part20-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



have　come　into　view；　comets；　in　their　incalculable　courses；　may　run

foul　of　suns　and　planets　and　require　renovation　under　other　laws；

certain　races　of　animals　are　become　extinct；　and；　were　there　no

restoring　power；　all　existences　might　extinguish　successively；　one　by

one；　until　all　should　be　reduced　to　a　shapeless　chaos。　　So

irresistible　are　these　evidences　of　an　intelligent　and　powerful　Agent

that；　of　the　infinite　numbers　of　men　who　have　existed　thro'　all　time；

they　have　believed；　in　the　proportion　of　a　million　at　least　to　Unit；

in　the　hypothesis　of　an　eternal　pre…existence　of　a　creator；　rather

than　in　that　of　a　self…existent　Universe。　　Surely　this　unanimous

sentiment　renders　this　more　probable　than　that　of　the　few　in　the

other　hypothesis。　　Some　early　Christians　indeed　have　believed　in　the

coeternal　pre…existance　of　both　the　Creator　and　the　world；　without

changing　their　relation　of　cause　and　effect。　　That　this　was　the

opinion　of　St。　Thomas；　we　are　informed　by　Cardinal　Toleto；　in　these

words　‘Deus　ab　aeterno　fuit　jam　omnipotens；　sicut　cum　produxit

mundum。　　Ab　aeterno　potuit　producere　mundum。　　Si　sol　ab　aeterno

esset；　lumen　ab　aeterno　esset；　et　si　pes；　similiter　vestigium。　　At

lumen　et　vestigium　effectus　sunt　efficientis　solis　et　pedis；　potuit

ergo　cum　causa　aeterna　effectus　coaeterna　esse。　　Cujus　sententiae　est

S。　Thomas　Theologorum　primus'　Cardinal　Toleta。




　　　　　　　　Of　the　nature　of　this　being　we　know　nothing。　　Jesus　tells　us

that　‘God　is　a　spirit。'　4。　John　24。　but　without　defining　what　a

spirit　is　｛pneyma　o　Theos｝。　　Down　to　the　3d。　century　we　know　that　it

was　still　deemed　material；　but　of　a　lighter　subtler　matter　than　our

gross　bodies。　　So　says　Origen。　　‘Deus　igitur；　cui　anima　similis　est；

juxta　Originem；　reapte　corporalis　est；　sed　graviorum　tantum　ratione

corporum　incorporeus。'　These　are　the　words　of　Huet　in　his　commentary

on　Origen。　　Origen　himself　says　‘appelatio　｛asomaton｝　apud　nostros

scriptores　est　inusitata　et　incognita。'　So　also　Tertullian　‘quis

autem　negabit　Deum　esse　corpus；　etsi　deus　spiritus？　　Spiritus　etiam

corporis　sui　generis；　in　sua　effigie。'　Tertullian。　　These　two　fathers

were　of　the　3d。　century。　　Calvin's　character　of　this　supreme　being

seems　chiefly　copied　from　that　of　the　Jews。　　But　the　reformation　of

these　blasphemous　attributes；　and　substitution　of　those　more　worthy；

pure　and　sublime；　seems　to　have　been　the　chief　object　of　Jesus　in　his

discources　to　the　Jews：　and　his　doctrine　of　the　Cosmogony　of　the

world　is　very　clearly　laid　down　in　the　3　first　verses　of　the　1st。

chapter　of　John；　in　these　words；　‘｛en　arche　en　o　logos；　kai　o　logos

en　pros　ton　Theon　kai　Theos　en　o　logos。　‘otos　en　en　arche　pros　ton

Theon。　　Panta　de　ayto　egeneto；　kai　choris　ayto　egeneto　ode　en；　o

gegonen｝。　　Which　truly　translated　means　‘in　the　beginning　God

existed；　and　reason　（or　mind）　was　with　God；　and　that　mind　was　God。

This　was　in　the　beginning　with　God。　　All　things　were　created　by　it；

and　without　it　was　made　not　one　thing　which　was　made'。　　Yet　this

text；　so　plainly　declaring　the　doctrine　of　Jesus　that　the　world　was

created　by　the　supreme；　intelligent　being；　has　been　perverted　by

modern　Christians　to　build　up　a　second　person　of　their　tritheism　by　a

mistranslation　of　the　word　｛logos｝。　　One　of　it's　legitimate　meanings

indeed　is　‘a　word。'　But；　in　that　sense；　it　makes　an　unmeaning　jargon：

while　the　other　meaning　‘reason'；　equally　legitimate；　explains

rationally　the　eternal　preexistence　of　God；　and　his　creation　of　the

world。　　Knowing　how　incomprehensible　it　was　that　‘a　word；'　the　mere

action　or　articulation　of　the　voice　and　organs　of　speech　could　create

a　world；　they　undertake　to　make　of　this　articulation　a　second

preexisting　being；　and　ascribe　to　him；　and　not　to　God；　the　creation

of　the　universe。　　The　Atheist　here　plumes　himself　on　the　uselessness

of　such　a　God；　and　the　simpler　hypothesis　of　a　self…existent

universe。　　The　truth　is　that　the　greatest　enemies　to　the　doctrines　of

Jesus　are　those　calling　themselves　the　expositors　of　them；　who　have

perverted　them　for　the　structure　of　a　system　of　fancy　absolutely

incomprehensible；　and　without　any　foundation　in　his　genuine　words。

And　the　day　will　come　when　the　mystical　generation　of　Jesus；　by　the

supreme　being　as　his　father　in　the　womb　of　a　virgin　will　be　classed

with　the　fable　of　the　generation　of　Minerva　in　the　brain　of　Jupiter。

But　we　may　hope　that　the　dawn　of　reason　and　freedom　of　thought　in

these　United　States　will　do　away　with　all　this　artificial

scaffolding；　and　restore　to　us　the　primitive　and　genuine　doctrines　of

this　the　most　venerated　reformer　of　human　errors。




　　　　　　　　So　much　for　your　quotation　of　Calvin's　‘mon　dieu！　jusqu'a

quand'　in　which；　when　addressed　to　the　God　of　Jesus；　and　our　God；　I

join　you　cordially；　and　await　his　time　and　will　with　more　readiness

than　reluctance。　　May　we　meet　there　again；　in　Congress；　with　our

antient　Colleagues；　and　recieve　with　them　the　seal　of　approbation

‘Well　done；　good　and　faithful　servants。'







　　　　　　　　THE　SUPREME　COURT　AND　THE　CONSTITUTION




　　　　　　　　_To　Justice　William　Johnson_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　June　12；　1823_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Our　correspondence　is　of　that　accommodating

character；　which　admits　of　suspension　at　the　convenience　of　either

party；　without　inconvenience　to　the　other。　　Hence　this　tardy

acknowledgment　of　your　favor　of　April　the　11th。　　I　learn　from　that

with　great　pleasure；　that　you　have　resolved　on　continuing　your

history　of　parties。　　Our　opponents　are　far　ahead　of　us　in

preparations　for　placing　their　cause　favorably　before　posterity。　　Yet

I　hope　even　from　some　of　them　the　escape　of　precious　truths；　in　angry

explosions　or　effusions　of　vanity；　which　will　betray　the　genuine

monarchism　of　their　principles。　　They　do　not　themselves　believe　what

they　endeavor　to　inculcate；　that　we　were　an　opposition　party；　not　on

principle；　but　merely　seeking　for　office。　　The　fact　is；　that　at　the

formation　of　our　government；　many　had　formed　their　political　opinions

on　European　writings　and　practices；　believing　the　experience　of　old

countries；　and　especially　of　England；　abusive　as　it　was；　to　be　a

safer　guide　than　mere　theory。　　The　doctrines　of　Europe　were；　that　men

in　numerous　associations　cannot　be　restrained　within　the　limits　of

order　and　justice；　but　by　forces　physical　and　moral；　wielded　over

them　by　authorities　independent　of　their　will。　　Hence　their

organization　of　kings；　hereditary　nobles；　and　priests。　　Still　further

to　constrain　the　brute　force　of　the　people；　they　deem　it　necessary　to

keep　them　down　by　hard　labor；　poverty　and　ignorance；　and　to　take　from

them；　as　from　bees；　so　much　of　their　earnings；　as　that　unremitting

labor　shall　be　necessary　to　obtain　a　sufficient　surplus　barely　to

sustain　a　scanty　and　miserable　life。　　And　these　earnings　they　apply

to　maintain　their　privileged　orders　in　splendor　and　idleness；　to

fascinate　the　eyes　of　the　people；　and　excite　in　them　an　humble

adoration　and　submission；　as　to　an　order　of　superior　beings。

Although　few　among　us　had　gone　all　these　lengths　of　opinion；　yet　many

had　advanced；　some　more；　some　less；　on　the　way。　　And　in　the

convention　which　formed　our　government；　they　endeavored　to　draw　the

cords　of　power　as　tight　as　they　could　obtain　them；　to　lessen　the

dependence　of　the　general　functionaries　on　their　constituents；　to

subject　to　them　those　of　the　States；　and　to　weaken　their　means　of

maintaining　the　steady　equilibrium　which　the　majority　of　the

convention　had　deemed　salutary　for　both　branches；　general　and　local。

To　recover；　therefore；　in　practice　the　powers　which　the　nation　had

refused；　and　to　warp　to　their　own　wishes　those　actually　given；　was

the　steady　object　of　the　federal　party。　　Ours；　on　the　contrary；　was

to　maintain　the　will　of　the　majority　of　the　convention；　and　of　the

people　themselves。　　We　believed；　with　them；　that　man　was　a　rational

animal；　endowed　by　nature　with　rights；　and　with　an　innate　sense　of

justice；　and　that　he　could　be　restrained　from　wrong　and　protected　in

right　by　moderate　powers；　confided　to　persons　of　his　own　choice；　and

held　to　their　duties　by　dependence　on　his　own　will。　　We　believed　that

the　complicated　organization　of　kings；　nobles；　and　priests；　was　not

the　wisest　nor　best　to　effect　the　happiness　of　associated　man；　that

wisdom　and　virtue　were　not　hereditary；　that　the　trappings　of　such　a

machinery；　consumed　by　their　expense；　those　earnings　of　industry；

they　were　meant　to　protect；　and；　by　the　inequalities　they　produced；

exposed　liberty　to　sufferance。　　We　believed　that　men；　enjoying　in

ease　and　security　the　full　fruits　of　their　own　industry；　enlisted　by

all　their　interests　on　the　side　of　law　and　order；　habituated　to　think

for　themselves；　and　to　follow　their　reason　as　their　guide；　would　be

more　easily　and　safely　governed；　than　with　minds　nourished　in　error；

and　vitiated　and　debased；　as　in　Europe；　by　ignorance；　indigence　and

oppression。　　The　cherishment　of　the　people　then　was　our　principle；

the　fear　and　distrust　of　them；　that　of　the　other　party。　　Composed；　as

we　were；　of　the　landed　and　laboring　interests　of　the　country；　we

could　not　be　less　anxious　for　a　government　of　law　and　order　than　were

the　inhabitants　of　the　cities；　the　strongholds　of　federalism。　　And

whether　our　efforts　to　save　the　principles　and　form　of　our

constitution　have　not　been　salutary；　let　the　present　republican

freedom；　order　and　prosperity　of　our　country　determine。　　History　may

distort　truth；　and　will　distort　it　for　a　time；　by　the　superior

efforts　at　justification　of　those　who　are　conscious　of　needing　it

most。　　Nor　will　the　opening　scenes　of　our　present　government　be　seen

in　their　true　aspect；　until　the　letters　of　the　day；　now　held　in

private　hoards；　shall　be　broken　up　and　laid　open　to　public　view。

What　a　treasure　will　be　found　in　General　Washington's　cabinet；　when

it　shall　pass　into　the　hands　of　as　candid　a　friend　to　truth　as　he　was

himself！　　When　no　longer；　like　Caesar's　notes　and　memorandums　in　the

hands　of　Anthony；　it　shall　be　open　to　the　high　priests　of　federalism

only；　and　garbled　to　say　so　much；　and　no　more；　as　suits　their　views！




　　　　　　　　With　respect　to　his　farewell　address；　to　the　authorship　of

which；　it　seems；　there　are　conflicting　claims；　I　can　state　to　you

some　facts。　　He　had　determined　to　decline　re…election　at　the　end　of

his　first　term；　and　so　far　determined；　that　he　had　requested　Mr。

Madison　to　prepare　for　him　something　valedictory；　to　be　addressed　to

his　constituents　on　his　retirement。　　This　was　done；　but　he　was

finally　persuaded　to　acquiesce　in　a　second　election；　to　which　no　one

more　strenuously　pressed　him　than　myself；　from　a　conviction　of　the

importance　of　strengthening；　by　longer　habit；　the　respect　necessary

for　that　office；　which　the　weight　of　his　character　only　could　effect。

When；　at　the　end　of　his　second　term；　his　Valedictory　came　out；　Mr。

Madison　recognized　in　it　several　passages　of　his　draught；　several

ot