The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-08-30
REMINIscENcEs OF JEFFERsoN
His Student Guests at Mont:cello-H
Devotion to the University of Vir.
ginia.

=
/ Devotion to the University of Vir
! ginia.
| Extract from an address delivered by Fl
Tutwiler, of Alabama, before the Alumni
Society of the University of Virginia, Jun
%. 1882
well remember the first time saw Mr
Jefferson. 1t was in 1925, in the proctor
Office, whittier / had gone with some stu
dents on business. A tall, venerable gen
/ tleman, in plain but neat attire, entered
| the room, and, bowing to students, took his
seat quietly in one corner. 0ne of ms
| friends privately gave me to understand
/ that it was Ir. Jefferson. | had come from
part of Virginia where he was very popu.
| lar, and which he used to call his tenth
! legion, and his name was associated with
my earliest recollection. | was struck by
his plain appearance and simple. unassum-
ing manners. When Mr.. Brockenbough
was done with the students he looked up
and recognized Mr. Jefferson, who then
came forward to greet him. We used to
see him afterwards as he passed our room on
the Eastern range in his almost daily visits
to the University. He was now in his
eighty-third year, and this ride Of eight or
ten miles ON horseback over a rough noun
tain shows the deep interest with which he
watched over this child of his old age, and
why he preferred the more endearing title
Of father to that of founder. This is also
shown in the frequent intercourse which he
kept up with the faculty and students.
Two or three times week the former, often
with their families, dined with him, by in
Yitation, and once q week he had the stu
+ i ~f h.,
one of his grand-sons, then student in the
University, four or five were invited to dine
with him ON the Sunday following This
day was selected because it did not interfere
with the regular lectures. When he found
that some Of the students declined the in
Yitation from religious convictions, he as
eertained how many there were of this class
and invited them on a weekday.
/ An account OF one of these days By one
who had the honor of enjoying this privi-
lege may not be without interest. Mr..
Jefferson had a wonderful tact in interest
ing his youthful visitors, and making even
the most diHident feel at ease in his company.
lie knew from what county each student
came, and being well acquainted with the
most prominent men in every part of the |
State, he would draw out the student by
asking questions concerning them, or about !
remarkable in his ncighborhood, |
thus making one feel that he was giving |
instead of receiving information =; or he |
would ask about the studies of the stu |
dents, and make remarks about them or the |
professors, for all of whom he had a high |
admiration. He was thus careful to pay |
attention to each individual student. He |
sat with us at dinner, where Mrs. Randolph |
presided, aud related anecdotes of distin- |
guished persons whom he knew abroad. |
remember one particularly of Madame |
lie Stael whose acquaintance he formed in |
Paris, and whose talents aud writings he |
greatly admired. At table the conversation |
turned on novels, and Mrs. Randolph spoke |
Of her fathers aversion to them. She said |
that when "Ivanhoe" came out she induced |
him to read it, with the hope and belief
hat it would change his opinion. Mr.. JET
erson smiled and said, yes, he had tried to
'ead it at her urgent request, but he had
ound it the dullest and hardest task of the
Kind he had ever undertaken. One of Mrs.
3andolph's remarks excited no little sur
,rise in her youthful guests; it was, that
he had found Blackstone as interesting as a
novel. After dinner he pointed cut to us,
.mong other paintings, one of Washington
N horseback, and said that, though not a
he most splendid figure he had ever
cen. Such is brief sketch of one day
It Monticello and every day was like it,
MY frequently on a more enlarged scale.
Dr. Dunglison once asked Mrs. Randolph
THAT was the largest number of persons for
lhom she had been called upon, unexpect-
dly, to prepare accommodations for the
light, and she replied fiftyl Can we won
er, then, at the pecuniary embaFrassments
rhich embittered the last years of Mr.. JEFF
erson's life? No one can read his own
1uching account of it without feelings of
adness, when he felt that this lovely home,
he centre of go much domestic happiness for
D many years, built and beautified under .
is own eye, would fall into the hands of
5rangers, and his loved ones be left with
ut a house to shelter them This would
ave been almost literally true, but for the
oble generosity of two of the Southern
tates@South Carolina and Louisiana.
1t was on Mrs. Randolph and her daugh
srs that all these household cares devolyed.
he was besides, the constant companion of
er father and the stay aud comfort of his
eclining years. Well might he say that the S,
arting from her was ''the last pang ofllfe."
10 not the labors and sacrifices of this noble i,
roman in the interest of the University /,
emand something more than they have yet
sceived The remembrance OF them is
apidly passing away. And now that the
alton is at last to erect a monument to Mr. !
ought not the State, or the alumni,
r the ladies of Virginia, to place some
memorial tablet over her who IS buried by
is side, and whom John Randolph, that
lstidious critic of female character, even
fter his alienation from her father, pro-
ounced "the sweetest woman in Virginia!
There is one scene connected with Mr.. $
effarson and the University which ought
OF to be passed over in silence. The stu :
ents, or part of them, had become dis 7
,tisfed with some regulations of the facul- l
:. and this feeling eliminated in open re-
stance to their authority. Some of the !
orst class, taking advantage of this feeling, !
J is often the case, were guilty OF great
xeesses. which rendered the faculty very
inch dissatisfied, and it was said that they !
ad determined to resign. The board OF
isitors happened to be in session at Month
lilo where they were in the habit OF meet )
10 during Mr.. Jefferson's lifetime. They !
,me in 3 body to the University. The
udents were summoned to meet them IN
ne of the lecture-rooms OF the rotunda.
he scene is even now before me. AT .
mo table, in the centre of the room, sat the
,ard of visitors, most of them venerable e
r their age, and distinguished for their !
reat services to the country-J etferson,
[adison, Chapman johnson, Joseph G.
abell, John FL. Cooke, and one or
20 Others, with their Secretary,
ieholas P. Trist Mr.. Jefferson arose. !
-e began by saying that this was the
ost painful event of his life, but soon
came so much affected that he could not
roeeed. He then turned to Mr.. johnson
1d said that he must commit to younger
ands the task of saying that which be felt
Imself unable to say, Those who have 1
en- and heard this eminent lawyer will re- a
ember his dignifed bearing, his bright, t
ItelIieent face, and his earnest, persuasive \
amer. 1t eloquenee is to be estimated by c
! effects, have never heard any that sur a
assed this. His glowing appeals to their t
onor; the whitening scorn with which he
snounced the outrages were irresistible, a
ID when asked to come forward and give s
their names, without any apparent con- |
,rt there was a simultaneous rush to the !
Ible. While Mr.. Trist was taking down J
e names, one of those concerned in the /
: i onkr Of hin