Thomas Jefferson Proclaims the Rise of America and the Decline of the Old World

A very rare letter in which he uses the word “light” as synonymous with liberty and scientific progress, a symbol for which he is now famous

 

“The mass of their people, within which term I include from the king to the beggar, is returning to Gothic darkness while the mass of ours is advancing in the regions of light.”

 

Significantly, he directly criticizes Great Britain, saying “The English character is not of that cast which makes itself be loved.”

 

This letter contains his most important statement on how American freedom and society are better than European

 

“Some greatly enlightened minds in Europe are in science far beyond any thing we possess; but…the mass of their people, within which term I include from the king to the beggar, is returning to Gothic darkness while the mass of ours is advancing in the regions of light”

In 1795, Thomas Jefferson wrote to Tench Coxe a famous letter, “This ball of liberty, I believe most piously, is now so well in motion that it will roll round the globe. At least the enlightened part of it, for light and liberty go together. It is our glory that we first put it into motion.” In melding together the ideas of light and liberty, and in giving to himself and his colleagues, to the Americans, the credit for a global move toward such light, he staked out a unique American position. America was, as a future president would say, that shining city on the hill. The idea of enlightenment, light and freedom as linked continues with us. He also used the pre-enlightenment era, “Gothic”, as a means of highlighting American ingenuity.

Indeed the title of one of the most influential compilations of his works is called “Light and Liberty.”

William Lee was a Boston merchant who had been appointed by Thomas Jefferson in 1801 to be an American commercial agent in Bordeaux. He was given consular rank the following year and served abroad until 1817, making regular shipments of wine to Jefferson, who had developed a taste for fine French wines during his own time there in the 1780s. When Lee returned to the United States, he became second auditor of the Treasury, a position he held until 1829.

On December 20, 1814, Lee sent Jefferson a copy of his new book, “Les États-Unis et L’Angleterre” [“The United States and England”], a work he had published “with a view to enlighten the people of France on the motives of our War [the War of 1812] and to help our good cause.”

Nearly a year and half later, on May 11, 1816, Lee wrote Jefferson again, this time enclosing a letter from François Gard, a teacher at the Institution Nationale des Sourdes-Muettes [National Institution for the Deaf and Mute] in Bordeaux. Gard’s letter suggested that a school for the deaf and mute, similar to his home institution, ought to be established in the United States, and by the time Jefferson replied to Lee, he discovered that a nearly identical letter from Gard had been published in New York newspapers by a physician in that city, Samuel L. Mitchell, in order to gauge public interest in pursuing this proposal. Jefferson here responded to both letters of Lee.

In 1816, with Europe ravaged after 2 decades of war with the French and Napoleon, America saw a stretch of sustained peace. At the same time, George III sat on the throne in England, while his son was the de facto ruler. Louis XVIII had returned to the throne after Napoleon’s ouster. James Madison was president, to be replaced within months by James Monroe.

Autograph letter signed “Th: Jefferson,” addressed to Lee as “Consul for the U.S. at Bordeaux”, August 24, 1816. Writing from Monticello, Jefferson thanks Lee for sending a copy of his book, addresses Gard’s letter on a school for the Deaf and Dumb, and makes his most important statement on American life and society, indicating that it was rising, even as Europe was declining.

“Your letters of Dec. 20. 14. and May 11. 16. are yet to be acknowledged: and my thanks to be returned for the book which accompanied the former on the subject of Great Britain and America. That able exposition prepared the European mind for receiving truths more favorable to us, and subsequent events have furnished facts corroborating those views. I believe that America, & by this time England also are more justly appreciated. Some greatly enlightened minds in Europe are in science far beyond any thing we possess; but leaving them out of the account (& they are but few) the mass of their people, within which term I include from the king to the beggar, is returning to Gothic darkness while the mass of ours is advancing in the regions of light. During the paroxysm of Anglomany [an exaggerated fondness for and imitation of English customs, manners, and institutions] lately raging in Bordeaux you must have had a mortifying time. That rage [in favor of England] cannot last. The English character is not of that cast which makes itself be loved.

“I was just about publishing mr Garde’s letter when I saw in the newspapers that addressed to Dr Mitchell. His position in a populous city, and convenient to others, being so much more favorable than mine for the views of M. Garde, I rejoiced to see his letter in so good hands and surceased meddling in it myself, my inland & rural situation affording me no facilities for promoting it’s object. Should you have occasion to write to mr Garde, I will thank you to throw in a line of explanation and to tender him my respects & best wishes for his success.

“Not doubting that after so long a residence in France your wishes are still there, I heartily sympathise with them and hope the circumstances are not very distant, which may render your return agreeable and useful. Accept my salutations and assurances of perfect esteem and respect.”

Though Jefferson declined to become personally involved, he was glad to see the similar letter from Gard to Dr. Mitchell published to gain support for the idea of the school. Although Gard was not directly involved, in 1817 the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb was chartered in New York, inspired by Gard’s letter. As for Lee’s book, it was included in the 1829 Nathaniel Poor auction of Jefferson’s library.

A unique and important letter of Jefferson, offering his extraordinary comparison of life and intellectualism in Europe versus the United States, directly criticizing Great Britain, and passively lending his support to a progressive educational initiative. Amazingly, we see him use “light” as synonymous with liberty and progress, a symbol for which he is now famous.