Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History

Book

Open Original Text

 the mind free; that all
attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burdens, or by
civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and
meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our
religion, who being Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to
propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his Almighty power to
do; that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as
well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and
uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others,
setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true
and infallible, and as such endeavouring to impose them on others,
hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part
of the world, and through all time; that to compel a man to furnish
contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he
disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical; . . . that to suffer the civil
magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion and to
restrain the profession or propagation of principles, on the
supposition of their ill tendency, is a dangerous fallacy, which at
once destroys all religious liberty, because he being of course judge
of that tendency, will make his opinions the rule of judgment, and
approve or condemn the sentiments of others only as they shall square
with or differ from his own; that it is time enough for the rightful
purposes of civil government, for its officers to interfere when
principles break out into overt acts against peace and good order; and
finally, that truth is great and will prevail if left to herself, that
she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing
to fear from the conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed of
her natural weapons, free argument and debate, errors ceasing to be
dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them:

_Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly_, That no man shall
be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place or
ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or
burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account
of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to
profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of
religion and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or
affect their civil capacities.

LETTER TO HIS DAUGHTER, MARTHA JEFFERSON.

(_Written in France, May 21, 1787._)

I write you, my dear Patsy, from the canal of Languedoc, on which I am
at present sailing, as I have been for a week past,--cloudless skies
above, limpid waters below, and on each hand, a row of nightingales in
full chorus. This delightful bird had given me a rich treat before, at
the fountain of Vaucluse. After visiting the tomb of Laura, at
Avignon, I went to see this fountain--a noble one of itself, and
rendered forever famous by the songs of Petrarch, who lived near it. I
arrived there somewhat fatigued, and sat down by the fountain to
repose myself. It gushes, of the size of a river, from a secluded
valley of the mountain, the ruins of Petrarch's château being perched
on a rock two hundred feet perpendicular above. To add to the
enchantment of the scene, every tree and bush was filled with
nightingales in full song. I think you told me that you had not yet
noticed this bird. As you have trees in the garden of the Convent [_in
Paris, where Martha was at school_], there might be nightingales in
them, and this is the season of their song. Endeavor, my dear, to make
yourself acquainted with the music of this bird, that when you return
to your own country you may be able to estimate its merit in
comparison with that of the mocking-bird. The latter has the advantage
of singing through a great part of the year, whereas the nightingale
sings but about five or six weeks in the spring, and a still shorter
term, and with a more feeble voice, in the fall.

I expect to be in Paris about the middle of next month. By that time
we may begin to expect our dear Polly [_the younger daughter, Maria_]
It will be a circumstance of inexpressible comfort to me to have you
both with me once more. The object most interesting to me for the
residue of my life, will be to see you both developing daily those
principles of virtue and goodness which will make you valuable to
others and happy in yourselves, and acquiring those talents and that
degree of science which will guard you at all times against _ennui_,
the most dangerous poison of life. A mind always employed is always
happy. This is the true secret, the grand recipe, for felicity. The
idle are the only wretched. In a world which furnishes so many
employments which are useful, and so many which are amusing, it is our
own fault if we ever know what _ennui_ is, or if we are ever driven to
the miserable resource of gaming, which corrupts our dispositions, and
teaches us a habit of hostility against all mankind.

We are now entering the port of Toulouse, where I quit my bark, and of
course must conclude my letter. Be good and be industrious, and you
will be what I shall most love in the world. Adieu, my dear child.

 Yours affectionately,
 TH. JEFFERSON.

JEFFERSON'S LAST LETTER, IN ANSWER TO AN INVITATION TO BE PRESENT AT
THE CELEBRATION OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE,
IN WASHINGTON.--TO MR. WEIGHTMAN, MAYOR OF WASHINGTON.

 MONTICELLO, _June 24, 1826_.

_Respected Sir:_ The kind invitation received from you, on the part of
the citizens of the city of Washington, to be present with them at
their celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of American
Independence, as one of the surviving signers of an instrument
pregnant with our own, and the fate of the world, is most flattering
to myself, and heightened by the honorable accompaniment proposed for
the comfort of such a journey. It adds sensibly to the sufferings of
sickness, to be deprived by it of a personal participation in the
rejoicing of that day. But acquiescence is a duty, under circumstances
not placed among those we are permitted to control. I should, indeed,
with peculiar delight, have met and exchanged there congratulations
personally with the small band, the remnant of that host of worthies,
who joined with us on that day, in the bold and doubtful election we
were to make for our country, between submission or the sword; and to
have enjoyed with them the consolatory fact, that our fellow-citizens,
after half a century of experience and prosperity, continue to approve
the choice we made. May it be to the world, what I believe it will be
(to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all), the
signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish
ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and
to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form
which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded
exercise of reason and freedom of opinion

Previous Next