The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-03-08
Our Oliu.
MONTICELLO.
The Home Of Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson was reared on a farm.
and although he became a lawyer and a
politician, he returned in the closing years
Of his eventful life to the cultivation of
the soil, showing his belief in a maxim
which he used frequently to quote "Those
who labor in the earth are the chosen poo
pie of God" Like Washington, he mar
ried wealthy widow, who owned large
landed estate, and when this was added
to what he had inherited from his father,
be was the owner of about | 900 acres Of
fertile wheat land, worth in those days
$50 an acre. Theoretical rather than
practical, Jefferson could not cultivate
this estate with the success which attended
the methodical agricultural operations at
hennt Vernon, and he became much en-
barrassed as be advanced in life.
Monticello, where Jefferson was born,
where he passed the happiest hours of his
life, and where he died and was inferred,
was an estate Of over 5000 acres, embra-
cling little mountain, which Is spur of
the Blue Ridge Of the Alleganies. The
top of this elevation Jefferson had level
ed, so as to form series Of terraces,
around large fat area on which he cree
ted his mansion-house. Ii Is slightly
spot, commanding an extensive view on
every hand, and it was artistically adorned
with clumps of rare trees and shrubs.
The house is long, low, brick struc.
lure, 12O feet long by so feet wide, with
Grecian portico in front, tie plastered
brick pillars Of which are fourteen feet
high, aud the pavement of rough slate
stone. Three long windows open to this
pavement from the hall, serving us en-.
frances. The hall is about 90 feet square
with curiously laid floor and gallery
across one end. Over the door is an old
clock which once ran by weights on each
side of the hall, and as they descended
they crossed registers on the wall, marking
the days Of the month. A fine statue Of
Mr. Jefferson stands in one corner, and
from the ceiling hangs chandelier, which
held candles for lighting the hall at night.
On the walls were arranged, in Mr.. JEFF
Persons time, horns Of the moose, elk and
differert varieties Of American deer; aud
hanging from their antlers or tastefully
grouped about, were Indian and Mexican
antiquities, articles of costume, war-clubs,
shields, spears, bows, quiyers of arrows,
and almost every conceivable specimen Of
aboriginal art
Glass doors opened from this hall into
the dining-room, the drawing room and
the library, beyond which was Mr.. Jeffer
sons bed room, aud workshop in which
he used TO make articles Of furniture and
garden implements with his own hands.
The library contained at one time an OK.
cellent collection Of books, but after the
destruction Of the Congressional Library
by the British, Mr. Jefferson relieved his
then pressing pecuniary wants by dispos-
ing OF the greater portion Of his library to
Congress. He rcserveda good many, how
ever, which were brought to Washington,
after his death, and sold at auction.
Jeifcrsons theory was that every farmer
should DO Independent, SO he established
wheelwright and blacksmith shops, grist
and saw mills, cotton aud wooden fac
tory, forge for making wrought nails, and
other mechanical shops, for which be pro-
yided artiicers, many Of whom we're his
own slaves Unable to give these diversi
fed interests his personal supervision, they
soon began to run him in debt, and when
he retired from the presidential chair in
1909, he was dependent on loans to meet
his expenses.
Deyotiag himself to agriculture in the
same philosophical spirit which he had |
manifested when at the bar or in political
life, be undertook TO cultivate Monticello !
on scientific principles. Dividing his es.
tate into four farms, he had laid out on
each farm seven fields Of forty acres each, |
that be might establish seven years ro-
tation Of crops In the first Of these years
wheat was cultivated; in the second, corn;