The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-13
Stories of Thomas Jefferson
By Frederic J. HdSkirl

! by grief and the shadow that fell on
him then was never lifted.
Mathematics he loved. He liked to
revel in the higher branches of that
exact and abstruse science, but like
| Napoleon, who had the same tastes. he
| seldom could foot up column of simple
accounts without making a mistake, He
| kept an elaborate system Of books,
but went bankrupt, He built houses
so prodigally and entertained so many
visitors at Monticello, that he was
literally eaten out of house and homo.
When he first entered the practice of
law he made great deal Of money, but
upon entering politics he declared his
purpose "never TO engage. while in
public office, in any kind of enterprise
for the improvement of my fortune,
nor to wear any other character than
that Of a farmer. In his old age he
was saved by Congress buying his
library, although he was forced to ask
the State to permit him 10 dispose Of
his estate by lottery. When he re-
tired from the White House he was in
actual danger Of being arrested for
debt.
Jesse Maury Of Charlottesville, who
died only year ago at the age of nine
ty-ive, remembered Mr.. Jefferson quite
well He was fond of telling a story
of the day when a building was to be
dedicated at the University of Virginia
and President Monroe had come from
Washington to be present. ExPresi-
dent Madison was there also and Mr..
Jefferson. of course The three, Jeffer-
son, Madison, and Monroe, were walk
ing down the street when they met Mr..
Maury's father and the boy. Replying
to the elder Maury's salutation. Mr..
Jefferson said, ''Wel, we have three
Presidents here, if there was another
we would have a quorum and could take
a drink. Mr.. Maury drew himself up
and said: ''You forget, Mr., Jefferson,
that I am the Pesident of the Char.
lottcsville Possum Club. cts
was tavern handy with mint all ready
for the cup.
Mr. Jefferson was accused of being
an atheist by his political enemies. He
said of the sayings of Jesus; " A more
beautiful or precious morsel Of ethics
I have never seen; it is a document in
is to say disciple of the doctrines of
Jesus. - This was said relative TO the
so-called Jefferson Bible made up of
the savings of Jesus which he cut from
the texts Of the Bible In Greek, Latin,
French and English, and pasted in
parallel columns In a blank book. Con
gress a few years ago had 5000 photo
graphic copies made of the book. but
the supply was soon exhausted.
Mr.. jefferson was an accomplished
linguist, reading Greek and Latin with
ease, and speaking French, italian and
Spanish with fuency. He wrote a
treatise on the study of Anglo-Saxon
which stands as classic. His 'Notes
on Virginia. compiled at the request
of the French government, remain in
use today as the foundation for his
tories and Biographies of that State.
After more than eighty. three years of
singularly active life Thomas Jefferson
died on the Fourth of July 1926, just
fifty years from the day when his great
Declaration of Independence was adopt
ed. The same day John Adams, chief
defender of the Declaration, and the
second President of the United States,
also died.