N, MAYOR OF WASHINGTON.

MONTICELLO, _June 24, 1826_.

_Respected Sir:_ The kind invitation received from you, on the part of
the citizens of the city of Washington, to be present with them at
their celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of American
Independence, as one of the surviving signers of an instrument
pregnant with our own, and the fate of the world, is most flattering
to myself, and heightened by the honorable accompaniment proposed for
the comfort of such a journey. It adds sensibly to the sufferings of
sickness, to be deprived by it of a personal participation in the
rejoicing of that day. But acquiescence is a duty, under circumstances
not placed among those we are permitted to control. I should, indeed,
with peculiar delight, have met and exchanged there congratulations
personally with the small band, the remnant of that host of worthies,
who joined with us on that day, in the bold and doubtful election we
were to make for our country, between submission or the sword; and to
have enjoyed with them the consolatory fact, that our fellow-citizens,
after half a century of experience and prosperity, continue to approve
the choice we made. May it be to the world, what I believe it will be
(to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all), 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. These 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.

I will ask permission here to express the pleasure with which I should
have met my ancient neighbors of the city of Washington and its
vicinities, with whom I passed so many years of a pleasing social
intercourse; an intercourse which so much relieved the anxieties of
the public cares, and left impressions so deeply engraved in my
affections as never to be forgott