Might as Well Keep It in the Family

Below are listed the quotations shown on the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. Some of the quotations appear in edited grade on the memorial, so when appropriate, we have also included the passages from which the selections were taken, with the quoted excerpts in bold.

Contents

• 1 Inscription under the Dome
• two Panel One
• three Console Two
  • 3.1 Original Passage
• 4 Panel Three
  • 4.i Original Passages
• 5 Panel Four
  • five.1 Original Passage
• 6 Further Sources

Inscription nether the Dome

"...I have sworn upon the chantry of god eternal hostility against every class of tyranny over the mind of homo." - Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush, September 23, 18001

Panel One

"We agree these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with sure inalienable rights, amongst these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men. We...solemnly publish and declare, that these colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states...And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour." - The Declaration of Independence2

Console 2

"Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens...are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our organized religion...No man shall be compelled to frequent or back up whatever religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or conventionalities, but all men shall be costless to profess and past argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but i code of morality for men whether interim singly or collectively."

Original Passage

"Well aware that the opinions and conventionalities of men depend not on their own will, but follow involuntarily the testify proposed to their minds; that Almighty God hath created the listen free, and manifested his supreme volition that free it shall remain by making information technology altogether insusceptible of restraint; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments, or burthens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to afford habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a difference from the plan of the holy author of our religion..." - "A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom", Section I3

Panel Three

"God who gave us life gave u.s. liberty. Tin the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a confidence that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my land when I reflect that God is simply, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce betwixt principal and slave is despotism. Naught is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be complimentary. Establish a law for educating the common people. This it is the business organisation of the country and on a general plan."

Original Passages

"But let them [members of the parliament of Great Britain] not think to exclude us from going to other markets, to dispose of those commodities which they cannot use, nor41 to supply those wants which they cannot supply. Nonetheless less allow it be proposed that our properties inside our own territories shall exist taxed or regulated by whatsoever power on globe but our own. The god who gave us life gave united states of america liberty at the same fourth dimension: the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them." - "A Summary View of the Rights of British America"4

"For in a warm climate, no human will labour for himself who can make another labour for him. This is so true, that of the proprietors of slaves a very pocket-size proportion indeed are ever seen to labor. And tin the liberties of a nation exist idea secure when we take removed their only house ground, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my land when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever . . . ." - Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII5

"The whole commerce betwixt chief and slave is a perpetual practice of the virtually bouncy passions, the about unremitting despotism on the one role, and degrading submissions on the other. Our children come across this, and learn to imitate it. . . ." - Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII6

"Nix is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Nor is it less certain that the two races, every bit gratis, cannot live in the same regime. Nature, habit, opinion has fatigued indelible lines of distinction betwixt them." - Jefferson's Autobiography7

"Preach, my beloved sir, a cause confronting ignorance; institute & improve the police for educating the common people." - Jefferson to George Wythe, August 13, 17868

"It is an axiom in my mind that our liberty tin never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves, and that too of the people with a certain caste of instruction. This it is the business concern of the state to effect, and on a full general plan." - Jefferson to George Washington, January 4, 17869

Console Four

"I am non an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, only laws and institutions must go mitt in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, equally new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance besides to keep footstep with the times. We might every bit well require a man to wear withal the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their brutal ancestors."

Original Passage

"I am certainly non an abet for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions. I recollect moderate imperfections had amend be borne with; because, when once known, nosotros accommodate ourselves to them, and observe applied means of correcting their ill effects. But I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human listen. Every bit that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a homo to clothing still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their savage ancestors." - Jefferson to H. Tompkinson (AKA Samuel Kercheval), July 12, 181610

Farther Sources

• National Park Service. Thomas Jefferson National Memorial.
• Look for sources in the Thomas Jefferson Portal on the Thomas Jefferson Memorial

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Source: https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/quotations-jefferson-memorial

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