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THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.
THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.
COMPILED FROM FAMILY LETTERS AND REMINISCENCES, BY HIS GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, SARAH N. RANDOLPH. NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 1871. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by Harper & Brothers , In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington....
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
I do not in this volume write of Jefferson either as of the great man or as of the statesman. My object is only to give a faithful picture of him as he was in private life—to show that he was, as I have been taught to think of him by those who knew and loved him best, a beautiful domestic character. With this view I have collected the reminiscences of him which have been written by his daughter and grandchildren. From his correspondence, published and unpublished, I have culled his family letter
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
Jefferson's Birthplace.—Sketch of his early Life.—Character of his Parents.—His Grandfather, Isham Randolph.—Peter Jefferson's Friendship for William Randolph.—Randolph dies, and leaves his young Son to the Guardianship of Jefferson.—His faithful Discharge of the Trust.—Thomas Jefferson's earliest Recollections.—His Father's Hospitality.—First Acquaintance with Indians.—Life of the early Settlers of Virginia: its Ease and Leisure.—Expense of Thomas Jefferson's early Education.—Death of his Fathe
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
Intense Application as a Student.—Habits of Study kept up during his Vacations.—First Preparations made for Building at Monticello.—Letters to his College Friend, John Page.—Anecdote of Benjamin Harrison.—Jefferson's Devotion to his eldest Sister.—He witnesses the Debate on the Stamp Act.—First Meeting with Patrick Henry.—His Opinion of him.—His superior Education.—Always a Student.—Wide Range of Information.—Anecdote.—Death of his eldest Sister.—His Grief.—Buries himself in his Books.—Finishes
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
Happy Life at Monticello.—Jefferson's fine Horsemanship.—Birth of his oldest Child.—Goes to Congress.—Death of his Mother.—Kindness to British Prisoners.—Their Gratitude.—His Devotion to Music.—Letter to General De Riedesel.—Is made Governor of Virginia.—Tarleton pursues Lafayette.—Reaches Charlottesville.—The British at Monticello.—Cornwallis's Destruction of Property at Elk Hill.—Jefferson retires at the End of his Second Term as Governor.—Mrs. Jefferson's delicate Health.—Jefferson meets with
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
Visit to Chesterfield County.—Is appointed Plenipotentiary to Europe.—Letter to the Marquis de Chastellux.—Goes North with his Daughter.—Leaves her in Philadelphia, and goes to Congress.—Letters to his Daughter.—Sails for Europe.—His Daughter's Description of the Voyage.—His Establishment and Life in Paris.—Succeeds Franklin as Minister there.—Anecdotes of Franklin.—Extracts from Mrs. Adams's Letters.—Note from Jefferson to Mrs. Smith. A short time after Mrs. Jefferson's death, Jefferson went wi
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
Jefferson's first Impressions of Europe.—Letter to Mrs. Trist.—To Baron De Geismer.—He visits England.—Letter to his Daughter.—To his Sister.—Extract from his Journal kept when in England.—Letter to John Page.—Presents a Bust of Lafayette to chief Functionaries of Paris.—Breaks his Wrist.—Letter to Mrs. Trist.—Mr. and Mrs. Cosway.—Correspondence with Mrs. Cosway.—Letter to Colonel Carrington.—To Mr. Madison.—To Mrs. Bingham.—Her Reply. Jefferson's first impressions of Europe and of the French ar
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
Death of Count de Vergennes.—Jefferson is ordered to Aix by his Surgeon.—Death of his youngest Child.—Anxiety to have his Daughter Mary with him.—Her Reluctance to leave Virginia.—Her Letters to and from her Father.—Jefferson's Letters to Mrs. and Mr. Eppes.—To Lafayette.—To the Countess de Tesse.—To Lafayette.—Correspondence with his Daughter Martha. In a letter written to Mr. Jay on the 23d of February, 1787, Mr. Jefferson says: The event of the Count de Vergennes's death, of which I had the h
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
Increased Anxiety about his youngest Daughter.—Her Aunt's Letter.—She arrives in England.—Mrs. Adams receives her.—Letter to Mrs. Eppes.—To Madame de Corny.—To J. Bannister.—To his Sister.—Letter to Mr. Jay.—To Madame de Brehan.—To Madame de Corny.—Weariness of Public Life.—Goes to Amsterdam.—Letter to Mr. Jay.—To Mr. Izard.—To Mrs. Marks.—To Mr. Marks.—To Randolph Jefferson.—To Mrs. Eppes. While Mr. Jefferson was eagerly expecting the arrival of his little daughter from Virginia, the child hers
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
Jefferson asks for leave of Absence.—Character of the Prince of Wales.—Letters to Madame de Brehan.—Fondness for Natural History.—Anecdote told by Webster.—Jefferson's Opinion of Chemistry.—Letter to Professor Willard.—Martha Jefferson.—She wishes to enter a Convent.—Her Father takes her Home.—He is impatient to return to Virginia.—Letter to Washington.—To Mrs. Eppes.—Receives leave of Absence.—Farewell to France.—Jefferson as an Ambassador.—He leaves Paris.—His Daughter's Account of the Voyage,
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
Letters on the French Revolution. I have thought it best to throw into one chapter the extracts from Mr. Jefferson's Letters and Memoir which relate to the scenes that he witnessed at the beginning of the Revolution. These are so interesting as almost to make us regret, with himself, that he should have been recalled from France at that most fearfully interesting period of her history. What pictures his pen would have preserved to us of scenes, of many of which he would have been an eye-witness,
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
Washington nominates Jefferson as Secretary of State.—Jefferson's Regret.—Devotion of Southern Statesmen to Country Life.—Letter to Washington.—Jefferson accepts the Appointment.—Marriage of his Daughter.—He leaves for New York.—Last Interview with Franklin.—Letters to Son-in-law.—Letters of Adieu to Friends in Paris.—Family Letters. The calls of his country would not allow Jefferson to withdraw from public life, and, living in that retirement for which he so longed, abandon himself to the delig
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
Jefferson goes with the President to Rhode Island.—Visits Monticello.—Letter to Mrs. Eppes.—Goes to Philadelphia.—Family Letters.—Letter to Washington.—Goes to Monticello.—Letters to his Daughter.—His Ana.—Letters to his Daughter.—To General Washington.—To Lafayette.—To his Daughter. In the month of August (1790) Jefferson went with the President on a visit to Rhode Island. In his recent tour through New England, the President had not visited Rhode Island, because that State had not then adopted
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
Anonymous Attacks on Jefferson.—Washington's Letter to him.—His Reply.—Letter to Edmund Randolph.—Returns to Philadelphia.—Washington urges him to remain in his Cabinet.—Letters to his Daughter.—To his Son-in-law.—To his Brother-in-law.—Sends his Resignation to the President.—Fever in Philadelphia.—Weariness of Public Life.—Letters to his Daughters.—To Mrs. Church.—To his Daughter.—Visits Monticello.—Returns to Philadelphia.—Letter to Madison.—To Mrs. Church.—To his Daughters.—Interview with Gen
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
Description of Monticello and Jefferson by the Duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt.—Nominated Vice-President.—Letter to Madison.—To Adams.—Preference for the Office of Vice-President.—Sets out for Philadelphia.—Reception there.—Returns to Monticello.—Letters to his Daughter.—Goes to Philadelphia.—Letter to Rutledge.—Family Letters.—To Miss Church.—To Mrs. Church. I have elsewhere given a charming picture of Monticello and its inmates in 1782, from the pen of an accomplished Frenchman—the Marquis d
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
Jefferson goes to Philadelphia.—Letters to his Daughters.—Returns to Monticello.—Letters to his Daughter.—Goes back to Philadelphia.—Family Letters.—Letters to Mrs. and Miss Church.—Bonaparte.—Letters to his Daughters.—Is nominated as President.—Seat of Government moved to Washington.—Spends the Summer at Monticello.—Letters to his Daughter.—Jefferson denounced by the New England Pulpit.—Letter to Uriah Gregory.—Goes to Washington. The third session of the Fifth Congress compelling Mr. Jefferson
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
Results of Presidential Election.—Letter to his Daughter.—Balloting for President.—Letter to his Daughter.—Is inaugurated.—Returns to Monticello.—Letters to his Daughter.—Goes back to Washington.—Inaugurates the Custom of sending a written Message to Congress.—Abolishes Levees.—Letter to Story.—To Dickinson.—Letter from Mrs. Cosway.—Family Letters.—Makes a short Visit to Monticello. The result of the Presidential Election of 1800 was the success of the Republican candidates—both Jefferson and Bu
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
Returns to Washington.—Letters to his Daughters.—Meets with a Stranger in his daily Ride.—Letters to his Daughter.—To his young Grandson.—To his Daughter, Mrs. Randolph.—Last Letters to his Daughter, Mrs. Eppes.—Her Illness.—Letter to Mr. Eppes.—Goes to Monticello.—Death of Mrs. Eppes.—Account of it by a Niece.—Letter to Page.—To Tyler.—From Mrs. Adams.—Mr. Jefferson's Reply.—Midnight Judges.—Letters to his Son-in-law. Jefferson returned to Washington on the 5th of October, and, as will be seen
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
Renominated as President.—Letter to Mazzei.—Slanders against Jefferson.—Sad Visit to Monticello.—Second Inauguration.—Receives the Bust of the Emperor of Russia.—Letters to and from the Emperor.—To Diodati.—To Dickinson.—To his Son-in-law.—Devotion to his Grandchildren.—Letter to Monroe.—To his Grandchildren.—His Temper when roused.—Letter to Charles Thompson.—To Dr. Logan.—Anxious to avoid a Public Reception on his Return home.—Letter to Dupont de Nemours.—Inauguration of Madison.—Harmony in Je
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
His final Return home.—Wreck of his Fortunes.—Letter to Mr. Eppes.—To his Grand-daughter, Mrs. Bankhead.—To Kosciusko.—Description of the Interior of the House at Monticello.—Of the View from Monticello.—Jefferson's Grandson's Description of his Manners and Appearance.—Anecdotes.—His Habits.—Letter to Governor Langdon.—To Governor Tyler.—Life at Monticello, and Sketch of Jefferson by a Grand-daughter.—Reminiscences of him by another Grand-daughter. Full of years and full of honors, we behold, th
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
Letter to his Grand-daughter, Mrs. Bankhead.—To Dr. Rush.—To Duane.—Anxiety to reopen Correspondence with John Adams.—Letter to Benjamin Rush.—Old Letter from Mrs. Adams.—Letter from Benjamin Rush.—Letter from John Adams.—The Reconciliation.—Character of Washington.—Devotion to him.—Letter to Say.—State of Health.—Labors of Correspondence.—Cheerfulness of his Disposition.—Baron Grimour.—Catherine of Russia.—Ledyard.—Letter to Mrs. Trist.—To John Adams.—Gives Charge of his Affairs to his Grandson
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
Letters to John Adams.—Number of Letters written and received.—To John Adams.—Breaks his Arm.—Letter to Judge Johnson.—To Lafayette.—The University of Virginia.—Anxiety to have Southern Young Men educated at the South.—Letters on the Subject.—Lafayette's Visit to America.—His Meeting with Jefferson.—Daniel Webster's Visit to Monticello, and Description of Mr. Jefferson. In the following letter to Mr. Adams we find Mr. Jefferson not complaining of, but fully appreciating the rapidity with which o
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
Pecuniary Embarrassments.—Letter from a Grand-daughter.—Dr. Dunglison's Memoranda.—Sells his Library.—Depressed Condition of the Money Market.—Disastrous Consequences to Jefferson.—His Grandson's Devotion and Efforts to relieve him.—Mental Sufferings of Mr. Jefferson.—Plan of Lottery to sell his Property.—Hesitation of Virginia Legislature to grant his Request.—Sad Letter to Madison.—Correspondence with Cabell.—Extract from a Letter to his Grandson, to Cabell.—Beautiful Letter to his Grandson.—D
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