scott fleming for keeping the trains running on time for this particular presentation and to christopher oliver assistance in arranging this and it is so profitably spent here. i want to thank my sister and brother-in-law for traveling here from connecticut for this. and i want to thank my family for coming. tina came here from atlanta. they and their family are descendents of ezekiel, who is one of the readers of the largest single escape of slaves from a virginia plantation during the war of 1812 and since it is monticello, we begin with thomas jefferson and his words and this is a quote that comes from a letter that he wrote in response to edward cole, his former secretary purdy wrote this letter of 1814, which is a low point for the united states and its war against the british empire. what the war is, the war of 1812 which lasted into 1815. and those of you who know about this occupation and the partial burning of washington was right after the british had occupied washington and all the buildings were burned. and jefferson was writing that letter so he didn't know yet about that. but he k