The Palpable Truth

In the final video in my previous post, Charles Kuralt describes how Thomas Jefferson was invited to Washington DC to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (which, of course, he wrote).

This is an excerpt from his reply, declining the invitation because of poor health. Ten days later, on July 4, 1826, he died.

"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 still get goosebumps every time I read that. :c)