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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
bservations
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 Is
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 the
revolution that is threatening France
5 Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other peoples opinions
without careful thought. Neither believe nor reect anything. "he wrote to
his nephew, "because any other person has rejected or believed it. Heave
las given you a mind for judging truth and error, Use it.
Jefferson felt that the people"may safely be trusted to hear everythin
true and false, and to form a correct judgment. Were it left to me to
whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspa
without a govemment, I should not hesitate a mom ent to prefer the 1
questioning agreement that keeps freedom al
many years the object of strong cruel
his critics He
expressed his philosophy in letters to a frie
ure tyo sides to
effe
our acti
rust the future trus
