The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-07-27

thought made long jumps In Virginia.
Such professors as DR.. Small made q
different atmosphere at William and
:, Mary; and from the college halls it
spread throughout the state. The father
of James Madison sent him north hop
ing to preserve the lads orthodoxy from
{ the contamination of the home school.
AS liberal principles advanced, the
number OF people who could believe in
= the creed which Henry VIII had made
for himself grew steadily less; yet I'M
der the law they had to keep on paying
the parson.
| The state church-this Henry VIII
Church Of England-was neither Cath
, Ollie nor Protestant. but mixture Of
both, without the strong points of either,
and to free thinkers it was peculiarly
offensive. To be compelled to give it
glebe and temple. house and home, blind
reverence and liberal support, was intol-
era bic.
Thomas jefferson led the assault.
Vested interests" made the usual out
cry. is voice is ever the same. The
contest was long and stubborn. the IN
ertia of conservatism, prejudice, Gus
tom, family pride. fixed habit and timid
conscience hard to overcome; but the
line of the reformers continued to adj
vance. 1t took years to finish the work,
but 1t was finished. The bloody old laws
| Of superstition and bgotry were repeal
ed. Mind ana tongue were unfettered.
Religious liberty came to all The
Church OF England was put on an equal
footing with all other denominations,
Voluntary offerings of the faithful must
support It, It's glebe Its temple, rs
lands and houses were confscated and
given to the poor: the people had given,
! the peODle took aWaN
1t was the fortune Of James Madison
to finish the work which Mr.. jefferson
had begun, but when the task was at
| last done IT was no moro than Mr..
jefferson had proposed at the begin
ming
Justly proud of this glorious victory
! for human progress. lie ranked it as
equal to the Declaration of ndepend-
ence. and asked that his monument be
inscribed with it,
Working with Edmund Pendleton and
George Wythe Mr. jefferson went over
the entire judicial system Of the colony,
remodeling the Ia and the courts. The
| Labor was enormous These gentlemen
not only reported bills creating thor
ough system-high courts and low-but
| they framed one hundred and twenty
six separate bills embodying changes in
not 60 into effect at once. The work ex-
tended over q series Of years. Much of
| it was finally done when Mr. jefferson
had gone to other fields; bat the scheme
Of reform was completed along the lines
which he had begun and little If any
departure was made from his plan.
The subject or negro slavery was one
! which had occupied Mr. Ieff.1.sor's'
thoughts for many years. lie was an
! original abolitionist. In the first house
Of burgesses TO which he was elected he
mad caused to be introduced a bill in be-
half of the slaves. 1t met prompt defeat.
In the Declaration of Independence he
had written a clause denouncing the in
human traffic Congress struck 1t out.
lie now prepared & carefully considered,
hut perhaps impracticabe plan, for grad
| ual emancipation The outlook for the
measure was 50 unfaVorable that he did
not even have it introduced. His bill 30
prohibit the further Importation of slaves
passed without opposition.
Realizing that democracy must rest
upon the education of the masses. Mr..
| Jefferson formulated q complete system Of
public schools from the primary grade
on mp to the state university, and pub
lie library. lie was too far In advance OF
his time and his plans could not be put
| into operation. The rich man declined to
tax himself to educate the poor mans
| child. IN the south of today We not only
! educate the poor white. but we tax our
selves heavily to educate the negroes
another advantage not enjoyed by them
| in Africa.
A liberal naturalization act was the
work Of Mr.. jefferson; and he was instru-
mental IN efrecting the removal Of the
| -
mond
Much Of Mr. Jeffersons work during
this period Of reformation was done at
Monticello The state of Mrs Jefferson 8
health was the cause Of great anxiety.
A daughter Jane. who was fragile from
her birth, died In September, ITO aged
about a year and a half A son born in
May III died in June OF the same
year G"
IN 1873 the four thousand captives of
| Saratoga We're sent to Virginia and std
toned near Charlottesville. Among them
were many Germans whose "dfvine right"
rulers OF the Il and God" sort had sold
them TO the foreign service.
The manner in which Mr. jefferson set
the example OF treating these unfortun-
ates kindly speaks loudly for the native
generosity of his character From lieu
| tenants llD TO generals lie made them Wei
! come to his home his books, his grounds,
mis- gardens, his musical Instruments, his
philosophical apparatus. and his hospita-
| BILE board Evenings at Monticello must
have been pleasant to the captives who
talked with jefferson, played duets with
him. and enjoyed his wines. fruits and
vegetables in the free-and- easy style
which he so much enjoyed 1T made the
major general and the baron stare when
the young subaltern got the same treat
ment given To themselves: Just 1t made
the diplomats first stare, and then howl.
when jefferson, the president, practiced
the same rule at the executive mansion
IN 1901
| Madam de Reidesel. wife of General de
Redesel, who was one Of the prisoners,
says that she wa3 cruelty insulted by the
ladies' of Boston; and that the wife and
daughter of another royalist Captain
Fenton) We're stripped naked. tarred and
feathered ana paraded through the streets
Of that city. Be this it may, she was
not insulted in Virginia, although she
rode horseback like a mana trying sight
in spite of all that can be said.
Among the captives were musicians, in
Guiding fiddlers. and they always spoke
with enthusiasm of the evening concerts
at Monticello. Captain Bibby and Mr..
jefferson played duets together; and Bib
by used TO declare long afterwards, that