The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-11-29
CONGRESS WILL
GET MEMORIALS
Efforts to Save Monticello, the
Home OF Jefferson; Petit
ton Is Here.


{" Religious Freedom" and father of the
University of Virginia, is to become the
property of the people of the United
States, if their wishes, as set forth in
memorials to congress from every State
in the Union, are needed.
The people of Hawaii are to be ask
ed to lend their voice to the request
that the home which sheltered the first
great statesman of America in life as
it is now his home in death, be acquired
from its present owners and like Mount
Vernon, the home of Washington, be
made a national shrine where the chill
dren of the present and the generations
to come may go TO learn the story of
freedom.
Gilbert j. Waller has received copy
of the memorial petition with the re-
quest that he secure signatures for the
| furtherance of this work Mr.. Fuller
will 60 ont among the people today and
will ask Governor Frear to head the
petition with his signature.
The effort to secure the home of the
Sage of Monticello as Mecca for
patriots is under the direction of the
| Jefferson Monticello Memorial Associa-
! ton of America, of which Mrs. Martin
w. Littlejohn, wife of the New York
congressman, is managing director. a
score of governors of States, numerous
senators and representatives and the
most prominent men and women of the
country are members of the organiza.
ton and aiding the movement to make
Monticello national property by every
means in their power.
Politics play no part in the work, for
it is generally recognized that the ac.
QUESTION of the property by the United
States will be in the nature of tribJte
to the memory of one of the first great
| Americans. to whose home as the author
| of the Declaration of Independence the
foremost men of the world made pill
grimages.
The Memorial Petition.
The memorial petition offered for sig
natures reads as follows:
''To the Congress of The United
States:
90 Your Memorialists, people of the
United States, who are enjoying the
efforts wrought by Thomas Jefferson,
anticipating that the present proprie-
tor of Monticello will periodically ac-
eede to the wishes of the people to sa.
credly hold Monticello as the common
=
out all time to come, respectfully rep.
resent, without further delay, that it is
their fervent wish to see the requisite
appropriation made and the necessary
measures taken by your honorable
bodies to purchase Monticello on River
Rivanna, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
"Your Memorialists represent that
the reverence and veneration which
leads all citizens passing within its
reach to visit the tomb and dwelling
of Thomas jefferson renders it to 8
private proprietor a residence most bur
densome, and at the same time the pub
lie curiosity and interest are of neces
sity very imperfectly gratifed.
Your MemOrialists are unwilling
moreover, that the venerated remains
there should be subject to the uncer
tainties of private fortune.
: Z" Your MemoriaEsts are also unwill
ing that the dwelling should be exposed
to the dangers and risks incident tc
private occupation.
Your Memorialists therefore repre-
sent that in common with their fellow
citizens they entertain the most pro
found reverence and veneration for ev
eIything connected with the memory OF
II
lean Independence.
" Your Memorialists represent that
, by making this purchase and causing
Monticello to become the property OF
the nation in perpetuity, it thereby be
comes a place of public use, to which
the thoughts of grateful people may
be directed in remembrance of one
whose life work was to win for human
= Iity, intellectual, religious, and politi
cal freedom, and by this purchase the
people of the United States might, in
"A small way, show gratitude to the
memory of Thomas Jefferson, and be in
? spired to serve our common country as
he did.
"Your Memorialists therefore. re
quest that action may be promptly
ltaken to carry out and consummate the
object set forth in this memorial; that
| they and their descendants may enjoy
the right and privilege of visiting I'M
restrictedly the venerated grounds
mansion and grave of Jefferson, which
ut present are liable to the various
casuallties uncertainties and transfers
attendant upon all private property
Sad Fate of Monticello.
| Inc DullulHR OF MOnllcellO was be
gun by Jefferson wien he was twenty,
one years old. He was his own archi.
| tect, made his own bricks, wrought his
own nails and trained the laborers who
contracted IL, and it was not complet.
ed for thirty years. Jefferson retired
to il when he left the presidency-a
poor man laden with debt. After sixty
years Of public ser.ice he found him.
self so financially embarrassed that ia
meet his obligations he was forced to
sell part Of his estate, even that part
most precious 10 him--his library.
! Jefferson spent his years IN retire
ment Ia founding the University of Vir.
GINA, but his affairs ala not mend.
Land could not BIO sold, for times were
hard, nnd 20 II became known that The
man whose glory in life was 10 serve
Others, wns dying without n penny,
People said that this should not be-,
Hnl lhe last Yeur of his NO ubscrip
tiGns Wsro made Tor his relief aud 10
sayo Monticello ia died july lh2G
upon thH hfllrih anniversary of ihr
/ HHE DE- Nul duur 10 much tu mako iul.