The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-07-27

The JtDttson Fund. Since the d.,
of Mr.. Jefferson, the proper di-n,.i,,oa
the fund intended for his relief. Ia, 10
come matter ofspecaiation. We conc..
that, on the first blush Of the ,,i.s,;,..,
were disposed, rather hastily, e., c.o..,
in an opinion which We SUPPOSE v.s
qnally as hastily formed aud AZ irc.,
drrately expressed, by others, that liz.
mount of the subscriptions should h. ,.
funded to the respective donors. Rm m
mature reflection wr incline to IN. bon.
that the fund will hr appropriated in accor.
dance with tie original design OF thosewLo
contributed to it. Several rea,ons -.
pear to us to be all.powerruI in dcta,ior
such course. It's true, some may ursetb.,
when, they placed their names TO III. M,
per, 1t was done with an expectation tb.,
the sums they contributed would yo =.
that paper pun ported, to the relief of NJ,
Jefferson personally, and not to the s,-
rchment ol his desce ldants. who are A..
ready above the reach If want. b.,
these persons ought 10 reculect, that
when they subscribed, they could not
have anticipated that Mr.. jefferson. vh,
had already reached his SD year, and
whose lnfrinities betnkened An early di.
solution, would live to realize their bounty.
II the subscriptions had been comDleted
aud the amount had been regularly p,,d
osei 10 blia-ll, by the generous bountv
OF hls couotry'nen, he had been enabled
10 pay oil his creditors, and to rescue the
seat OF his birth aud the home of his sires,
from their grasp what would have beer
the consequence His estates would have
descendrd unlmpaIrrd to his Offspring s.
not man no bad contributed 10 e(Fec-
this desidtratum would have uttered er
felt one pang of regret. What is the dir
ference Mr.. Jefferson, it is true, died
wnlle the subscription was going On. be-
fore enough money had been raised to
pay off his debts but does 1t therefore,
| tolljY that the amlnnt already subscribed.
should be Inverted from its Original IN.
trnt2 II it was right in the first instance,
To subscribe, it is right that that snbscrp.
Il n should be devoted to the purpose
which it WAS intended to effect. 1t can
hot he presumed nor will it be said,
j that Mr. Jelierson's last moments would
have been cheered by locking up in hss
Golfers the ryidences of nations gratitude,
No. He only wished that the pecunary
sacrifices to which his public character
had subjected him, shonld not result in
the ruin OF his offspring. But even to a.
vert this consequence, SO dear to his
heart, ds IT must be to the heart of every
parent, be did not appeal to the public
councils of that country which ne had CON
lribnted to build up and sutain. Why
Because his epubllcansD his amor pa
trtd-fOrbade such course. He had
Witnessed the deleterious effects of pen.
stoa Sqsiem in other countries, and he was
resolved DOT to be the entering wedge OF a
like curse IN this. He asked only for a
ialr valuation of his property and for the
privilege of disposng of in . way whirh
would more probably than any other, Sc
cure to him what it was worth. The JUS
ucr of MS native State could not, and DID
not hesitate To grant the prayer of his PEI
luton. tie was permitted to dispose OF
nla property by way of lottery. The
scheme had been planned-the tickets
"ere IN preparation; and, it is probable,
That, before ms death, the lottery ItseIt
would have been drawn, ~ its available
proceeds applied to the extn5uishment OF
ms debts, bat for the spontaneous 0vertlo"
of feeling winch, without offering the
slightest snoek to the delicacy of the yen-
ettDie sage of Monticello, aud without IN"
t'fterlng With the risld notions Of rcpub-
leanism which it was the aim his life to
a ncdate and uphold, promised to render
MS course unnecessary. His death mas
40" interviewed, and this bnrst Of feelings
which was inteGded to operate beneficial
y, will, IN point of fact have an 'njur'
Gus tendency, even though every cent sud-
'crIbed shoaId be applied TO the sacred
object for which it was at first designed.
The sala of tickets will he checked by the
very cause which we lament has stopper
the increase of subscriptions. For our own
parts, the same reasons which would nave
induced us to subscribe tor Mr.. Jefferson
relief during his lifetime, would influence
Us now to contribute our mite towards u"'