Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-03-19
jefferson and Adams.

The following remarkable and interesting
correspondence took place between Jefferson
and Adams, about four years before their
deaths. These two great men stood shoul
der To shoulder during the darkest hours Of
the Revolution; they were both members Of
the committee that framed the Declaration
of Independence; they pledged their lives,
fortunes and sacred honors' to sustain that
declaration, and nobly did they redeem their
pledge. After the contest was over they
each became the head OF different political
parties, aud for few years their early init
macy was suspended by the baneful influence
of party spirit; but after their retirement to
private life il was soon resumed and contin-
ued to the end of their lives with all the
warmth and cordiality of their carly years.
Our readers are all aware that they both di-
ed on the 4th of July le2G; just 30 years af-
ter they signed the declaration of lndepen-
dence. What noble spectacle does their
lives present to the world; they showed no
ignoble jealousy of each other. Each was
content with the measure Of his own fame,
and were disposed to permit postcrity TO a
ward the prize of greatness.
Mr.. jefferson TO MIR. Adams.
Monticello, June, |, 1899.
1T is very long, my dear sir, since | have
written to you. My dislocated wrist is now
become so stiff that write slowly, and with
pain; and therefore write as little as can.
Yet it is due to mutual friendship, to ask
once in a while how we do! The paper tells
us that Gen. Starke is off at the age of nine
ty-three. still lives at about the same
age cheerful, slender as a grasshopper, and
so much without memory, that ne scarcely re-
cognized the members of his household An
intimate friend of his called on him, not long
since. 1t was difficult to make him rccoect
who he was, and sitting one hour, he told the
same story four times over. Is this life
with laboring step.
To tread our former fojlsteps' pace the round
Eternall-to beat aud beat
The beaten irack-to see what we have seen
To taste the tasted--o'er plants to decant
Another vintage2
at is at most but the life of a cabbage
surely not worth wish. When our facul-
ties have left or are leaving us, one by one,
hearing, memory, every avenue of pleasing
sensation is closed anathumy, debility, and
mal-aise, left in their places, when the friends
of our youth are all gone, and a generation
is arisen around us whom we know not, is
death an evill
When one by one ties torn,
And friend from friend is sualched fororni
When man is left alone to mourn.
oh, them how sweet il is to die
When trembling limbs refuse their weight,
And flrns slow gathering dim the sight
When clouds obscure the mental light
IT'S natures kindest boon to die!
# really think so. have ever dreaded {
doting old age; and my health has been gen
erally so good that dread it still. The rap
id decline of my strength during the last win
ter has made me hope sometimes that | SCI
land. During the summer, | enjoy its TEN
perature, but shuddered at the approach o
winter, and wish ] could sleep through i
with the dormouse, and only wako with hin
in the spring, if ever. They say that Starl
could walk about his room. am told tha
you walk well and firmly. / can only reael
my garden, and that with sensible fatigue
ride, however, daily; but reading is my de
light. | should never wish to put pen TO pa
per; and the more because of that treacher
GUS practice some people have, ofpublishin
ones letters without leave. Lord Mansfel
declared il breach oftrust and punishabl
at law. think il should be penitcntiar
felony; yet you will have seen that they hav
drawn me out into the arena of the newsps
pers. Although know it is too late for IN
. to buckle on the armour ofyouth, yet my il
dgnaton would not permit me passively
! receive the kick of an ass.
5 TO return to the news of the day, il seen
e that the cannibals Of Europe are going to OF
one another again. A war between Russ
and Turkey is like the battle of the kite al
snake: which ever destroys the other, leav
+ a destroyer the less for the world. The pu
, nacious humor of mankind seems TO be Il
= law of his nature; one ofthe obstacles is I
+ great multiplication, provided in the meeha
e ism of tho universe. The cocks of the he
yard kill ono another; bears, bulls, rams
:, the same, the horse in his wild state kills
= the young males until worn down with a
and war some vigorous youth kills him. :
to hope we shall prove how mu'