Thursday, November 3, 2011

Revisiting Thomas Jefferson...!


Not many times in history do men like this come along.

When we do find one, going back and revisiting them from time to time is well worth while!

Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped.

At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor.

At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French.

At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages.

At 16, entered the College of William and Mary.

At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe.

At 23, started his own law practice.

At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

At 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British America �and retired from his law practice.

At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.

At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence .

At 33, took three years to revise Virginia 's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom.

At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia , succeeding Patrick Henry.

At 40, served in Congress for two years.

At 41, was the American minister to France , and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.

At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.

At 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society.

At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions, and became the active head of the Democratic- Republican Party.

At 57, was elected the third president of the United States .

At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase , doubling the nation's size.

At 61, was elected to a second term as President.

At 65, retired to Monticello .

At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.

At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia , and served as its first president.

At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, along with John Adams

Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, his laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today. Jefferson really knew his stuff. A voice from the past to lead us in the future:

John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe ." -- Thomas Jefferson

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." -- Thomas Jefferson

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." -- Thomas Jefferson

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- Thomas Jefferson

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."

-- Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.

If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."


It would be nice to see someone of Jefferson's caliber stand up and take charge again! Don't you think?

Coffee on the patio this morning...so we can enjoy the cool front!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Our greats President and American

Anonymous said...

If only his kind were still around, politics would be very different. Thanks HermitJim - a lot of information I was not aware of.

Momlady said...

I agree with you, Jim. Too bad there isn't someone out there with enough knowledge and bravery to stand up to the tyranny we are now facing.

Jacked Up Glock Mom said...

Yes! Jefferson was an awesome President, and I wish his kind were around today...

Ben in Texas said...

Is it corruption that has kept us from having another Jefferson, or Kennedy or Regan these days? Surely there is someone out there that could step up, take names , call the kettle black, tell it like it is and whip us back into shape!!

JoJo said...

Outstanding Post today! All the greats have vanished.


Cool front you say? I had to turn on the furnace this morning it was 59 degrees in the house. Glad I have a heater in the MH and 2 electric ones as well.

HermitJim said...

Hey Anon 3:23...
Truly one of our great ones. Won't see his equal around for a long time.

Thanks for coming over today!


Hey Anon 7:05...
They would be different indeed!

Maybe if someone with half the fortitude came along, that would help a lot! Not likely to happen anytime soon!

Thanks for the visit today!


Hey Momlady...
Probably a few like him and we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place!

Almost no heroic leaders anymore! That's really a shame!

Thanks, my friend, for coming by today!


Hey Glock Mom...
Many of us would like for somebody of his caliber to come along!

One thing we could use is a true leader around here. Maybe just a good example would serve!

Sure do thank you for the visit today!


Hey Ben...
Don't know what it is, but I wish we could get past it.

I do wonder about the folks in charge of things now days! Seems that most have lost touch with the common man!

Scary times ahead, I'm afraid!

Thanks, buddy, for the visit!

HermitJim said...

Hey JoJo...
Actually around 48 or so inside at my place! Guess I'm gonna be forced to set up the heater.

With it being this chilly, I figure I'll have to start wearing socks again!

Sure does make for some good sleeping, though!

Thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!

Danny Pizdetz said...

Very nice post, Thank You! Also, Jefferson re-wrote a very different version of the bible. He removed a lot of the spirituality from it and tried to emphasize how people should just be decent to one another. I find it so interesting that one of the strongest believers of division of Church and State had such intense feelings about religion. It wasn't that he was a non-believer per se, it's just that he had analyzed some of it and determined it was just early church voodoo that was needed to get the movement off the ground.

HermitJim said...

Hey Phreaknic...
See? I didn't know that about rewriting the Bible, but it doesn't surprise me much!

It appears that he wasn't afraid to take on a daunting task, or to risk offending someone!

I think in most cases, he had good intentions!

Thanks for coming by today!

HoboJoe said...

Thomas Jefferson was a visionary who's predictions for the future have proven amazingly accurate. The founding fathers and their ideas are unknown to the youth of today. That's not what they teach in school anymore. The way things are going, the tree of liberty might need some refreshing any day now.

HermitJim said...

Hey HoboJoe...
They did tell us that the tree of liberty would need refreshing from time to time. Amazing how he knew that, isn't it?

I don't think that much in the way of history is taught any more, and that's a crying shame!

Thanks, my friend, for dropping by today!

Ken said...

...the closest i know is Ron Paul,yet look how he's being "silenced"...