this unfortunate evil--an evil most injurious
both to the oppressed and to the oppressor--at some future day
when your memory will be consecrated by a grateful posterity,
what influence, irresistible influence will the opinions and
writings of Thomas Jefferson have in all questions connected with
the rights of man, and of that policy which will be the creed of
your disciples. Permit men then, my dear Sir, again to entreat
your great powers of mind and influence, and to employ some of
your present leisure, in devising a mode to liberate one-half of
our fellow beings from an ignominious bondage to the other,
either by making an immediate attempt to put in train a plan to
commence this goodly work, or to leave human nature the
invaluable Testament--which you are so capable of doing--how best
to establish its rights; so that the weight of your opinion may
be on the side of emancipation when that question shall be
agitated, and that it will be sooner or later is most certain.
That it may be soon is my most ardent prayer--that it will be,
rests with you.

I will only add as an excuse for the liberty I take in addressing
you on this subject which is so particularly interesting to me,
that from the time I was capable of reflecting on the nature of
political society, and of the rights appertaining to man, I have
not only been principled against slavery, but have had feelings
so repugnant to it as to decide me not to hold them; which
decision has forced me to leave my native State, and with it all
my relations and friends. This, I hope, will be deemed by you
some excuse for the liberty of this intrusion, of which I gladly
avail myself to assure you of the very great respect and esteem
with which I am, my dear Sir, your very sincere and devoted
friend,[232]

EDWARD COLES.

He wrote Jefferson the following concerning the same question about
two months later:

WASHINGTON, Sep. 26th, '14.

I must be permitted again to trouble you, my dear Sir, to return
my grateful thanks for the respectful and friendly attention
shown to my letter in your answer of the 25th ult. Your favorable
reception of sentiments not generally avowed, if felt, by our
countrymen, but which have ever been so inseparably