State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-09-26
MONTICELLO MR. JEFFERSON.


server, who had just visited Monticello, in
letter dated March %, 1881, gives the
following account of the residence of the
late Thomas jefferson.
The dying bed of Mr. jefferson, | am
credibly informed, remained for months
unremoved, and its furniture in all the
disorder of one Just vacated by the tenant
of night-his clothes and slippers Just
as he had dropped them when he last lay
down his table, books, and papers, as he
had left them-and the entire furniture of
his apartment undisturbed from the irreg-
ular and dsordered disposition of his own
feeble and dying hand. Eccentric memen-
tos of affection indeed! such undoubtedly
was the intention as if becoming rever-
ence forbade the touching of any Thing he
had last touched. This room, however, Tor
rooms, there being two, separated by an
alcove, in which still is affixed the bedstead,
on which MIR Jefferson expired,) is now
principally vacated, and thoroughly ex-
posed through the windows, to vulgar gaze.
The Library, an adjoining apartment, and
equally exposed, is still strewed in the ut
most disorder, with fragments of furniture,
philosophical apparatus, papers, and books.
There is scarcely an apartment in the house,
some of them quite valuable. But they
appear like the spoiIs of deserted mansion
and deserted in haste.--All is still and
cheerless us the vault of the dead. The
great time keeper, and time teller, the clock,
is there-but it has ceased to strike. Moth
ing performs its former offices, but the Gu
rlous and lngeniousIy constructed weather
vane. And that will probably soon cease
to obey the inconstant winds-by the i'm
pending disorder of its frame work.
The plan of this edifice, in its tout en-
Senl6te OF inside and out, is as heterogeneous
and as incongruous, as that of the Capitol
at Washington The eye is constantly i'm
pressed, and at every turn with an attcca-
ton of things rare and things foreign. /
question whether there he material feature
in the whole establishment, which is not
either :he creation of Mr. Jeflerson's own
fancy, or copy of something he had seen
in Europe. In architecture he was an ell
thnslast. Indeed he was an enthusiast in
every thing. His mnd--his whole tenn
permanent was constructed for eminent vir-
tues, or for eminent vices. And fortunate.
ly for his country and for the world. his
patriotism and devotion to civil liberty were
ms dominant passions excepting only,
that his willingness 10 have credit for this
character was not less strong. His social
affections, we understand were kind and
his manners courteous. TO religion his
moral temperament seems not to have been
especially adapted. And having imbibed
some early and strong prejudces against
some sect, or sects of Christians seemed
disposed TO give them full credit for hy-
pocrisy and base design. 1t is supposed,
that he really believed them wicked = and
himself went off into those cold and cheer
less regions, which IRE the direct antipodes
OF the simple, patient, and ardent virtues
Of Christianity. His religious sympathies
were not sympathies--bu invincible re.
pumancies to all religion. He thought he
had forever shut out religion from his Uni
versliy. And when application was made
by the Faculty for his appreciation OF Chris
ian..worship there, he sent them formal
and labored manifest against t-and among
other reasons he gravely assigned, that it
would be Dissertation of the premises !
But the grass could not grow upon his
grave, before christian worship was estab
lished here-and it is not IL week since 7
had the pleasure on the Sabbath of attend
ing Christian ordinances in TINT very Uni
versity, with congregation Of the Faculty,
their families, and the studcnts-as decent
and rs respectful, MS in any other Literary
Institution in the land-and that TOO without
any fear of dissertation in any body's mind.
Powerful as is the influence of example. il
can never have thief orce 10 annhilale con-
science. And much rs Mr. Jefferson has
been honored for his public virtues, it would
have been bitter agony of his life, could
he have been convinced, how transient and
fading is such respect, compared with the
homage done by every heart TO unfeigned
piety- and how greatly the want of petv
detracts from the sweet remcmbrunces of
the dead.
rs have intimated, Monticello is RAPIDLY
fulfilling its destiny, as II naked, forgotten
desolalion. No probable, might say no
possible, human motive is likely to arrest
its course. And the grave yard too. |
would, that family pride, or filial affection,
or some pious reverence for the distinguish
ed dead might redeem at least, the grave
of Thomas Jefferson from its present I'M
marked obscurlty-aud set up an enclosure
to rescue it from the tread of tile proving
and senseless brute.
EMANCIPATION. We have been aston
ished at the exposition of the amount OF
produce exported from G, orgetown and
Berbce, British West India ports, since tho
emancipation of the slaves, as compared
with corresponding seasons previous TO that
event The produce is sugar, rum, mo-
lasses and coffee, and the increase, on the
whole is so per cent, and on coffee upwards
-