The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-07-24

LErrER FaoM a vALETUDINARIAN.
No. III.

4 S"a'o''essiiie contains about thousand inhabi-
'ans and Is the shire town OF AlbemarIe. Il seems
70 DC great ihoroughfare for travellers who pass
through y from The four points OF the compass
mere are three mentionable things which contli-,
ouied TO render a two days wish agreeable, thai
might otherwise have been dull and intolerable, viz
great number Of Conservatives visit TO Month
cello and call at the University. Il seemed to us
mar, twothrds Of the people living In nsighbor.
hood which Is distinguished for having long enjoyed
the society of jefferson, OF Madison, and Of Mon
roe are Of that political class denominaied Conser-
valve Republicans
MoSrIcELLo. pronounced Montichello and sgni-
Tying, beautiful mountain is ia sight Of Char
loiesville, about a mile distant in straight line
bu. mile and ahalf by the road, which descends
into the little valley of the Ravenna and then ascends
and winds among the hills, and along the skirts Of
the mountain woods. Monticello Is elevated, per-
haps 400 or 500 feet, above the little stream that
meanders At lis base, 1t seems TO be a secondary
eminence OF whall is called the southwest noun.
tain, 10 which il bears relation similar to that
which the lesser bunch Of the dromedary's back
bears TO the larger one Soon amer passing the out
side enclosure, and approaching the summit Of the
hill through growth OF oaks, We reach by the road
side the humble resting place Of THOMAS JEFFERSON
Consecraied il is, BY the choice and arrangement
of ihesasage" himself are not disposed 10 ques-
ton its taste. We may wonder, however that while
| the remains Of many men OF less worth have been
honored by scnlplured marble and splendid mauso-
eums, all that mortal Of the author OF the De-
claraiion Of American Independence lies enlombed
in rude and uninviling enclousure OF few yards
square, without even sod to check the drifting Of
It's barren DUST and distinguished only by plain,
unsculptured mntilated granite obeisk. The few
rods of rough wall by which II Is surrounded Is
crumbing the level Of its parent earlh the gate
that once guarded The entrance is swung from It's
hinges; the gnared shrub oak is growing by the
| wall the dead leaves are gathered in the sunken
graves the slab over the body of Mrs. Jefferson is
mutated and broken, and the whole scene Is one Of
singular rudeness and desolation, unreeved by any
visible testimony that the memories of those who
lay buried there, are held in than the ordinary
esteem cherished by the careless millions Of the
living for The numerous dead.
/ The area Of this little cemetery Is but few
square yards and contains about 5graves a few Of
whclsare of the family Of Mr. Jefferson, and the
rest Of some Of their friends
The granite obelisk over Mr.. Jeferson's remains
has been shamefally desecraed, the corners having
been broken of for the sake of gratifying the vanity
Of exhibiting relic from the tomb Of the prophet"
The piece Of white marble which had been let into
the granite, and bearing the principal inscription,
has fallen out, and is preserved at the house The
inscription, which was prepared BY Mr., Jefferson
before his death, is as follows:
HERE WAS hurled
| THOMAS JEFFERSON, ase +.
| AurHoR,
| Or THE DECLARATION OF 4. ..aau. ..."
| @ AMERCAN INDEPENDENCE,
/ ts OF @@u s &s .
| The STATUTE OF VIRGINIA
| FoR RELIGIoUs FaEEDoM, AND
| as FATHER or THE UNIVERSITY ~
4 Or VIRGINIA."
/ The word FATHER" seems to have been dweR
upon with peculiar pride and emphasis. Below is
this: ,:#att
| "Born April I'd FIR n
| l743 o. s.
| Died July 4th, 1896"
! Immediately by the side of the obelisk repose the
\ remains Of Mr.. Jeferson's wife. A plain white
marble slab, much broken, lies upon the grave,
bearing the following inscription:
To the memory Of
Martha Jefferson, r.
| daughter Of John Wayles,
Born Oct l9, l746 o. s.
| Intermarried with Thomas Jefferson
Jan. !, l772
l. ~, torn from him by death e.-.@ ~.
| "@..- &. @ Sept 6, 1852
this monument Of his love
is inscribed" ss- -... ..
Then follows Greek inscription from Homer,
signifying, believe, substantially, that it is said
we go after death to Haides' where we meet those
we loved and remember their faces
| Near by, are also buried two daughters Of Mr.
Jefferson, viz: Mrs. Randolph, who was the wife Of
| Thomas Mann Randolph, once Governor Of Virgi-
| MIA and mother of Thomas J. Randolph; and Mrs.
! Eppes, whose husband was formerly In Congress
| from this State. A granddaughter Of Mr.. Ieffer-
| son. the daughter of Gov. Randolph is also buried
by the side of her grandparents her grave being dis
tinguished BY marble table bearing the following
| inscription: Z.
| "Mrs A. c.. Bankhead
Born Jan. %, l79l,-Ded Feb IL, 1926
| Mourned, till on earth,
| Meek piety cease to dwell,
| With angel goodness ....
| From thine heaven forgive,
| the Borrowing, heart @s.. u...
| that would still hold thee here"
In another part Of the enclosure, marble slab
lies upon the grave of lad who was drowned in
1872 Ii bears the following epitaph
"This slab
| is placed over the body
William Mortimer Harrison
| by his weeping and afflicted irents, e."
| monument OF bereaved affection
and blighted hope" afs,
| A few feet beyond
Two whiened flint stones mark the feet and head"
of "Mrs. Mary Stewart" To the others who lie
| here Sin cold obstruction" low in the ground"
there is no tribute paid they "grovel in indstinct
decay" they are not even distinguished by
"a low green hock, two small gray stones
| Rising DER the place which holds their bones;"
bu, the winds ard rains and the equally rude feet of
strangers have scattered the little heaps Of dust BY
which mother EARTH honoring them more than the