A Quiet Moment at M![]()
onticello
In the spring of 1824, Thomas Jefferson was 81 years old. The Declaration of Independence was nearly half a century behind him. The American republic he helped create was entering another contentious presidential election. Europe remained unsettled by the aftershocks of the Napoleonic Wars. Political passions burned on both sides of the Atlantic.
Jefferson described the age plainly: “The times are much clouded.”
And yet, from his desk at Monticello, he wrote not in despair — but in hope.
On May 16, 1824, Jefferson penned a remarkable Autograph Letter Signed to Major John Michael O’Connor, who had sent him a volume titled Treatise on the Science of War and Fortifications. Jefferson politely declined to study the work himself, explaining that he was now “too far advanced in years” to devote attention to such subjects. Instead, he would ensure the book’s usefulness by placing it in the library of the soon-to-open University of Virginia — his final great public project.
But it is what follows that elevates the letter to something far greater.
“Public Sentiment Can Never Retrograde”
In one of the most compelling passages found in any late-life Jefferson letter referencing UVA, he writes:
“The times are much clouded on both sides of the Atlantic. But public sentiment can never retrograde; and the advances daily making in the improvement of the human mind, ensure an ultimate issue in that of the condition of Man.”
This is Jefferson distilled.
He acknowledges instability — political, ideological, global — yet insists that human progress is irreversible. The steady improvement of the mind guarantees the elevation of mankind.
Written just one year before the University of Virginia formally opened in 1825, this statement reads almost like a philosophical summation of Jefferson’s life. Education was not an accessory to republican government. It was its safeguard.
Books as Instruments of Civilization
Jefferson’s decision to place O’Connor’s military treatise in the University library reflects a lifelong conviction that knowledge must serve the public good.
That same philosophy had already shaped American history once before. After the British burned Washington in 1814 and destroyed the nation’s congressional library, Congress purchased Jefferson’s personal collection of 6,487 volumes in 1815. Those books became the foundational core of the rebuilt Library of Congress.
The University of Virginia library was a separate institution, but guided by the same expansive Enlightenment belief: a republic must collect and cultivate the full spectrum of human knowledge to preserve liberty.
Even at 81, Jefferson’s mind remained fixed on the future.
Sotheby’s Comparables — Market Context
Only a small handful of Jefferson letters prominently referencing the University of Virginia have appeared at major public auction over the past century. Sotheby’s has handled three notable examples between 2010 and 2011:
Sotheby’s — 2010
Sold for $62,500
This example referenced the University warmly:
“I wish your travels should one day lead you this way… you could visit and revisit our University.”
Charming and personal, yet primarily focused on hospitality and pride in the institution.
Sotheby’s — 2010
Sold for $56,250
This letter emphasized Jefferson’s devotion to UVA during his final years:
“The University will give employment to my remaining years… it is the last act of usefulness I can render.”
A moving testament to his personal attachment to the University.
Sotheby’s — 2011
Sold for $46,875
Concerned largely with the logistical development of the library:
“I have been to the University… examined the boxes of books… all appear in good order except one.”
Important historically, but administrative in tone.
Why the Present Letter Stands Apart
All of these comparables demonstrate Jefferson’s active role in building UVA. None, however, contain the sweeping Enlightenment declaration found in the May 16, 1824 letter — a direct meditation on global unrest and the ultimate improvement of the human condition.
This example uniquely combines:
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Late-life Jefferson at age 81
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Direct reference to the University of Virginia
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Explicit philosophical reflection on world affairs
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A bold affirmation of human progress
Among recorded public sales over the past 100 years, this fusion of institutional importance and universal ideology is exceptionally rare.
A Remarkable Provenance
After Major O’Connor’s death in 1826 without issue, the manuscript likely passed through family lines to Charles O'Conor, one of New York’s most distinguished constitutional lawyers.
O’Conor represented Aaron Burr — Jefferson’s former Vice President and later political rival following the contested Election of 1800 — in Burr’s separation from Madame Jumel.
In striking historical symmetry, O’Conor would later defend another “Jefferson,” serving as chief counsel to Jefferson Davis in his post–Civil War treason proceedings.
Thus, this single manuscript bridges early republic Enlightenment optimism, constitutional controversy, and post-war national crisis.
A Closing Reflection
There are Jefferson letters that discuss policy.
There are Jefferson letters that discuss architecture, farming, politics, or the mechanics of building a university.
And then there are letters like this.
At eighty-one years old, with the world unsettled and his own life nearing its end, Thomas Jefferson did not speak of decline. He spoke of ascent. He acknowledged that the times were “much clouded,” yet declared that public sentiment could never permanently move backward. The human mind, he believed, was advancing — and with it, the condition of Man.
That conviction is inseparable from the American experiment itself.
In placing Major O’Connor’s volume in the library of the University of Virginia, Jefferson symbolically passed the torch to future generations. Knowledge would outlive him. Education would steady the republic. Progress, though imperfect, would endure.
We are exceptionally proud to present and handle this remarkable letter at Historical Autographs Gallery, in partnership with the distinguished team at University Archives. It is a privilege to steward a manuscript that so powerfully captures Thomas Jefferson’s late-life philosophy and enduring faith in education and human progress. Collaborating with one of the most respected firms in the field allows us to bring this historically significant document to collectors with the scholarship, integrity, and care it deserves.
The Hammer Drops!
We are excited to announce that this incredible letter sold for $87,500 in University Archives March sale, far surpassing any comparable listed above! The historical market is red hot!
Do you have a Thomas Jefferson letter that you are looking to sell? Contact our team at the Gallery!
