ImmediatelyonseeingtheoverwhelmingvoteoftheHouseofRepresentativesagainstgivingusanotherdollar，IrodetotheUniversityanddesiredMr。Brockenbroughtoengageinnothingnew，tostopeverythingonhandwhichcouldbedonewithout，andtoemployallhisforceandfundsinfinishingthecircularroomforthebooks，andtheanatomicaltheatre。Thesecannotbedonewithout；andfortheseandallourdebtswehavefundsenough。ButIthinkitprudentthentoclearthedecksthoroughly，toseehowweshallstand，andwhatwemayaccomplishfurther。Inthemeantime，therehavearrivedforusindifferentportsoftheUnitedStates，tenboxesofbooksfromParis，sevenfromLondon，andfromGermanyIknownothowmany；
　　inall，perhaps，abouttwenty-fiveboxes。Notoneofthesecanbeopeneduntilthebook-roomiscompletelyfinished，andalltheshelvesreadytoreceivetheirchargedirectlyfromtheboxesastheyshallbeopened。ThiscannotbetillMay。IhearnothingdefiniteofthethreethousanddollarsdutyofwhichweareaskingtheremissionfromCongress。IntheselectionofourLawProfessor，wemustberigorouslyattentivetohispoliticalprinciples。Youwillrecollectthatbeforetherevolution，CokeLittletonwastheuniversalelementarybookoflawstudents，andasounderwhigneverwrote，norofprofounderlearningintheorthodoxdoctrinesoftheBritishconstitution，orinwhatwerecalledEnglishliberties。Yourememberalsothatourlawyerswerethenallwhigs。Butwhenhisblack-lettertext，anduncouthbutcunninglearninggotoutoffashion，andthehoniedMansfieldismofBlackstonebecamethestudent’shornbook，fromthatmoment，thatprofessionthenurseryofourCongressbegantoslideintotoryism，andnearlyalltheyoungbroodoflawyersnowareofthathue。Theysupposethemselves，indeed，tobewhigs，becausetheynolongerknowwhatwhigismorrepublicanismmeans。Itisinourseminarythatthatvestalflameistobekeptalive；itisthenceitistospreadanewoverourownandthesisterStates。Ifwearetrueandvigilantinourtrust，withinadozenortwentyyearsamajorityofourownlegislaturewillbefromoneschool，andmanydiscipleswillhavecarrieditsdoctrineshomewiththemtotheirseveralStates，andwillhaveleavenedthusthewholemass。NewYorkhastakenstronggroundinvindicationoftheconstitution；SouthCarolinahadalreadydonethesame。AlthoughIwasagainstourleading，Iamequallyagainstomittingtofollowinthesameline，andbackingthemfirmly；andIhopethatyourselforsomeotherwillmarkoutthetracktobepursuedbyus。
　　Youwillhaveseeninthenewspaperssomeproceedingsinthelegislature，whichhavecostmemuchmortification。Myowndebtshadbecomeconsiderable，butnotbeyondtheeffectofsomeloppingofproperty，whichwouldhavebeenlittlefelt，whenourfriendNicholasgavemethe_coupdegrace_。EversincethatIhavebeenpayingtwelvehundreddollarsayearinterestonhisdebt，which，withmyown，wasabsorbingsomuchofmyannualincome，asthatthemaintenanceofmyfamilywasmakingdeepandrapidinroadsonmycapital，andhadalreadydoneit。Still，salesatafairpricewouldleavemecompetentlyprovided。Hadcropsandpricesforseveralyearsbeensuchastomaintainasteadycompetitionofsubstantialbiddersatmarket，allwouldhavebeensafe。Butthelongsuccessionofyearsofstuntedcrops，ofreducedprices，thegeneralprostrationofthefarmingbusiness，underleviesforthesupportofmanufactures，&c。，withthecalamitousfluctuationsofvalueinourpapermedium，havekeptagricultureinastateofabjectdepression，whichhaspeopledthewesternStatesbysilentlybreakingupthoseontheAtlantic，andgluttedthelandmarket，whileitdrewoffitsbidders。Insuchastateofthings，propertyhaslostitscharacterofbeingaresourcefordebts。HighlandinBedford，which，inthedaysofourplethory，soldreadilyforfromfiftytoonehundreddollarstheacre，andsuchsalesweremanythen，wouldnotnowsellformorethanfromtentotwentydollars，orone-quarterorone-fifthofitsformerprice。Reflectingonthesethings，thepracticeoccurredtome，ofselling，onfairvaluation，andbywayoflottery，oftenresortedtobeforetheRevolutiontoeffectlargesales，andstillinconstantusageineveryStateforindividualaswellascorporationpurposes。Ifitispermittedinmycase，mylandsherealone，withthemills，&c。，willpayeverything，andleavemeMonticelloandafarmfree。Ifrefused，Imustselleverythinghere，perhapsconsiderablyinBedford，movethitherwithmyfamily，whereI
　　havenotevenaloghuttoputmyheadinto，andwhethergroundforburial，willdependonthedepredationswhich，undertheformofsales，shallhavebeencommittedonmyproperty。Thequestionthenwithmewas_ultrumhorum_?Butwhyafflictyouwiththesedetails?
　　Indeed，Icannottell，unlesspainsarelessenedbycommunicationwithafrt，which，withmyown，wasabsorbingsomuchofmyannualincome，asthatthemaintenanceofmyfamilywasmakingdeepandrapidinroadsonmycapital，andhadalreadydoneit。Still，salesatafairpricewouldleavemecompetentlyprovided。Hadcropsandpricesforseveralyearsbeensuchastomaintainasteadycompetitionofsubstantialbiddersatmarket，allwouldhavebeensafe。Butthelongsuccessionofyearsofstuntedcrops，ofreducedprices，thegeneralprostrationofthefarmingbusiness，underleviesforthesupportofmanufactures，&c。，withthecalamitousfluctuationsofvalueinourpapermedium，havekeptagricultureinastateofabjectdepression，whichhaspeopledthewesternStatesbysilentlybreakingupthoseontheAtlantic，andgluttedthelandmarket，whileitdrewoffitsbidders。Insuchastateofthings，propertyhaslostitscharacterofbeingaresourcefordebts。
　　HighlandinBedford，which，inthedaysofourplethory，soldreadilyforfromfiftytoonehundreddollarstheacre，andsuchsalesweremanythen，wouldnotnowsellformorethanfromtentotwentydollars，orone-quarterorone-fifthofitsformerprice。Reflectingonthesethings，thepracticeoccurredtome，ofselling，onfairvaluation，andbywayoflottery，oftenresortedtobeforetheRevolutiontoeffectlargesales，andstillinconstantusageineveryStateforindividualaswellascorporationpurposes。Ifitispermittedinmycase，mylandsherealone，withthemills，&c。，willpayeverything，andleavemeMonticelloandafarmfree。Ifrefused，Imustselleverythinghere，perhapsconsiderablyinBedford，movethitherwithmyfamily，whereIhavenotevenaloghuttoputmyheadinto，andwhethergroundforburial，willdependonthedepredationswhich，undertheformofsales，shallhavebeencommittedonmyproperty。Thequestionthenwithmewas_ultrumhorum_?Butwhyafflictyouwiththesedetails?Indeed，Icannottell，unlesspainsarelessenedbycommunicationwithafriend。Thefriendshipwhichhassubsistedbetweenus，nowhalfacentury，andtheharmonyofourpoliticalprinciplesandpursuits，havebeensourcesofconstanthappinesstomethroughthatlongperiod。AndifIremovebeyondthereachofattentionstotheUniversity，orbeyondthebourneoflifeitself，asIsoonmust，itisacomforttoleavethatinstitutionunderyourcare，andanassurancethatitwillnotbewanting。Ithasalsobeenagreatsolacetome，tobelievethatyouareengagedinvindicatingtoposteritythecoursewehavepursuedforpreservingtothem，inalltheirpurity，theblessingsofself-government，whichwehadassistedtooinacquiringforthem。Ifevertheearthhasbeheldasystemofadministrationconductedwithasingleandsteadfasteyetothegeneralinterestandhappinessofthosecommittedtoit，onewhich，protectedbytruth，canneverknowreproach，itisthattowhichourliveshavebeendevoted。Tomyselfyouhavebeenapillarofsupportthroughlife。Takecareofmewhendead，andbeassuredthatIshallleavewithyoumylastaffections。
　　_NUNCDIMITTIS_ONSLAVERY
　　_ToJamesHeaton_
　　_Monticello，May20，1826_
　　DEARSIR，——ThesubjectofyourletterofApril20，isoneonwhichIdonotpermitmyselftoexpressanopinion，butwhentime，place，andoccasionmaygiveitsomefavorableeffect。Agoodcauseisofteninjuredmorebyill-timedeffortsofitsfriendsthanbytheargumentsofitsenemies。Persuasion，perseverance，andpatiencearethebestadvocatesonquestionsdependingonthewillofothers。Therevolutioninpublicopinionwhichthiscauserequires，isnottobeexpectedinaday，orperhapsinanage；buttime，whichoutlivesallthings，willoutlivethisevilalso。Mysentimentshavebeenfortyyearsbeforethepublic。HadIrepeatedthemfortytimes，theywouldonlyhavebecomethemorestaleandthreadbare。AlthoughIshallnotlivetoseethemconsummated，theywillnotdiewithme；butlivingordying，theywilleverbeinmymostferventprayer。Thisiswrittenforyourselfandnotforthepublic，incompliancewithyourrequestoftwolinesofsentimentonthesubject。Accepttheassuranceofmygoodwillandrespect。
　　LASTLETTER：APOTHEOSISOFLIBERTY
　　_ToRogerC。Weightman_
　　_Monticello，June24，1826_
　　RESPECTEDSIR，——ThekindinvitationIreceivefromyou，onthepartofthecitizensofthecityofWashington，tobepresentwiththemattheircelebrationonthefiftiethanniversaryofAmericanIndependence，asoneofthesurvivingsignersofaninstrumentpregnantwithourown，andthefateoftheworld，ismostflatteringtomyself，andheightenedbythehonorableaccompanimentproposedforthecomfortofsuchajourney。Itaddssensiblytothesufferingsofsickness，tobedeprivedbyitofapersonalparticipationintherejoicingsofthatday。Butacquiescenceisaduty，undercircumstancesnotplacedamongthosewearepermittedtocontrol。Ishould，indeed，withpeculiardelight，havemetandexchangedtherecongratulationspersonallywiththesmallband，theremnantofthathostofworthies，whojoinedwithusonthatday，intheboldanddoubtfulelectionweweretomakeforourcountry，betweensubmissionorthesword；andtohaveenjoyedwiththemtheconsolatoryfact，thatourfellowcitizens，afterhalfacenturyofexperienceandprosperity，continuetoapprovethechoicewemade。
　　Mayitbetotheworld，whatIbelieveitwillbe，tosomepartssooner，tootherslater，butfinallytoall，thesignalofarousingmentoburstthechainsunderwhichmonkishignoranceandsuperstitionhadpersuadedthemtobindthemselves，andtoassumetheblessingsandsecurityofself-government。Thatformwhichwehavesubstituted，restoresthefreerighttotheunboundedexerciseofreasonandfreedomofopinion。Alleyesareopened，oropening，totherightsofman。Thegeneralspreadofthelightofsciencehasalreadylaidopentoeveryviewthepalpabletruth，thatthemassofmankindhasnotbeenbornwithsaddlesontheirbacks，norafavoredfewbootedandspurred，readytoridethemlegitimately，bythegraceofGod。Thesearegroundsofhopeforothers。Forourselves，lettheannualreturnofthisdayforeverrefreshourrecollectionsoftheserights，andanundiminisheddevotiontothem。
　　IwillaskpermissionheretoexpressthepleasurewithwhichI
　　shouldhavemetmyancientneighborsofthecityofWashingtonanditsvicinities，withwhomIpassedsomanyyearsofapleasingsocialintercourse；anintercoursewhichsomuchrelievedtheanxietiesofthepubliccares，andleftimpressionssodeeplyengravedinmyaffections，asnevertobeforgotten。Withmyregretthatillhealthforbidsmethegratificationofanacceptance，bepleasedtoreceiveforyourself，andthoseforwhomyouwrite，theassuranceofmyhighestrespectandfriendlyattachments。
　　End