“I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
Documented source
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About this line
Jefferson wrote it privately to his friend Benjamin Rush — physician, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the few men Jefferson trusted completely. Not for publication, weeks before a bitterly contested election. Which means he wasn’t performing. He meant every word.
Why we carry this line
Jefferson swore it in a private letter, so there was no audience to play to. That makes it even better. Perfect homage to our founding fathers.
The design
The whole line is set in capitals, like an oath read aloud, though Jefferson wrote it in a private letter. TYRANNY is the largest word on the cover. It’s the thing he swore against, so it carries the weight.
What happened next
On April 13, 1943, Jefferson’s 200th birthday, President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated a memorial to him in Washington. “He loved peace and loved liberty,” Roosevelt said, “yet on more than one occasion he was forced to choose between them.”
Around the inside of the dome runs one sentence: “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
A line Jefferson wrote to one friend now circles the room.
