The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-08-14
From The Charlottesville Je6ersonian, Aug. 8.
MEETING TO INDICATE THE CHARAC-
TER OF JEFFERSON.

Il
TER OF JEFFERSON
AT very numerous meeting Of the people OF
Albemarle, al their court house, in Charottes-
vile, on the Sd of August 1910, (being court
day. held pursuant 10 the call made BY pre-
liminary meeting Of July 18th, in order 70 con
slider recent publication in the Philadelphia
Episcopal Recorder, rejecting upon Thomas
Jefferson:
The assembly was called 10 order by Gen.
VIM, +. Gordon, who briefly recited the wrong
done by the aforementioned publication 10 the
memory Of Mr.. Jefferson, and the people OF his
county, IN ascrbing TO them feelings utterly al
war WIN the reverence which they cherish for
him, and suggested the tone and character Of the
vindicalion that became them Then, on mo
ton Of Gen, g., Col. N Bramham was called TO
the chair, and Mr. Lucisn Minor, appointed
Secretary.
Mr. William G. Riyes, as Chairman of the
Committee Of tweny-one, appointed at the pre-
liminary meeting, then reported the following
preamble and resolutions, which were unan
mously adopted by the meeting, viz.
THE citizens Of Albemarle, here assembled,
have seen, with deep and painful regret, certain
structures on the character and memory OF Mr..
Jefferson, contained in letter OF the Reverend
s. II. Tying, written from Charlottesville, under
date of the 9th May last, and published in the
Episcopal Recorder Of the 18th Of June. Having
been made parties, in some sort, 10 this postum
nous dlsparagement Of their illnstriouS country
man by the ascription Of sentiments Of peculiar
aversion and want Of respect for his name, 10
the very neighborhood in which he lived and
died, and where the writer alleges he found his
character worse than even he, with the most
unfayorable prepossessions, erer concerned II 10
be--they feel themselves called on by solemn
duty TO the dead, TO dsavow for themselves all
privity or participation in the sentiments here
imputed. II Mr.. Jefferson, like other men who
have passed through long and busy lives, should
have had the misfortune to create some indiyl-
dual enemies, il was hoped that even these had
long since been silenced and disarmcd at the sa-
cred precincts Of the tomb. Bun that there ever
was, among the great body Of his nelghbors and
countrymen, any other sentiment towards him
than one Of professed gratitude for his services 10
the cause Of American freedom, Of an admira-
ton, (Which the whole world partook,) Of his
character as one of the boldest and most saga
cious champions of human rights, and Of cordial
respect for him in the relations OF social ife--no
one, il is believed, who has had an opportunity
Of personally knowing the true state Of the facts,
will venture 10 assert.
History, indeed, has preserved an emphatic
and touching testimony borne TO his merits, in
these respects by the body Of his countrymen,
thrty-one years ago, in their address Of welcome
TO him on his return among them, after his re-
trement from the Presidency. Who among Us
can have forgotten the eloquent and affecting
appeal he then made, with the erectness Of con
scious integrity, TO the ''riers Of The Uicendgej'
those who had been the eye-witnesses and OBJ
servers" Of his daily life "Of you, my neigh
bors,n he said, I may ask, in the face Of the
world, "whose OK have taken, or whom have
defrauded Whom have | oppressed, or Of
whose hand have received bride TO blind my
eyes herewith ~ The same testimony which
the people Of Albemarle then zeaously bore TO
the living citizen and statesman we, their DIES
pendants and successors, this day feel ourselves
solemny impeled, by our duty to the dead, TO
reteTate and renew.
In indicating the memory OF Mr.. Jefferson
| from the injurious representations above referred
| to, Representations originating, as we hope, in
unintentonal error on the part OF DIR. Tyng)
we are not TO be considered as either justiiying
or critcising the opinions OF Mr.. Jefferson on the
| subject of our holy religion, with whose pro-
misses and precepts faith, sacredly cherished.
| has indssoubly united the dearest hopes and in
| terests of many Of US. But this consideration
does not in our view, cancel the obligations OF
| truth and candor, nor should il withhold the
award Of discriminative justice to great public
| benefactor and patriot, who lived and died
among us, and with the monuments of whose
useful labors the history and archives Of the ma
lion, the statute book Of Virginia, and the very
face Of our land, and especially our own portion
Of il, are profusely covered over
Resoired Therefore, that the foregoing de-
claration be adopted as expression Of the sense
Of this meeting, on the occasion which has
brought us together and that copies OF II, toge-
| ther with this resolution, attested by the sigma
| lures OF the President and Secretary Of the
| meeting, be furnished for publication 10 the
| newspapers printed in this place, and IN the city
Of Richmond"
Attest,
n. BRAMHAM, Chairman.
| LrcfAN MINOR, Secretary.