The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1818-12-16
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From the Boston PxrxioT and CnSoSIeLs.
MR.. JEFFERSON.

sAsciisnate sollcirude of tho people from
Maine 10 Louisiana. When he shall cease 10
live on earth, the recollection of the great
space he snce filed with honor TO himself
and glory 70 his country, will press on our
grateful and sad hearts that solcmnizing feel
log which we experience whsn we say
FRAHxLIk isno morc--SAMuEL ADAns is
no m,se-PArRIcK HssRv 10 no more
WAsHIxoTos is no moro
We rejoice with no common Joy that JEy.
psassN still lives to sec Us (ip great meas.
ure through his agency and inAaence) a cor.
dial and incorporated nation, in peacs with all
che world, progressing silently and safely to
greatness, an example TO other nations, and
praise TO them that do woll.
The following letter would not have been
given thus early to the pubIic, but for tho
Reiterated solicitation Of judicious friends,
whose iangoag has bssn--" Let the people
see their benefsctor while he ye, lives TO en-.
Joy their gratitude they have admired him
10 the energy Of health, while clothed ip their
highest honors, and labouring, with Others, tn
provide q shelter for the generation who are
to cemc after hims let them new soc him
near the close Of his honorable career, repos
ing ia tho bpssm Of his sffecionate family,
supporting with dignity his protr acted years,
aod their weighly concsmitants, and compos-
ediy waiting for the sreaf TEACHER, Death %
We now 1.-Two IN an era &c nstkabe for scru
tin'zing bistorica! events, and the merits of
public meu Two'hondfcd ycars have DOT
elapsed siDce our existence as Epgiish Col
onies; aod il ii but absu, forty since we stood
alone as nation; (; yet Is 1t remarkably that
there were some, who iaboted unrcmittinyly
for the public good in our colonial srs,s,
whose deeds have not yet dieni6ed the pages
OF our history; and Others, during this short
period ot our national. .exis, euce, who touched
the sscret springs OF great events, and yet
their characters, through neglect, remain IN
shade OF ambiguity, waiting tho illuslration
of historical truth.
The scntimcnls herc expressed by our po-
liticsi Patriarch are important. Their effect
is like a wcigh'y body falling from great
height. Mr.. Jefferson has here, in hh mas
tsry manner, put TO rcst question that might
have sgitated Us hereafter. Who fret began
shs .fneriean veyoiutior s---wiil never sgain
be a question for dispute.
MONTICELLO, March 3, 1918.
DEAn ssa--I have Jus, received your favor
o. FEB 20, ic which you observe the, Mr..
Writ, IN page ~, Of his Lite Of PNsiok Hen
~, quotes me as saying that "Mf. Henry
certainly gave the hrst impulse TO sne ball oi
revolution" well. reco,iect TO have used
come such expression ~ a letter TO him and
am iolersbly certsiu that, our owa State be-
log the subject onder contemplation, must
have used 1t wi b respect TO that only. Whs,h.
or be has given Il mose general aspect,
cannot say, as the passage is not ia the page
you quols, nor, after thambing over much Of
the bo,k, have i been able TO fad IT, In
page 4i7 there is something like il, but no,
the sxac, expression; and even there u may
be doubted whe,hor Mr. Writ had his eye 90
Vifginis alone, or on all the colonies Bu,
tho question TYtc commenced ne repoirtion I?
is x diisicul, as that of he as, inventor Of
thousa,d good things. Far example, who
g discovered the principle Of gravity Ne,
II wton; FOR Oal,ioo, who died the year that
Neson WA born, had measured lis forco in
Tho descent Of gravid bodies Who invented
the LavoIsorian che mistryf The English say
D.. Back, by the preparatory discovery Of
latsns hest. WAC ioscn,ed the ssam boa, I!
WIS 1t 0srbert, tbs Marquis Of Worcester,
Nswcovo, ssvory, PApin, Fitch, FaIton I
the fact is, tha, Que nsw idea leads to anoth.
e., that TO third, and 90 on through course
Of time. until some onc, with whoM no ono
W '"ose sio"S VS. sSsuat SVtoiuso WI w.
gsther, and produces what 10 Justly callet a
now inven,ion. suppose |, would be as diff
cult to trace or revolution to lis hfst embryo.
We do not know hsw long !, was batching in
che British eabipe, before they vsnsured TO
meke the Rrst efths experiments which were
to develop 1t in the end, and to produce com
p!o,e parliamentary ssprsmscy-Those you
mention in Msssschusctts az preceding the
ssawp act, might be the hrst visible symp.
toms Of that design. The proposition OF that
&C, in l764, was The FIRST here. Your oppo-
si,ion therefore preceded ours, ss occasion
~as sooner given there than hero. And tbs
truth, sopposs is, thst tho opposition in ev.
cry colony began Whenever the cncroachmcnt
vas presented to 1t. This question Of prior.
ity is as tbs inquiry would be, who frst, Of
the 500 Spsrtsns, offered his name to Leoni
dns ! shall be happy to see justice A'ne to
tho merits OF all, by the unexccpiionabIe um.
piragc Of dstss and facts; - and especially
from the pen which Is p~opossd to DO employ
cd in II. -
rejoice indeed TO learn from ysu tha, NJ
~e k.s