The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-06-17
Interesting Ectters.
For Tie &c ii Wing.
Correspondence Of Jefferson and
Adams,

much interest the correspondence between
these venerable patriarchs towards the close
of their lives and as have never seen it pub
lishcd i'll your paper it may be of interest to
many your readers. The circumstance of
these men who stood shoulder to shoulfe" in
the struggle for Independence departing this
life on the same day--thc fourth of July-tlc
lifticth anniversary, the grand jubilee #
American Independence, is ono of the most
remarkable ovidcnccs Of Divine intcrposition
in the great cause in which they were cnga-
gcd.
They were rival candidates in the erca! po-
litical parties that came into the arena after
the Revolution, and many politicians were
bigottcd enough to suppose that tn, Sc men
were the most implacablc enemies of each 9TH
cr, and the enemies of their country. This
correspondence must diSpcl such illibcral ~.
tons, and show that these great men though
differing on subjects of minor policy. were
joined together in bonds of fratclral affection
for their common country. illusions are
here made to the war going on between Rus
STA and Turkey, which has interest at the
present time. ZlMnl.
MR.. JEFFERSON To Mr.. ADAMS.
MONTICELLO. june | 1920.
IT is very long my dear sir, since | have
written to you. My dslocatcd wri is now
become so stiff, tina, | write slowly and with
pain: and Their, fore write as little as ] can.
Yet it il is due to mutual friendship to ask
once in a while how we do? The papers tell
us that General Starkc is of, at the age Of
ninety three. n still lives about the
same age, cheerful slender as a grasShoppcr,
and SO much without memory, that he scarce
ly recognizes the members Of his household.
An intimate friend of his called on him not
long since. 1t was difficult to make him re-
told the same story four times over. Is this
life with laboring step
10 tread our former footsteps pace the round
Eternal to beat and belt
The beaten track--to sec what VIC have seen
To t,ste the tnsel--ocr our palacs to dec ant
Another vintage :"
1t is, at most, but the life of 4 cabbage
surely not worth wish. When all oul fac
ulties have left, or are leaving lis one by one
sight, hearing, memory. every avenue of
pleasing sensation is closed. and athuny de-
bility, and nal aisc left in their places, when
the friends of our youth are all gone, and a
generation is risen around us whom we know
not, is death an evil !
When one by one our ties are .orn.
Aud friend from friend is snatrhcd fororn;
When man is left alone to mourn
oh then how sweet it is to die!
When trembling limbs refuse their weight
And films slow Z ,thcirg dim he sight;
When clouds obscure the mental light.
III. naturcs kindcs boon 10 die.
really think so. have ever dreaded do
ting old age, and my health has been gcntr.
ally so good, and isnow so good that dread
it still. The rapid decline of my strength
during the last winter, has made Inc hope
sometimes that see land. During summer |
enjoy its temperature, but shudlcr at the
approach of winter and wish that could
sleep through it with the dormousc, an | OH
ly awake with him in spring, fever. They
say Starkc could walk about his room. ] am
told that you walk well and firmly. / can
only reach my garden, and that with sensible
fatigue. | ride, however daily; but reading
is my delight. could wish never to put pen
crous practice some people have Of publishing
one letters without leave. Lord Mansfield
declared it breach of trust and punishable
at law. think it should be pcnitcniary
felony: yet you will have seen that they have
drawn me out into the arena of the ncwspa-
pcrs. Although know it is too late for ne
| to buckle on the armor of youth, yet my i'll
dignaion would not permit nc passivcly to
receive the kick of all ass.
To return to the news of the day it seems
that the cannbals of Europe arc going to eat
one another again. A war between Russia
and Turkey is like the battle of the Kite and
Snake: whichever destroys the other leaves a
dc 'troycr the less for the world. This pug
nacious mlmor of mankind seems to be the
law OF MS nature, one OF inc obstacles W u o
great multiplication provided in the mcchan-
ism of the universe The cocks of the hen
yard kill one another; bears, bulls, rams, do
the same, and the horse in his wild state kills
all the young males, until worn down with
age and war, some vigol GUS youth kills him.
Ihope we shall prove how much happier for
mankind the Quaker policy is, and that the
life of the feeder is better than that of the
f,h'er. And it is some consolation that the
dcsolation by these naniacs of one part of the
earth, is the means of improving it in other
parts. Let the latter be our Office: and let us
milk the COW while the Russian holds her by
the head, and the Turk by the tail God
bless you, and give you health, strength, good
| spirits, and as much of life as you think
worth having.
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
MR.. ADAMS REPLY.
QuINCY, June IL, 1922.
DEAR SIR:-IIalf an hour ago received,
and this moment have read for the third time
the best letter that ever was written by an