Thomas Jefferson, in declining, for reasons of ill health, to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, wrote: May it be to the world... the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. There are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them. Monticello, June 24, 1826.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 22:31:45 +0000
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