While
the other members of the committee sat in the state capitol and studied papers on the subject, Jefferson got into a canoe and made on-the-spot
observations.
You can learn from everyone. By birth and by education Jefferson be-
longed to the highest social class. Yet, in a day when few noble persons ever 15
spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out
of his way to talk with gardeners, servants, and waiters. Jefferson once said
to the French nobleman, Lafayette, You must go into the people's homes as
I have done. look into their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will only
do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and understand
revolution that is threatening France
Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other peoples opinions
without careful thought. "Neither believe nor reject anything, he wrote to
his nephew, "because any other person has rejected or believed it. Heaven
has given you a mind for judging truth and error, Use it
25
6 Jefferson felt that the people"may safely be trusted to hear everything
true and false, and to form a correct judgment. Were it left to me to decide
whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers
without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
Do what you believe is right. In a free country there will always be 30
conflicting ideas, and this is a source of strength. It is conflict and not un
questioning agreement that keeps freedom alive. Though Jefferson was for
many years the object of strong criticism, he never answered his critics. He
expressed his philosophy in letters to a friend, "There are two sides to ev
ery question. If you take one side with decision and act on it with effect, 35
those who take the other
side will of course resent
your actions
Trust the future: trust
the young. Jefferson felt that 40
the present should never be
chained to customs which
