydirection to get hold of original letters, where he could copies,where he could not certificates and journals, catching at everygossiping story he could hear of, in any quarter, supplying bysuspicions what he could find nowhere else, and then arguingon this motley farrago, as if established on gospel evidence.And while expressing bis wonder that at the age of eighty-eight the strong passions of Mr. Adams should not havecooled; tbat on the contrary "they had acquired the masteryof his soul" (p. 100) "that where these were enlisted, noreliance could be placed on his statements" (p. 104) etc. etc.the facility and little truth with which he could represent factsand occurrences concerning persons who were the objects ofhis hatred (p. 3) that he is capable of making the grossest mis-representations and from detached facts and often from baresuspicions, of drawing unwarrantable inferences if suited to hispurpose at the instant! I say, on Mr. Adams, instead of his"ecco homo" (p. 100) how justly might we say of him "mutatonomine, de te fabula narratur. "

He further shows that Pickering was entirely mistaken inregard to a letter sent by Jefferson to Adams, "the object ofwhich was to soothe the feelings of a friend wounded by apublication which I thought an outrage on private confidence.Pickering described a certain letter from Adams to Jefferson, asan apology, placing Mr. Adams at Jefferson's feet and suing

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 41

for pardon. "Now I do solemnly declare," says Jefferson,"that there was not a word or allusion in it respecting Cunning-ham's publication.

So much for his friend, now for himself. "The otherallegation respecting myself is equally false. In page 34 hequotes Doctor Stuart as having twenty years ago informedhim that General Washington, "when he became a privatecitizen," called me to account for expressions in a letter toMazzei, requiring in a tone of unusual severity an explanationof that letter. He adds of himself, "in what manner thelatter (Jefferson) humbled himself and appeased the justresentment of Washington will never be made known, as sometime after his death the correspondence was not to be foundand a diary for an important period of his presidency was alsomissing." Jefferson points out that the dairy being of trans-actions during his (Washington's) presidency, the letter toMazzei was not known until afterwards. The correspondencenaturally could not be found for it never existed. " I do affirmthat there never passed a word written or verbal directly orindirectly between General Washington and myself on thesubject of that letter." Then follows the statement:

"My last parting with General Washington was at theinauguration of Mr. Adams in March 1797, and was warmlyaffectionate and I never had any reason to believe any changeon his part as there certainly was none on mine."

Only one session of Congress intervened before Washing-ton's death; and Jefferson adds,"both of us were too much oppressed with letter writing totrouble either the other with a letter about nothing."

At the time he wrote the above statement, being then overeighty, he considered tranquihty to be the summum bonum, andhe desired as much as possible to avoid acrimonious discussionon political differences of years gone by. No disinterestedreader can fail to appreciate the candor and straight-forward-ness of the statements.

Writing shortly after the above, to Lafayette (September 3,1824) who was going to revisit Yorktown on October 19th, andof course visit Monticello on the way, Jefferson after warning

42 American Antiquarian Sodety [April,

Lafayette that he would run a great risk of being killed bykindness and that he (Jefferson) had persuaded the authoritiesat Charlottesville to cut down the reception festivities andlimit the affair to one dinner, says,

"My spirit will be there, my body cannot. I am too muchenfeebled by age for such a journey. I cannot walk fartherthan my garden, with infirmities too, which can only be nursedát home."

From Jefferson's Expense

March 20,1804:there remain on hand 40 bottles of the 247 of Champagnerec'd from Fulwar Skipwith Dec. 1. the consumption thenhas been 207 bottles which on 651 persons dined is a bottle to3 1/7 persons, hence the annual stock necessary may becalculated at 415 bottles a year or say 500, to wit Congress272 vacation 143. gave order on J. Barnes for the freightof 400 bush coal 34 D at 8 1/2 cents.

March 28, 1804:

Desired Mr. Barnes to pay for the following newspapersSalem Register, Carleton 3Boston Chronicle, Adams & Rhodes 3 13 Mr. LincolnDemocrat, Williams 4Worcester Aegis 3Hartford American MercuryBabcock 2.50 1Hudson Post, Holt 1.00 [ 6.50 Mr. GrangeAlbany Register, Barber 3 JN. Y. American Citizen 10 | ^g j ^ ChathamEvemng Post 9 JMorning ChroniclePhil'a American Daily Advert' Poulsan 8Balt'o American & Balt'o Gazette 5Alexandria Emporium, Densmore 6Frederic T. Republic Advocate, Colvin 5

70.50

'In possession of the Massachusetts Historical Sooiety.

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 43

Jefferson's Grandson'

Thomas Mann Randolph of Edge Hill and Varina (bom1768, married Martha Jefferson, bride's age, eighteen, groom'stwenty-two, at Monticello February 23, 1790) took highhonors at Edinburgh University. He was tall, handsome, afine horseman and heir to great estates. A few days after thewedding Jefferson went to New York to serve as Secretary ofState in Washington's first cabinet; and the young peoplelived at Monticello. When Jefferson returned to private life,resigning his portfolio January 1, 1793, the young couple wentto Edge Hill. When Jefferson became President, youngRandolph was elected to Congress and the young people livedin the White House where Martha did the honors. Hersecond son, James Madison Randolph, was born in the WhiteHouse in 1806.

During the 9th Congress, Randolph had a quarrel with hiscousin John Randolph of Roanoke, who was also a member ofCongress from Virginia, which came near resulting in a duel.This was caused by John Randolph's bitter attacks onJefferson.

In the war of 1812, Randolph was commissioned Colonel,March 3,1813, and given command of a new regiment, the 20thInfantry, which he marched from Virginia to Canada. Hewas elected Governor of Virginia in 1819. He died June 20,1828.

Martha survived him eight years, living with her oldestson Thomas Jefferson Randolph, at Edge Hill.

Jeffersoniana in the Vicinity of Boston

Mrs. Henry Parkman, Jr., 182 Beacon Street, Boston, bomMargaret Anderson, a great, great, great-granddaughter ofJefferson, has 1 large telescope on a tripod used by Jefferson atMonticello. Peale's portrait of Thomas Jefferson Randolph(Grandpa) painted for Jefferson.A mahogany desk of Jefferson's

'From General J. Randolph Kean's notes in the Monticello Asaoeiation.

44 American Antiquarian Society [April,

A large brass candlestick which tradition says was madeaccording to Jefferson's design. It consists of a stand withan upright brass rod, supporting at right angles a squaresteel rod on which are two candlesticks which can be raisedor lowered and moved from side to side. Behind them is areflector made of a curved sheet of brass which can be tiltedat the desired angle.

Four beautiful circular vegetable dishes with handles, coversand platters. They are very heavy and of very pure silvermuch softer than modern silver. The platters are round

, with a slightly scalloped border. They were purchased byMr. Jefferson in Paris when he was Minister to France,and Mrs. Parkman has the bill which came with themmade out to Mr. Jefferson.

Mr. Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, 3d. has1 set of Lowestoft China1 silver mug .1 silver urn and plate1 highboy1 statue of Ariadne (which he has loaned to Monticello)1 gold mounted horn walking stickCertain personal effects, letters and books.

Other articles are in the possession of Mr. Harold J. Coolidge,303 Berkely Street, Boston; Mr. John Gardiner Coolidge, 55Commonwealth Avenue; Mr. Edmund J. Burke, 221 HighStreet, Boston; and Mrs. Nicholas P. T. Burke, of Milton,Mass.

EXHIBITS

1. Letter concerning Menu for students at University ofVirginia.

Original, Harvard College Library.2. Extract letter June 27,1822.

Original, Library of Congress.3. Extract letter written to Thomas Jefferson Randolph.

Original, Massachusetts Historical Society.4. Copy of letter to Van Buren, June 29,1824.

Original, Library of Congress.5. Extract from Expense Book.

Original, Massachusetts Historical Society.

1930.] Thomas Jefferson at Home 45

6. Another Extract from Expense Book.7. Letter of Mr. Joseph Coolidge and Jefferson's answer.

Originals shown at this meeting. In possession of Massa-chusetts Historical Society.

* * *

Letters from authorities consulted.General J. R. Kean, Medical Corps, U. S. A., retired,

is a direct descendant of Jefferson, and has written muchon Monticello and the family records.

Clarence S. Brigham.12 letters written by Jefferson in American Antiquarian

Society.Library of Congress,

20,000 letters or documents.John Stewart Bryan of Richmond, Va.

63 letters and papers of Jefferson in Virginia HistoricalSociety's Library.

The Virginia State Library35 letters

Fiske Kimball of Philadelphia, an authority on Jefferson asan architect.

The Franklin Institute of Philadelphia hasAn original copy of the Declaration of Independence; also

Jefferson's deskVictor H. Paltsits, New York Public Library, describes

A copy of the Declaration in Jefferson's handwriting, alsohis original manuscript of a draft of the Constitution ofVirginia. (May 1776). 117 original letters and docu-ments.

There was also shown at the Meeting the walking stickpresented to Jefferson by Lafayette, in the possession ofMr. Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, 3d.

Also a photograph of Thomas Jefferson Randolph inscribed,"To my dear little Mary Browne from her affectionateGrandpa, Th. J. Randolph. "

« * *

Our beloved Dr. Nichols, in his October 1928 Reportof the Council of the American Antiquarian Society,

46 American Antiquarian Society [April,

p. 175, gives Jefferson's reply to a letter asking him tojoin the Society, dated Monticello, January 9, 1814.Jefferson was for twelve years a member of thisSociety. We need not repeat here what Dr. Nicholshas so well expressed.