Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-05-11
MONTICELLO.


OF n suitable monument over the grave
of Thomas Jefferson was under consid.
Grafton by the House of Representatives
Mr.. Manning, of Mississippi, submitted
the following interesting letter address
ed to him by Miss Sarah N. Randolph,
the great grand daughter of jefferson,
and now the distinguished head of the
Patapsco Institute, in the State OF
Maryland:
PAfApsco INSTITUTE, ELLIcoTT Cry,
Mp, March 80, lSS2.-Dear Sir : Allow
me to make the following statement as
to the present condition of the Monti.
cello graveyard and the tomb.of Jeiier-
son, and also respectfully to express the
feelings of his descendants on the sub.
ject.
Monticello was sold a year after JEFF.
ferson's death for the paltry sum of
$500, thus Disappointing the fond
hope in which he died, that amid the
wrecks of his fortune this home at least
was secured to his daughter, my grand.
mother. In the deed conveying the
place to the purchaser the graveyard
and the right of way to it were exempt,
ed and retained in the possession OF my
grandmother and my father, both of
whom signed the deed, my father being
Jefferson's executor. That right now
belongs to my fathers descendants.
Some years after Jefferson's death a
monument in strict conformity with the
simple directions left by him was erect.
ed over his grave at my fathers ex.
pense. The zeal or vulgar mania of
tourists for relics has long ago battered
that monument, simple granite obe-
lisk, into a shspeless mass. As such it
now stands modification alike to his
descendants and his countrymen.
At your suggestion a resolution was
introduced by Mr.. Cox, of New York,
on JefFerson's birthday, April Is, lS7S,
appropriating a sum for the erection of
a monument on condition that the
owners of the graveyard should quit.
claim to the United States Government
the grave and lot two rods square
containing it. The resolution passed
without dissenting voice, and the
Secretary of State, Mr.. Evarts, had gone
so far as to have contracts for the work
ready to be signed, when Mr.. Jefferson
Levy, a nephew of the late owner Of
Monticello, wrote to him and stated
that the heirs of Jefferson had no right
nor claim to his grave nor TO the grave
yard that both belonged to the heirs
of the late owner of Monticello, who
objected to the erection of a monument.
4 copy of this letter was forwarded to
me and was satisfactorily answered by
my sending the Secretary OF State an
authenticated copy OF the deed, which
showed that the graveyard belonged to
my fathers descendants. Later the
place was sold and bought by Mr.. Jef.
ferson Levy.
In the meantime, to prepare for the
erection of the new monument and
iron railing which was TO inclose the
graveyard, the high brick wall which
had formed the inclosurc, but was fall.
ing down, was removed. The grave
yard is now inclosed by plain plank
fence.
When the quitclaim came to be ar.
ranged Jefisrson's descendants natural.
ly felt reluctant to deed away--eyeu to
the Goyernment-his grave and some
of them who had near relatives buried
in the lot demanded By the Govern.
ment, felt that deciding their graves
away would be almost greater sacrifice
than they could make. still feeling
other obstacles IN the way OF granting
the quitclaim arose. Many Of my faith
er's heirs are minors, aud before the lot
could be decided away the matter would
have to 20 through the courts, which
would involve great delay. Then again
q quitclaim could not be given By the
owners Of the graveyard without getting
the consent OF the Legislature OF Nir.
ginia, which would be another delay.
From these statements IL will be- easily
seen how long 1t would be before the
monument could be erected # the quit
claim is insisted on. apd IN the mean.
time the graveyard must remain in the
sad state of neglect and ruin which is
now so mortifying. Under these cir.
cumstances IL Is believed that it the
facts OF the case are laid before the
committee that their enlightened pa.
tFiotism will make them at once appre.
ciate how reasonable is the suggestion
that the modest sum should be made
an unconditional donation in honor Of
the memory of one of that great and
remarkable historical group of men
whom Americans are wont 10 delight in
calling Fathers of the Republic The
case is so unique and exceptional that
there il but little probability OF it's
being cited hereafter "a q precedent.
The little graveyard At Monticello
only one hundred feet square-is all of
the 10000 acres Of land owned by JEFF.
ferson when he entered public life
which is now left in the possession of
his descendants. lie sleeps, amid scenes
Of surprising beauty and grandeur on
that lovely mountain side, surrounded
by the graves of his children and grand.
children TO the fifth generation. At
his side lies his wife, whom he loved
with such singular devotion. few
feet from him rests the cherished friend
of bis youth, young Dabney Carr, whose
motion in the Virginia House of Bur.
geases TO establish committees Of cor.
respondence between the sister colo.
mics. leading, rs Il did, TO the meeting
Of the FIRST Congress, has given bis name
an enviable place in American history.