網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

add with the certainty of success, that in philosophy and politics, America had produced a Jefferson ?

In all the various stations which he afterwards filled, we find him laboring unceasingly for the good of his country. Having won by his virtues and talents the confidence of Washington, he was called to preside over the department of State. In this station he vindicated the rights of America against the sophistry of the European Cabinets, and gave proof of that skill in diplomacy for which he will be distinguished through all future ages. When the future statesman shall look for a model from which to form his style of diplomatic writing, will he not cease his search, and seize with avidity on that, the offspring of the Secretary's pen in his correspondence with Hammond and Genet? Called at length by the voice of the people to the Presidency of these United States, he furnished the model of an administration conducted on the purest principles of Republicanism. He sought not to enlarge his powers by construction, but referring every thing to his conscience, made that the standard of the constitutional interpretation. Regarding the government in its true and beautiful light of a confederation of States, he could not be drawn from his course by any of those splendid conceptions which shine but to mislead. He extinguished $33,000,000 of the national debt-enlarged our territorial jurisdiction by the addition of regions more extensive than our origional possessions-overawed the Barbary powers, and preserved the peace of the nation amidst the tremendous convulsions which then agitated the world. I will dwell no longer on this fruitful topic, nor indulge my feelings. Party spirit is buried in his grave and I will not disinter it. The American people will as one man look with admiration on his character, and dwell with affectionate delight over those bright incidents in his life to which I have already alluded.

Thus then my countrymen, in the 66th year of his age, he terminated his political career, and went into the shades of

retirement at Monticello. But unlike the politicians of other days, who had fled from the cares and anxieties of public life, that retirement was not inglorious. He still lived for his country and the world. Let that beautiful building devoted to the sciences, the last of his labors, reared under his auspices and cherished by his care, testify to this. How choice and how delightful this the, last fruit of his bearing!— How lasting a monument will it be to his memory! It will be, we may fondly hope, the perpetual nursery of those great principles which it was the businesss of his life to inculcate. The youth of Virginia and the youth of our sister states, to use his own beautiful language, "will bring hither their genius to be kindled at our fire." "The good old Dominion, the blessed mother of us all, will then raise her head with pride among the nations.'

[ocr errors]

When history shall at some future day, come to draw his character, to what department shall she assign him? Shall she encircle his brow with the wreath of civic worth; or shall Philosophy weave a garland of her own? He is equally dear to all the sciences. In mournful procession they have repaired to the tomb where his mortal remains are inurned and hallowed the spot. Yes, hallowed be the spot where he rests from his labors. Wave after wave may roll by, sweeping in its resistless course countless generations from the face of the earth, yet shall the resting place of Jefferson be hallowed. Like Mount Vernon, Monticello shall catch the eye of the way-farer and arrest his course.→ There shall he draw the inspirations of liberty, and learn those great truths which nature destined him to know.

Is not then this man's life most beautifully consistent ? Trace him from the period of his earliest manhood to the bour of his final dissolution, and does not his ardor in the prosecution of the great cause of human rights, excite your admiration, enlist your gratitude? May it not be said that he has lived for the good of others? Look upon him in the

last stage of his existence-But a few days before his death he exults in the happiness of his country and the full confirmation of his labors-with the prospect of death before him-suffering under a cruel disease, he offers up an impressive prayer for the good of mankind. When speaking of the approaching Jubilee, in writing to the Mayor of Washington, he says, "May it be to the world what I believe it will be: 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 of free government." And it shall be the signal-a flood of light has burst upon that world, and the Jugernauts of superstition and the gloom of ignorance shall melt in its brightness. Will you then look upon him my countrymen in the last moments of his existence? Shall I make known to you his fond concern for you and your posterity when the hand of death pressed heavily upon him? Learn then that he dwelt on the subject of the University-portrayed the blessings which it was destined to diffuse, and forgetful of his valuable services, often urged his physician to leave his bed-side lest his class might suffer in his absence. One other theme dwelt on his lips until they were motionless-It was the Fourth of JulyHe often expressed the wish to die on that day. On the third, so says my correspondent, he raised his languid head and said "this is the Fourth of July," and the smile of contentment played upon his lips-Heaven had heard his prayers and crowned his wishes-Oh precious life! Oh glorious death! He has left to us my countrymen, a precious legacy -His last words were, "I resign myself to my God, and my child to my country." And shall not that child of his age~ that only surviving daughter-the solace of his dying hour, be fostered and cherished by a grateful country?

Thus has terminated, in the 84th year of his age, the life of one of the greatest and best of men-"His weary sun hath made a glorious set." Let the rulers of nations profit

by his example-an example which points the way to the temple of true glory, and proclaims to the statesman of every age and every tongue.

Be just and fear not.

Let all the ends thou aim'st at, be thy country's,

Thy God's and truth's.

Then shall thy lifeless body sleep in blessings-and the tears of a nation water thy name.

men.

Let his life be an instructive lesson also to us, my countryLet us teach our children to reverence his name, and even in infancy to lisp his principles. As one great means of perpetuating freedom, let the annual recurrence of the day of our nation's birth, be ever hailed with rapture.

Is it not stamped with the seal of the divinity? How wonderful are the means by which he rules the world !— Scarcely has the funeral knell of our Jefferson been sounded in our ears, when we were startled by the death of another patriot-his zealous coadjutor in the holy cause of the Revolution-one among the foremost of those who sought his country's disenthrallment-of ADAMS, the compeer of his early fame-the opposing orb of his meridian day-the friend of his old age-and his companion to the realms of bliss. They have sunk together in death, and have fallen on the same glorious day into that sleep which knows no waking. Let no party spirit break the rest of their slumbers— but let us hallow their memory for the good deeds they have done-and implore that God who rules the universe, to smile upon our happy country.

« 上一頁繼續 »