, 1872-02-05
Instructive Incidents.

the press of the Hurpers The Domestic
Life Of Thomas Jefferson, by his grand
daughter, Sarah N. Randolph, which is
spoken of as zone of the most in
structive and interesting volumes of the
season." There are two incidents which
are found among other extracts made
from this book by the newspapers,
which will be found interesting by
comparison at the present time: 1st
Jefferson when President, would not
appoint relative to Office. I'd, He re-
tired from public life poor and died
bankrupt. They are related as fol-
lows:
Another characteristic act of Jeffer-
sons was the refusal to appoint any
relative to Office.
In letter to his kinsman, George
Jefferson, he says:
"The resolution mot to appoint any
relative to Office had long been formed
in my mind. The public will never be
made to believe that an appointment of
a relative is made on the ground of
merit alone, uninhuenced by family
views; nor can they ever see with appro-
baton offices, the disposal of which
they intrust to their Presidents for
public purposes, divided out as family
property. Mr.. Adams degraded him
self infinitely by his conduct on this
subject, as Gen. Washington had done
himself the greatest honor. With two
such examples to proceed by, should
be doubly inexcusable to err. 1t is true
that this places the relations of the
President in worse situation than if
he were a stranger; but the public
good, which cannot be affected if its
confidence be lost, requires this sacri-
| foe"
On quitting public life at the age of
sixty-six, he went home to irretrievable
poverty. The war of 1912 came on and
plunged the country into overwhelming
financial embarrassments, and the peace
| that followed still further enchanced the
sufferings of the people. There was
no trade, no money, no market for
~ny ching. In letter to friend, JEFF
ferson says:
"To me this state of things brings
sacrifice of all tranquility and comfort
through the residue of life. By the
total annihilation in value of the pro-
duce which was to give me substance
and independence, l shall be like
Tantalus, up to the shoulders in water,
yet dying with thirst. We can make,
indeed, enough to eat drink and clothe
ourselves; but nothing for our salt, iron,
groceries, and taxes, which must be
paid in money. For what can we raise
| for the market? Wheat? We can
only give it to our horses, as we have
been doing ever since harvest. Tobac-
co? 1t is not worth the pipe it is smok-
ed in. Some say whisky; but all man
kind must become drunkards to consume
it.
Notwithstanding this disastrous state
of affairs jefferson might have retrieved
his fortune bad it not been for the null
titude of admiring visitors who thron-
ged Monticello from years end to years
end and literally ate him out of house
and home.
AS many as fifty strangers sometimes
swarmed in upon him in a single after
noon. They came on horse back and in
carriages, and dozens Of them stayed all
night, and many of them for days and
weeks. No other man of whom we
have any record was ever SO overrun
with visitors fors long q period. They
came from all lands, and belonged to
almost every rank in life. 1t was not
possible to turn them away. Jefferson
had to stand the punishment, and he
stood it bravely. and with at least out
ward serenity of spirit, although his in
ward struggles we're terrible. He finally
sold his library, perhaps the best then
in America. and the choicest possession
he had on earth. He also sold some of
his land. A few friends and even the
Legislatures of o few States, tried to
help him. But these efforts were of no
avail. His affairs grew worse and worse.
He finally petitioned the Legislature of
Virginia for permission to dispose of
his estate by lottery; but before the act
was passed he died, and his estate was
sold at auction by creditors, and his
heirs were turned from their ancestral
home forever.
Such was the pitiful. cruel fate of the
most accomplished scholar, the most
philosophical statesman, and the most
absolute republican of our Revolution
ary periods, and such was the price
which the great and good men of that
epoch, whose nice sense of honor
would not allow them to appoint rela-
t:ves to Office, nor to accept presents
from offlce-seekers. nor in any manner
to traffic in their public trusts, not :
frequently paid for the privilege Of
wearing themselves out in their country q
service.
| Happily jefferson died unconscious
that six months would not elapse before