We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

You can Scarcely have heard a Character too high of my Friend and Colleague Mr. Jefferson, either in point of Power or Virtues. My Fellow Labourer in Congress, eight or nine years ago, upon many arduous Tryals, particularly in the draught of our Declaration of Independence and in the formation of...

the contest which began with us which ushered in the dawn of our National existence and led us through various and trying Scenes, was for every thing dear to free born man.

we have acted together from the origin to the end of a memorable revolution, and we have contributed, each in the line allotted us, our endeavors to render it’s issue a permanent blessing to our country.

my affections were first for my own country, and then generally for all mankind.

Another of our friends of 76. is gone, my dear Sir, another of the Co-signers of the independance of our country. and a better man, than Rush, could not have left us, more benevolent, more learned, of finer genius, or more honest. we too must go; and that ere long.

a nation united can never be conquered.

and even should the cloud of barbarism and despotism again obscure the science and liberties of Europe, this country remains to preserve and restore light and liberty to them. in short, the flames kindled on the 4th of July 1776. have spread over too much of the globe to be extinguished by the...

I turned to neither book or pamphlet while writing it. I did not consider it as any part of my charge to invent new ideas altogether & to offer no sentiment which had ever been expressed before.

this was the object of the Declaration of Independance. not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject; in terms so plain and firm as to command their...

I have only time to write you a few lines My dearest Ellen, to prevent a longer silence than usual and which might alarm you. I recieved Your letter last monday was a week, and would have answered it with in the same week, but the next mail mail brought one from Col. Peyton informing us of the...

Jefferson. Mr. Andrew K. Smith, of the General Land Office, having noticed the death of Col. Thomas Jefferson Randolph, of Virginia, sends the Washington Republican the following interesting personal remembrances of the deceased and of Jefferson. They constitute a valuable contribution to the...