American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-07-14
From the Richmond ENQUIRER. Julv-

4 HoMhS JEFFERSON is 10 more The friend :,
Liberty, The Author OF the Declaration Of Inden,u
dence, "lhe Ornament OF Human Nature ;,s,n,
Jas be once said OF Benjamin Fr.nklin) The 6,.,
man lett in his country, and one OF the first in h
age OF great men, is gathered TO the tomb Of H.
fathers. The state, the nation, the whole wora
itself, has sustained loss of which no LANGUAGE a
give an adequate description. Liberty weeps oy.r
her tavorltc child and ages yet to come will hon
with rrverentia gratitude before the lofty monum,n
which his labors have erected. His fame hennas
to History; and if talents the most rare, virtues h.
most conspicuous, services the most useful, can en-.
title any man to glory, the reputation Of Thon.,
Jefferson will be among the brightest which she viii
have to record.
On Saturday last for the FIRST time we had heard
that he was ILL., and that bis physicians entertained
serious fears OF his life Messengers had been ,,n,
to call IN his distant relations. But we still tus,.
ed to the strength of his constitution, though ".
awaited the event with trembling socitudc. On
the morning OF the Anniversary, more alarming ar.
counts reached u.s. that his complaint (the Sum.
mer Diseasel had left him, yet tina, his physician
l(Dr. Dungleson) was afraid he had not srenplh
enough to rally from the attack A subseouen,
letter, however, was read in the course Of the dav
from near relation, stating that his complaint wa,
not only abated, but his strength was inc easing
brought TO us the fatal ,dings of his dissolution.
He has departed on the very day which lie hs,
made SO glorious. The day of his fame was The
day OF his death. The applause and gratitude ol
whole Republic were at that very moment rehears.
ing his work, and repeating his praises. Could he
have selected the moment OF his departure, this
would have been the very one which he would hay.
chosen. His death has added new interest 10
day, which his lite had rendered so illusious.
The particulars oil his death have not ye,reached
Us but If We may Judge from the whole tenor Of
his conduct, the whole lone OF his conversation for
the few last months, we are satisfied that he died
with oil the equanmity Of sage. "Acquies-
cence isad he len days ago) is duty, under cir.
eumstshces not placed among those we ale permit.
ted to CONTROL" He was in the habit Of ssylbg 10
his intimate friends, that though he did not wish to
die, YET he did not fear to die. But few days ago
he declared, that if he could leave his Family IN.
embarrassed, and if he could see the University
fairly under way. he was ready 10 depart Nnnc
demittas, Domino, was his favorile quotation -
We have doubt that his "ruling passion was
strong in dea,h.' Il was scarcely ten days ago,
when he breathed the most fer,ent wishes Tor the
good OF his country, and for the Of The pc.
lltcal principles to which he was so ieryenty at.
tached. !, is said, that in the course Of last week
he calmly gave directions about his coffin and H.
tGihSh anu tHat On flOIUoJ iHquiHlR WIN bUHe
socilude what was The day OF the month, and be.
ing told the Sd Of July, he expressed desire TO
live Till the next day that he might breathe the air
OF the 50th Anniversary.
A few words more upon The life OF this dislln'
gulShed man, and we have done. he was born on
The Cd of April l743 10 the county OF Alternate,
al Shadwell, country scat which now bronesto
his grandson within a shor, distance Of Monticello
and within half mile Of his Rvanns mills he
was OF course in the 64th year Of his age. ne
ceiyed the highest honors at the College OF William
and Mary; and studied law under the celebrated
George Wythe late Chancellor OF Virginia. BE,
Tore he had attained his 25h year, he was dlslll'.
gushed member Of The Virginia Legislature, and
took an active part in all the measures which lhey
adopted in opposition to The usurpations OF Great
Britain. In ITS, he is said to have been The au-
thor Of the protest against the propositions OF LORD
North. He subsequently transferred 10 Inc
General Congress at Philadelphia, where he dsun'
guished himself by the hrmness OF his sentiments,
and the energy Of bis compositions. OF these guar
lhcations no other evidence could be required thai
the impefishable Document which declared Us ree'
sovereign, and independent States"
From l777 to 20 (lor certain por'crs oil those
years. he was occupied with Wythe and Pendie'oh
in revising the Laws OF Virginia. In 1879, he sue
oceded Patrick Henry as Governor Of the State.
In 1871 he composed his g Notes on Virginia.
than which no work of equal dimensions has ever
attained to greater reputation. In the summer OF
1882, he was in Congress at the moment when 'he
Virginia Legislature were framing State Consliu'
ton The draught of the instrument, when &c .,
transmitted on tlot occasion, was not received M
the day when the committee were to report the &c,
suit of their la5ors They were SO much pleased
with his Preamble, that they adopted it as part o
their Report; so that as ii is well understood ous
Bill of Rights and the Constitution were from .he
pen Of George Mason; the Preamble was i.'e''
ferson's In 1884, he left the y. S., beng as
socated in plenipotentary commission wnn
Franklin and Adams, addressed TO the ses era.
powers ct Europe, for the purpose OF CONCLUDING
treaties Of commerce. In October, 17s9, ne or