The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-08-30
HIS PERSONNEL.

pleasing countenance, but whose min
and understanding are ample subst
tutes for every exterior grace. A
American, who without ever havin
Quilted his own country, is at once
philosopher, legislator and statesman
A mild and amiable wife, charmin
children, of whose education he hin
self takes charge, house to embellisf
4 great provision to improve. and tn
arts and sciences to cultivate-thes
are what remain to Mr.. Jefferson afte
having played a principal characte
on the theatre of the New w orld, an,
which he preferred to the honorable
commission of Minister Plenipoten
tiary to Europe. He calls his hous
Monticello Gin Italian, Little Noun
tain), a very modest title, for it i
situated on very lofty one. Thi
house, of which Mr.. Jefferson was tn,
architect, and often one of the work
men, is rather elegant, and in th,
Italian taste, though not without fault
! DOMESTIC AFFLICTION.
In 1882 his wife died. His conduc
at that period is thus described by hi
daughter: sHe nursed my poo
muther, in turn with Aunt Carr and
her own sister, sitting up with her
and administering her medicines and
drink to the last. For four months
that she fingered he was never out oi
calling when not at her bedside he
was writing in a small room which
opened Immediately at the head of her
bed. A moment before the closing
scene he was led from the room in q
state of insensibility by his sister, who
with great difficulty got him into the
library, where he tainted, and remained
so long insensible that they feared he
never would revive. He kept his
room three weeks, and was never a
moment from his side. He walked
almost incessantly night and day, only
lying down occasionally when nature
was completely exhausted, on a pallet
that had been brought in during his
long taintiDg fl. When at last he
left his room he rode ont, and from
that time he was necessarily OH
horseback, rambling about the noun
tain in the least, fiequented roads, and
just as often in the woods"
The position of
MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY TO EU-
ROPE.
In conjunction with Adams and Frank
lin. he had twice before declined, but
the death of Mrs. Jefferson placing
him at liberty, he accepted it. He
had designed taking his daughter
Martha with him, but afterwards
changed his determination and placed
her at school in Philadelphia. The
letters that he frequently sent her
were the beginning of long series of
domestic correspondence that he ever
after kept up when separated from
his children,
Finally, IN 1854, he sailed for Eu-
rope, taking his daughter along. He
took an elegant mansion in Paris and
had also rooms in a Carthusian m mas
terry, to which he was accustomed to
retire when engaged in press of bu
siness. His intercourse with his col
leagues was very pleasant, and is men-
toned by Mrs. Adams in some letters
When Franz lin returned home JEFF
ferson was appointed to succeed him
as Minister to France. "You replace
DR.. franklin" said the French Pre-
mier, Count de Vergennes. 81 sue
ceed him." Jefferson replied, "no one
could replace him."
A few months after his arrival in
Paris his daughter Lucy died, the
same one from whose head had been
clipped the CURL found half century
later. He was anxious to have his
daughter Mary come to him, but she
was unwilling to leave Virginia. AS
an inducement he wrote her she could
have as many dolls and play things
as she wanted, but "Polly' was still
averse to going, and wrote him, "1 am
very sorry that you have sent for me.
1 don't want to go to France; 1 had
rather stay with Aunt Eppes."
To his daughter Martha, then in a
convent, Jefferson wrote long and Of
ten in a familiar and tender strain
Many years later he gave his impres-
sit ms of the character of the sover-
eigns of Europe he was brought in
contact with at that time. These es-
Inmates are very accurate, and show a
deep intuition into the springs of hu-
man character.
RETURN TO AMERICA.
Of his return to America and his
arrival at home, Martha Jefferson
writes:
"The negroes discovered the ap:
oroach of the carriage as soon as it
four miles from Mon.
,icello, and such scene [ never wit
lessed in my life. They collected in
crowds around it, and almost drew it !
Up the mountain by hand. The shout
ng; etc, had been sufficiently obsto-
,erous before, but the moment it ar
lived at the top it reached the climax.
When the door of the carriage was
opened they received him in their
rms, and bore him to the house,
around and kissing his hands
nd feet-some blubbering and crying,
thers laughing. 1t seemed impossi-
lie to satisfy their anxiety to touch
nd kiss the very earth which bore
im."
Just after landing, and before he
ad reached Monticello, Jefferson re
eived letters from President Wash
,gton, telling him that he had noni-
ated him, as Secretary of State, and
rging him TO accept the nomination.
n his reply Jefferson expressed
.rong preference Tor his present posi-
on as Minister to France. But"
e added, sit is not for an individual
, choose his post. You are to mar
laI LIS as IL maiA be best for the pub.