Not long ago, I visited Washington, D.C. The highlight was the Library of Congress, the world’s largest library.
Books of all languages are represented. A Gutenburg Bible is on display. I read passages from George Washington’s handwritten journals.
In the Great Hall, the names of the world’s greatest thinkers, artists and scientists are carved into marble and spelled out in mosaic on the walls and ceiling. And, of course, in the main library, the books are stacked to heaven. Sigh.
During the war of 1812, England still sought dominance over the fledgling United States. British troops burned down the newly created congressional collection of books, destroying all 3,000 volumes.
Thomas Jefferson offered to sell his personal library to the U.S. government, indicating that he would take what money the government could offer. He sold his 10,000-book collection for $23,950 – half of its worth.
Jefferson’s collection is the cornerstone of today’s library, which primarily serves to provide reason and resource for our country’s lawmakers. The Library of Congress also acts as the guardian of creative thought and expression, as it houses the U.S. Copyright Office. And most importantly, it is the encyclopedia of human thought.
Jefferson’s birthday is April 13, and as I saw the shout outs on Facebook, I became inspired to write about him.
Jefferson is my hero because, in 1814, he had 10,000 books. And because in May 1776, a committee was formed to draft an announcement of separation. It consisted of Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston. Adams appointed Jefferson to do the actual writing. When Jefferson asked, “Why me?” Adams gave his reasons as follows:
“Reason first: You are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second: I am obnoxious, suspected and unpopular. Reason third: You can write 10 times better than I can.”
While the others contributed, it was Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of Independence. He began with these words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness …”
It is hard to reconcile Jefferson’s love of freedom with the fact he was a slave owner. And his greatest achievement as president, the Louisiana Purchase, contributed to the ultimate destruction of the Native American Nations. Clearly, Jefferson was a man conflicted, if not downright hypocritical, when he declared all men equal. But he sought truth above all else. I like to think that, had he lived longer, or in a subsequent life, he would come to the logical conclusion that “all men” means all men.
Jefferson is my hero, in spite of his shortcomings and, in some ways, because of them. There is no room on my hero list for a cautious, faultless person. A hero without faults is not a man but a god.
Shortly before his death, he wrote in a letter, “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 [have] not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them, by the grace of God.”
He died on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (the same day Adams died).
Jefferson left behind his collection of 10,000 books.
Ellen Rohr is an author and business consultant who helps entrepreneurs start, fix and grow their businesses. She conducts a monthly webinar, and her books include “Where Did the Money Go?” and “The Bare Bones Weekend Biz Plan.” She can be reached at ellen@barebonesbiz.com.[[In-content Ad]]
