The daily union., 1852-10-29
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

country asit is TO its honor and duty .g ~
t6 -------------------------
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
There is chapter in American history which can be
read with more unalloyed pleasure than that which tells
us OF the friendship which marked the last years of these
devoted patriots. They had been rvals--lhe heads OF
conlendlpg, excited parties Each in his turn had been
preferred by The American people to The other for the
highest office within their gift They themselves had
paaken OF The bitterness of the conflict 30 much So
that when Mr. Jefferson elected TO the presidential
chair in place OF Adams (says contemporary the latter
broke over all ordinary rules OF courtesy, far as to
leave Washington suddenly, on the evening OF the third
OF March, because be would not remain TO witness the
Inauguration of his rival the fourth Yet these men,
(says the same wrterD these American patriots, whe
Their political campaigns Were over. and they had re-
tired-the TO his Monticello and the other TO his
|Moniezio--and were passing quietly down The vale OF
years. these former foes turned 10 each other with mu-
!ua esteem and affection and looked upon each other
brother patriots and fellow laborers in The great cause or
their country's freedom and prosperity a
While thus IN their retirement, walking lhoughtfally
fa t - On the SILENT solemn shore 81
OF thai vast ocean they must sail soon,"
the following beautiful and touching correspondence
passed between them II was about three years before
their simultaneous death. which occurred the 4th OF
July, and the fileh anniversary OF independence
The letter OF MI Jefferson was written soon after an
attack upon him by +" Native Of Virginia." and when
there was strong expectation of war between Russia
and Turkey. This will explain some illusions in the
letters:
From Mr.. jefferson 10 Mr. adams.
MONTICELLO, June /. 1922.
Ii is long, my dear sir, since have written 10
you. My disocaied wrist Is no become 50 stiff that l
write slowly and with pain and therefore, write as
little as can Yet is due 10 mutual friendship ask
once 10 while how DO we dos The papers tell that
General Stark of III the age OF ninety three ss...s
still lives at about the agechetrIul, slender as
grasshopper, much without memory that he scarce
ly recognises the members OF his household. An init
'asd asoee, I wo u WAS oSe non
he told him the same story four times ovef. Is this
lIfe-wiih laboring step
To tread our former footsteps pace the round
Eternal Ito beat and beat # sEr#t r
The beaten uack-to see what we have seen
To ss'e The tasted-oer pilates TO descant
Another vlniageP
II is most the life OF cabbage. surely no, worth
wish. When all faculties have left or are leaving
us one by one, sight bearing, memory every avenue Of
pleasing sensation is closed and ath sny debllity and
malase left in their places, when The friends Of our youth
all gone, and generation has risen around us whom
we know not IS death an evil
,''When one by one our ties IRE toru
And iii-nds from friends src snaiched for ofn
When tnsn u left alone 10 mourn,
Oh, then, how sweeti itis 70 die
When trembling limbs refuse their weight,
And films slow gathering dirn the sshl;
When clouds obscure the menlnl light
It's Nalufe's klndesi boon 10 die
:" | really think so. | have ever dreaded a doing
age; and my health has been generally good that
dread il sl The rapid decline OF my strength during
The last winter has made hope sometimes that see
land. During summer ! enjoy lie Temperature, but |
shudder at the approach Of winter and wish cond sleep
through il with the dormouse. and only wake with him
IN the sprlng u ever They say that STARK could walk
about his room ! am told you walk well and firmly 1
cnly reach my garden and that with sensible fatigue
ride, ho~ever, daily; but reading l. my delight
should wish never to put pen 10 paper. and The more be-
cause OF the ireacherous practice some people have OF
publishing ones letters without leave Lord Mansfield
declared i a breach OF trust and punishable by law /
think II should be peniieniisy felony; yet you will
have seen that they have drawn out in the OF
newspapers. Although | know il is too late Tor 10
buckle on The atmor of my youth, yet my indignation
would not permit me passvey 10 receive the kick Of
ass.
Toum 10 the OF the day II seems that the eanni.
balls OF Europe are going 10 eating another again
war between Russia and Turkey Is like The battle OF the
destroyer less for the world
This pugnacous humor OF the world seems 10 be The
law OF his naiureone Of the obstacles TO great null
tiplcauou provided In the mechanism OF the Universe
he cocks Of the hen yard kill another bears bus,
rams do The same. and The horse, his Wild state, kills
the young males until worn down with age and war,
We snsil prove now nucn napp,er for man me Quaker
policy 70, aod that the life OF the feeder s better than
lea oil the lighter; and II ~ some consolation that The
desolaon by ihsse manaes OF ore part Of the earth il
the means OF improving il in other parts Let the latter
De our othee; and lei US milk the COW while the Russian
holds her BY the horns and the Turk BY the tail God
bless you and give you health strength good spirits and
as much HE as you think worth having.
THOMAS JEFFERSON"
Nr ddams's Reply
MosTrziLLo, June II, IS22.
DraR sra Half an hour ago received, and this
moment have heard for the third or fourth time the best
letter that was ever written By ociogenarsn. dated
June isi. | have not spralned my
wrist but both my arms aud hands are so oversiraned
that cannot write line. Poor Stark remembered moth.
ing and could talk Of nothing but the battle Of Benning
ton. is not quite so reduced. cam OF mount
my horse, bu, | can walk three miles over rugged
rocky mountain and have done II within a month s e
feel. while sitting my chair as II could not rise oat /;
and when risen, ii could not walk across the room
sight svery dim, hearing pretty good, memory poor
enough
" answer your questionis death an evil Il il not
an evil. u i blessing TO the individual and the resi-
OF the world yet we ought not 10 wish for il till life
becomes insuppodabe. We must wait the pleasure and
copvensnce OF The Great Teacher Winter u as terrible
70 me az TO you am almost reduced in IL to the life OF
bear or torpid swallow | cannot read, but my de
ght ~ TO hear others read and tax all my friends
most numerically and iyrannicalIy against their con-
sent.
/" The ass has kicked in vain all say the dull an
imal has ,nl-sed the mark
The globe is theatre OF war; is inhabitants are all
heroes The little eels IN vinegar an the aninacules
20 pepperwai believe quarrelsome The bees
are as wafllke az the Romans, Rossans. Briions or
French. Ants, eaerplars, and caokefwofms are The