Peace is that brief glorious moment in history...(Quotation)

Quotation: "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading."

Variations: none known

Sources consulted:

1. Papers of Thomas Jefferson Digital Edition
2. Thomas Jefferson retirement papers
3. Thomas Jefferson: Papers and Biographies collections in Hathi Trust Digital Library

Other attributions: none known

First known appearance in print: 1973[1]

First known attribution to Jefferson in print: We have found no attributions of this quotation to Thomas Jefferson in print.  It has been attributed to him on various sites on the Internet (particularly discussion boards) since at least 2001.

Comments: This quotation has not been found in the writings of Thomas Jefferson.  The language is somewhat uncharacteristic of Jefferson's style.  "Stand around" in the sense used here is not an expression that can be found in Jefferson's letters.  He almost always wrote "every body" instead of "everybody."  And there are no instances of the word "reload" (or variations thereof) referring to firearms in Jefferson's writings.

- Anna Berkes, 9/17/12

Footnotes

• 1. Meetings and Conventions 8 (1973): 64.