Virginia Argus

On the retirement of the late President from office, the feelings of a grateful country were poured forth from every quarter. The citizens of Albemarle, eager on this occasion to express in the strongest manner, the affection and esteem which they felt for their neighbour and friend, had determined to meet him in a body at the extremity of the county, and conduct him home. Lest however, they might, while obeying the impulse of friendship, inflict a wound on that modesty which has ever characterised him, it was thought best to submit to him this intention. In his reply, he expressed in the most obliging and affectionate terms, his wish that his friends should not take, (as he termed it,) so much trouble, on his account. The idea was accordingly given up. Subsequently, to wit, on the 6th of March, 1809. At a meeting of the people of Albemarle county, at the court house, William D. Meriwether was called to the chair: and Alexander Garrett appointed secretary.

"A committee was appointed to prepare an address to THOMAS JEFFERSON, late president of the United States, expressive of the feelings and sentiments of his countrymen, on his recent retirement from office: and submit the same to the consideration of the people on Saturday next."

WM. D. MERIWETHER, Chairman.

Attest, A. GARRETT, Secretary.

"Accordingly at the meeting of the people of Albemarle, on Saturday the 11th March, 1809, William D. Meriwether was appointed chairman and H. Minor Secretary. The committee appointed on Monday last, to prepare an address to Th: Jefferson, reported the following, which was unanimously adopted, and Wm. D. Meriwether, Nimrod Bramham, Dr. Charles Everett, Thomas W. Maury, and Dabney Minor, were appointed a committee to present the address to Mr. Jefferson."

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON,

Late President of the United States.

SIR,

The inhabitants of Albemarle, your fellow citizens and your friends, beg leave to congratulate you on your return to themselves and to your native county.-- They invite you to the enjoyment of that domestic happiness from which, your public services have so long abstracted you, and for which you have so fair a prospect. In the bosom of your family, surrounded by your neighbours, and followed by the affections of a grateful country. they hope to see realised, those sweets of retirement, for which you have so often sighed, and to which they are now anxious, personally to contribute. While gratulations of love and applause from every part of the Union, testify the feelings of the nation towards you; we your countrymen, strongly participating in the public sentiment, can have nothing to add, on the score of public gratitude; we hear with pleasure and delight, the plaudits of a free and grateful people attending their chief magistrate, as he voluntarily descends from the highest office of state, to the tranquil walks of private life: and we dare not express our feelings when we reflect, that the voluntary relinquishment of honors and of power restores to us a friend and neighbour, as exemplary in the social circle, as he is eminent at the helm of state. The mariner, who has weathered the tempest and storms, feels a delicious pleasure in contrasting present safety with former peril; so the cares, the labours, the perplexities, the pomp, the turmoil, and the bustle of office, will doubly endear to you the calm enjoyments of domestic life. As individuals among whom you were raised, and to whom you have at all times been dear, we again welcome your return to your native county, to the bosom of your family, & to the affections of those neighbours who have long known, & have long revered you in private life. We assure you, sir, we are not insensible to the many sacrifices you have already made, in the various stations which have been assigned you by your country; we have witnessed your disinterestedness, & while we feel the benefits of your past services it would be more than ingratitude in us, did we not use our best efforts to make your latter days as tranquil and as happy, as your former have been bright and glorious.

On behalf of the meeting.

W. D. MERIWETHER, Chairman:

Attest H. MINOR, Secretary.

To which Mr. Jefferson returned the following answer.

To the Inhabitants of Albemarle county in Virginia.

Returning to the scenes of my birth and early life, to the society of those with whom I was raised, and who have been ever dear to me, I receive, fellow-citizens and neighbours, with inexpressible pleasure, the cordial welcome you are so good as to give me. Long absent on duties, which the history of a wonderful aera made incumbent on those called to them, the pomp, the turmoil. the bustle and splendor of office, have drawn but deeper sighs for the tranquil and irresponsible occupations of private life, for the enjoyment of an affectionate intercourse with you, my neighbors and friends, and the endearments of family love, which nature has given us all as the sweetener of every hour. For these I gladly lay down the distressing burthen of power, and seek with my fellow citizens, repose and safety under the watchful cares, the labors and exertions of younger and abler minds. The anxieties you express to administer to my happiness, do of themselves confer that happiness, and the measure will of itself be complete, if my endeavours to fulfil my duties in the several public stations to which I have been called, have obtained for me the approbation of my country. The part which I have acted in
on the theatre of public life, has been before them; and to their sentence I submit it; but the testimony of my native county, of the individuals who have known me in private life, to my conduct in its various duties and relations, is the more grateful, as proceeding from eye witnesses and observers, from triers of the vicinage: Of you, then, my neighbors, I may ask in the face of the world, 'whose ox have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed, or of whom have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith?' On your verdict I rest, with conscious security. Your wishes for my happiness are received with just sensibility, and I offer sincere prayers for your own welfare and prosperity.

TH. JEFFERSON.

April 3d, 1809.