part20-第12章

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　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　wrote　you　a　letter　yesterday；　of　which　you　will

be　free　to　make　what　use　you　please。　　This　will　contain　matters　not

intended　for　the　public　eye。　　I　see；　as　you　do；　and　with　the　deepest

affliction；　the　rapid　strides　with　which　the　federal　branch　of　our

government　is　advancing　towards　the　usurpation　of　all　the　rights

reserved　to　the　States；　and　the　consolidation　in　itself　of　all

powers；　foreign　and　domestic；　and　that；　too；　by　constructions　which；

if　legitimate；　leave　no　limits　to　their　power。　　Take　together　the

decisions　of　the　federal　court；　the　doctrines　of　the　President；　and

the　misconstructions　of　the　constitutional　compact　acted　on　by　the

legislature　of　the　federal　branch；　and　it　is　but　too　evident；　that

the　three　ruling　branches　of　that　department　are　in　combination　to

strip　their　colleagues；　the　State　authorities；　of　the　powers　reserved

by　them；　and　to　exercise　themselves　all　functions　foreign　and

domestic。　　Under　the　power　to　regulate　commerce；　they　assume

indefinitely　that　also　over　agriculture　and　manufactures；　and　call　it

regulation　to　take　the　earnings　of　one　of　these　branches　of　industry；

and　that　too　the　most　depressed；　and　put　them　into　the　pockets　of　the

other；　the　most　flourishing　of　all。　　Under　the　authority　to　establish

post　roads；　they　claim　that　of　cutting　down　mountains　for　the

construction　of　roads；　of　digging　canals；　and　aided　by　a　little

sophistry　on　the　words　〃general　welfare；〃　a　right　to　do；　not　only　the

acts　to　effect　that；　which　are　specifically　enumerated　and　permitted；

but　whatsoever　they　shall　think；　or　pretend　will　be　for　the　general

welfare。　　And　what　is　our　resource　for　the　preservation　of　the

constitution？　　Reason　and　argument？　　You　might　as　well　reason　and

argue　with　the　marble　columns　encircling　them。　　The　representatives

chosen　by　ourselves？　　They　are　joined　in　the　combination；　some　from

incorrect　views　of　government；　some　from　corrupt　ones；　sufficient

voting　together　to　out…number　the　sound　parts；　and　with　majorities

only　of　one；　two；　or　three；　bold　enough　to　go　forward　in　defiance。

Are　we　then　_to　stand　to　our　arms_；　with　the　hot…headed　Georgian？

No。　　That　must　be　the　last　resource；　not　to　be　thought　of　until　much

longer　and　greater　sufferings。　　If　every　infraction　of　a　compact　of

so　many　parties　is　to　be　resisted　at　once；　as　a　dissolution　of　it；

none　can　ever　be　formed　which　would　last　one　year。　　We　must　have

patience　and　longer　endurance　then　with　our　brethren　while　under

delusion；　give　them　time　for　reflection　and　experience　of

consequences；　keep　ourselves　in　a　situation　to　profit　by　the　chapter

of　accidents；　and　separate　from　our　companions　only　when　the　sole

alternatives　left；　are　the　dissolution　of　our　Union　with　them；　or

submission　to　a　government　without　limitation　of　powers。　　Between

these　two　evils；　when　we　must　make　a　choice；　there　can　be　no

hesitation。　　But　in　the　meanwhile；　the　States　should　be　watchful　to

note　every　material　usurpation　on　their　rights；　to　denounce　them　as

they　occur　in　the　most　peremptory　terms；　to　protest　against　them　as

wrongs　to　which　our　present　submission　shall　be　considered；　not　as

acknowledgments　or　precedents　of　r　yeomanry。　　This　will　be　to　them　a

next　best　blessing　to　the　monarchy　of　their　first　aim；　and　perhaps

the　surest　stepping…stone　to　it。




　　　　　　　　I　learn　with　great　satisfaction　that　your　school　is　thriving

well；　and　that　you　have　at　its　head　a　truly　classical　scholar。　　He　is

one　of　three　or　four　whom　I　can　hear　of　in　the　State。　　We　were

obliged　the　last　year　to　receive　shameful　Latinists　into　the

classical　school　of　the　University；　such　as　we　will　certainly　refuse

as　soon　as　we　can　get　from　better　schools　a　sufficiency　of　those

properly　instructed　to　form　a　class。　　We　must　get　rid　of　this

Connecticut　Latin；　of　this　barbarous　confusion　of　long　and　short

syllables；　which　renders　doubtful　whether　we　are　listening　to　a

reader　of　Cherokee；　Shawnee；　Iroquois；　or　what。　　Our　University　has

been　most　fortunate　in　the　five　professors　procured　from　England。　　A

finer　selection　could　not　have　been　made。　　Besides　their　being　of　a

grade　of　science　which　has　left　little　superior　behind；　the

correctness　of　their　moral　character；　their　accommodating

dispositions；　and　zeal　for　the　prosperity　of　the　institution；　leave

us　nothing　more　to　wish。　　I　verily　believe　that　as　high　a　degree　of

education　can　now　be　obtained　here；　as　in　the　country　they　left。　　And

a　finer　set　of　youths　I　never　saw　assembled　for　instruction。　　They

committed　some　irregularities　at　first；　until　they　learned　the　lawful

length　of　their　tether；　since　which　it　has　never　been　transgressed　in

the　smallest　degree。　　A　great　proportion　of　them　are　severely　devoted

to　study；　and　I　fear　not　to　say　that　within　twelve　or　fifteen　years

from　this　time；　a　majority　of　the　rulers　of　our　State　will　have　been

educated　here。　　They　shall　carry　hence　the　correct　principles　of　our

day；　and　you　may　count　assuredly　that　they　will　exhibit　their　country

in　a　degree　of　sound　respectability　it　has　never　known；　either　in　our

days；　or　those　of　our　forefathers。　　I　cannot　live　to　see　it。　　My　joy

must　only　be　that　of　anticipation。　　But　that　youo　may　see　it　in　full

fruition；　is　the　probable　consequence　of　the　twenty　years　I　am　ahead

of　you　in　time；　and　is　the　sincere　prayer　of　your　affectionate　and

constant　friend。







　　　　　　　　〃TAKE　CARE　OF　ME　WHEN　DEAD〃




　　　　　　　　_To　James　Madison_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello。　February　17；　1826_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　My　circular　was　answered　by　Genl。　Breckenridge；

approving；　as　we　had　done；　of　the　immediate　appointment　of　Terril　to

the　chair　of　Law。　　But　our　four　Colleagues；　who　were　together　in

Richmond；　concluded　not　to　appoint　until　our　meeting　in　April。　　In

the　meantime　the　term　of　the　present　lamented　Incumbent　draws　near　to

a　close。　　About　150。　students　have　already　entered；　many　of　those　who

engaged　for　a　2d。　year；　are　yet　to　come；　and　I　think　we　may　count

that　our　dormitories　will　be　filled。　　Whether　there　will　be　any

overflowing　for　the　accomodations　provided　in　the　vicinage；　which　are

quite　considerable；　is　not　yet　known。　　None　will　enter　there　while　a

dormitory　remains　vacant。　　Were　the　Law…chair　filled　it　would　add　50。

at　least　to　our　number。




　　　　　　　　Immediately　on　seeing　the　overwhelming　vote　of　the　House　of

Representatives　against　giving　us　another　dollar；　I　rode　to　the

University　and　desired　Mr。　Brockenbrough　to　engage　in　nothing　new；　to

stop　everything　on　hand　which　could　be　done　without；　and　to　employ

all　his　force　and　funds　in　finishing　the　circular　room　for　the　books；

and　the　anatomical　theatre。　　These　cannot　be　done　without；　and　for

these　and　all　our　debts　we　have　funds　enough。　　But　I　think　it　prudent

then　to　clear　the　decks　thoroughly；　to　see　how　we　shall　stand；　and

what　we　may　accomplish　further。　　In　the　meantime；　there　have　arrived

for　us　in　different　ports　of　the　United　States；　ten　boxes　of　books

from　Paris；　seven　from　London；　and　from　Germany　I　know　not　how　many；

in　all；　perhaps；　about　twenty…five　boxes。　　Not　one　of　these　can　be

opened　until　the　book…room　is　completely　finished；　and　all　the

shelves　ready　to　receive　their　charge　directly　from　the　boxes　as　they

shall　be　opened。　　This　cannot　be　till　May。　　I　hear　nothing　definite

of　the　three　thousand　dollars　duty　of　which　we　are　asking　the

remission　from　Congress。　　In　the　selection　of　our　Law　Professor；　we

must　be　rigorously　attentive　to　his　political　principles。　　You　will

recollect　that　before　the　revolution；　Coke　Littleton　was　the

universal　elementary　book　of　law　students；　and　a　sounder　whig　never

wrote；　nor　of　profounder　learning　in　the　orthodox　doctrines　of　the

British　constitution；　or　in　what　were　called　English　liberties。　　You

remember　also　that　our　lawyers　were　then　all　whigs。　　But　when　his

black…letter　text；　and　uncouth　but　cunning　learning　got　out　of

fashion；　and　the　honied　Mansfieldism　of　Blackstone　became　the

student's　hornbook；　from　that　moment；　that　profession　（the　nursery　of

our　Congress）　began　to　slide　into　toryism；　and　nearly　all　the　young

brood　of　lawyers　now　are　of　that　hue。　　They　suppose　themselves；

indeed；　to　be　whigs；　because　they　no　longer　know　what　whigism　or

republicanism　means。　　It　is　in　our　seminary　that　that　vestal　flame　is

to　be　kept　alive；　it　is　thence　it　is　to　spread　anew　over　our　own　and

the　sister　States。　　If　we　are　true　and　vigilant　in　our　trust；　within

a　dozen　or　twenty　years　a　majority　of　our　own　legislature　will　be

from　one　school；　and　many　disciples　will　have　carried　its　doctrines

home　with　them　to　their　several　States；　and　will　have　leavened　thus

the　whole　mass。　　New　York　has　taken　strong　ground　in　vindication　of

the　constitution；　South　Carolina　had　already　done　the　same。　　Although

I　was　against　our　leading；　I　am　equally　against　omitting　to　follow　in

the　same　line；　and　backing　them　firmly；　and　I　hope　that　yourself　or

some　other　will　mark　out　the　track　to　be　pursued　by　us。




　　　　　　　　You　will　have　seen　in　the　newspapers　some　proceedings　in　the

legislature；　which　have　cost　me　much　mortification。　　My　own　debts　had

become　considerable；　but　not　beyond　the　effect　of　some　lopping　of

property；　which　would　have　been　little　felt；　when　our　friend　Nicholas

gave　me　the　_coup　de　grace_。　　Ever　since　that　I　have　been　paying

twelve　hundred　dollars　a　year　interest　on　his　debt；　which；　with　my

own；　was　absorbing　so　much　of　my　annual　income；　as　that　the

maintenance　of　my　family　was　making　deep　and　rapid　inroads　on　my

capital；　and　had　already　done　it。　　Still；　sales　at　a　fair　price　would

leave　me　competently　provided。　　Had　crops　and　prices　for　several

years　been　such　as　to　maintain　a　steady　competition　of　substantial

bidders　at　market；　all　would　have　been　safe。　　But　the　long　succession

of　years　of　stunted　crops；　of　reduced　prices；　the　general　prostration

of　the　farming　business；　under　levies　for　the　support　of

manufactures；　&c。；　with　the　calamitous　fluctuations　of　value　in　our

paper　medium；　have　kept　agriculture　in　a　state　of　abject　depression；

which　has　peopled　the　western　States　by　silently　breaking　up　those　on

the　Atlantic；　and　glutted　the　land　market；　while　it　drew　off　its

bidders。　　In　such　a　state　of　things；　property　has　lost　its　character

of　being　a　resource　for　debts。　　Highland　in　Bedford；　which；　in　the

days　of　our　plethory；　sold　readily　for　from　fifty　to　one　hundred

dollars　the　acre；　（and　such　sales　were　many　then；）　would　not　now　sell

for　more　than　from　ten　to　twenty　dollars；　or　one…quarter　or　one…fifth

of　its　former　price。　　Reflecting　on　these　things；　the　practice

occurred　to　me；　of　selling；　on　fair　valuation；　and　by　way　of　lottery；

often　resorted　to　before　the　Revolution　to　effect　large　sales；　and

still　in　constant　usage　in　every　State　for　individual　as　well　as

corporation　purposes。　　If　it　is　permitted　in　my　case；　my　lands　here

alone；　with　the　mills；　&c。；　will　pay　every　thing；　and　leave