NoodleFoodlers (E-mail) | Recent Comments NoodleCaboodle (Info) | Archives | Blogroll RSS Feed (Via E-mail) | OList.com
A daily dose of philosophical food for your noodle!

Friday, July 04, 2008 Jefferson's Last Letter By Paul Hsieh @ 10:59 PM Thomas Jefferson was invited to attend a celebration in Washington DC on July 4, 1826, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He had to decline due to reasons of health, but he did write the following in his last letter: 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. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them. (Via Marginal Revolution.) Labels: History   E-mail Paul Hsieh    PermaLink ()    Comments [3]

Comments on "Jefferson's Last Letter"
	Friday, July 11, 2008 at 20:22:13 mst Comment ID: #1 Name: Jim S Can anyone direct me to a Jefferson biography that provides an explanation of how a man that could write "that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God." could be a slave holder?
	Friday, July 11, 2008 at 20:47:13 mst Comment ID: #2 Name: Paul Hsieh E-mail: paul(at)geekpress(dot)com URL: http://www.geekpress.com Jim S: I think the only thing one can say is that Jefferson was not a consistent practitioner of his ideas. That doesn't necessarily invalidate his ideas of course. And the historical context of the time is different than today. But I do think less of the man precisely because he didn't fully practice his ideas within the context of those times.
	Friday, July 11, 2008 at 21:42:54 mst Comment ID: #3 Name: Mike E-mail: atlas51184(at)comcast.net The Intellectual Activist, July 2002 has an article about Jefferson. The article is by J. Patrick Mullins. It deals extensively with Jefferson's ownership of slaves. One of the points Mullins makes is the Jefferson was not actually capable of freeing many of his slaves for financial reasons (he was in debt). "Jefferson freed no more than a handful of Monticello's 150 to 200 slaves for one simple reason: they were not his to free. British creditors held the Monticello slaves, as well as Monticello itself, as collateral on the massive debts that Jefferson inherited from his father-in-law, John Wayles." He also points out the manumission laws and "black codes" of the time made life near impossible for freed slaves. Washington was about to free his slaves AND provide for their futures. But Jefferson didn't have that option. At least, that's what the article argues. I find it persuasive. You can order back issues of TIA (at your own risk...). It's Volume 16, Number 7. This article: http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=911 is by the same author.
Post Your Comment on "Jefferson's Last Letter"
Name or Handle: E-mail: URL:   Remember Me   Comment:   No HTML is allowed. URLs will be automatically converted into clickable links. Commenters are welcome to clearly state their own views, as well as to criticize opposing views and arguments. Unjust personal attacks are not welcome. The NoodleFood comments are not a general discussion board, so please do not post random questions or comments on any blog post. If you have an out-of-the-blue comment or question, please submit it as a question for NoodleFood or e-mail one of the NoodleFoodlers. To weed out spammers: 2 plus 9 equals 1901493436890317360