From Thomas Jefferson to Peter Stephen Duponceau, 16 November 1825

Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to the Board of Directors of the society for the Commemoration of the landing of Wm Penn on the American shore. he learns with sincere pleasure that a day will at length be annually set apart for rendering the honors so justly due to the greatest lawgiver the world has produced, the first in either antient or modern times who has laid the foundation of govmt in the pure and unadulterated principles of peace of reason and right, and in parallelism with whose institns to name the dreams of a Minos, or Solon, or the military and monkish establmts of a Lycurgus is truly an abandonment of all regard to the only legitimate objects of govmt, the happiness of man. Th: J accepts the honor of his nomination with thankfulness, and prays M Duponceau to be assured of his high & frdly esteem & respect.