Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the...

what is practicable must often controul what is pure theory; and the habits of the governed determine in a great degree what is practicable.

Nero wished all the necks of Rome united in one, that he might sever them at a blow. so our ex-federalists, wishing to have a single representative of all the objects of their hatred, honour me with that post, and exhibit against me such atrocities as no nation has ever before heard or endured. I...

The course of things in the neighboring islands of the West Indies appears to have given a considerable impulse to the minds of the slaves in different parts of the US. a great disposition to insurgency has manifested itself among them, which, in one instance, in the state of Virginia broke out...

if we can but prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy.

As I could not be with you to read to you what I had written I leave it for you. My conversation with gentlemen here has made me think lighter of those infamous stories than I did: therefore I have not sent it to the Gazette as I intended: it being necessary to put my name to a paragraph such as...

some men are born for the public. nature by fitting them for the service of the human race on a broad scale, has stamped them with the evidences of her destination & their duty

a crisis the most important the US. have ever met since their independance

tell Ellen, Cornelia & Virginia how d’ ye, give my affectionate esteem to your Papa & to your Mama my constant love. for yourself I deliver numberless kisses to this letter which you are to take from it. I hope in a few days we shall all be happy together at Monticello.

to promote this disposition to exchange lands which they have to spare & we want, for necessaries, which we have to spare & they want, we shall push our trading houses and be glad to see the good & influential individuals among them run in debt, because we observe that when these...

I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance

The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river, & such principal stream of it, as, by it’s course & communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce.