part20-第5章

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Government；　nor　yet　against　the　States。　　I　believe　the　States　can

best　govern　our　home　concerns；　and　the　General　Government　our　foreign

ones。　　I　wish；　therefore；　to　see　maintained　that　wholesome

distribution　of　powers　established　by　the　constitution　for　the

limitation　of　both；　and　never　to　see　all　offices　transferred　to

Washington；　where；　further　withdrawn　from　the　eyes　of　the　people；

they　may　more　secretly　be　bought　and　sold　as　at　market。




　　　　　　　　But　the　Chief　Justice　says；　〃there　must　be　an　ultimate　arbiter

somewhere。〃　True；　there　must；　but　does　that　prove　it　is　either　party？

The　ultimate　arbiter　is　the　people　of　the　Union；　assembled　by　their

deputies　in　convention；　at　the　call　of　Congress；　or　of　two…thirds　of

the　States。　　Let　them　decide　to　which　they　mean　to　give　an　authority

claimed　by　two　of　their　organs。　　And　it　has　been　the　peculiar　wisdom

and　felicity　of　our　constitution；　to　have　provided　this　peaceable

appeal；　where　that　of　other　nations　is　at　once　to　force。




　　　　　　　　I　rejoice　in　the　example　you　set　of　_seriatim_　opinions。　　I

have　heard　it　often　noticed；　and　always　with　high　approbation。　　Some

of　your　brethren　will　be　encouraged　to　follow　it　occasionally；　and　in

time；　it　may　be　felt　by　all　as　a　duty；　and　the　sound　practice　of　the

primitive　court　be　again　restored。　　Why　should　not　every　judge　be

asked　his　opinion；　and　give　it　from　the　bench；　if　only　by　yea　or　nay？

Besides　ascertaining　the　fact　of　his　opinion；　which　the　public　have　a

right　to　know；　in　order　to　judge　whether　it　is　impeachable　or　not；　it

would　show　whether　the　opinions　were　unanimous　or　not；　and　thus

settle　more　exactly　the　weight　of　their　authority。




　　　　　　　　The　close　of　my　second　sheet　warns　me　that　it　is　time　now　to

relieve　you　from　this　letter　of　unmerciful　length。　　Indeed；　I　wonder

how　I　have　accomplished　it；　with　two　crippled　wrists；　the　one

scarcely　able　to　move　my　pen；　the　other　to　hold　my　paper。　　But　I　am

hurried　sometimes　beyond　the　sense　of　pain；　when　unbosoming　myself　to

friends　who　harmonize　with　me　in　principle。　　You　and　I　may　differ

occasionally　in　details　of　minor　consequence；　as　no　two　minds；　more

than　two　faces；　are　the　same　in　every　feature。　　But　our　general

objects　are　the　same；　to　preserve　the　republican　form　and　principles

of　our　constitution　and　cleave　to　the　salutary　distribution　of　powers

which　that　has　established。　　These　are　the　two　sheet　anchors　of　our

Union。　　If　driven　from　either；　we　shall　be　in　danger　of　foundering。

To　my　prayers　for　its　safety　and　perpetuity；　I　add　those　for　the

continuation　of　your　health；　happiness；　and　usefulness　to　your

country。







　　　　　　　　〃RIVERS　OF　BLOOD　MUST　YET　FLOW〃




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Adams_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　Sep。　4；　1823_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　letter　of　Aug。　15。　was　recieved　in　due　time；

and　with　the　welcome　of　every　thing　which　comes　from　you。　　With　it's

opinions　on　the　difficulties　of　revolutions；　from　despotism　to

freedom；　I　very　much　concur。　　The　generation　which　commences　a

revolution　can　rarely　compleat　it。　　Habituated　from　their　infancy　to

passive　submission　of　body　and　mind　to　their　kings　and　priests；　they

are　not　qualified；　when　called　on；　to　think　and　provide　for

themselves　and　their　inexperience；　their　ignorance　and　bigotry　make

them　instruments　often；　in　the　hands　of　the　Bonapartes　and　Iturbides

to　defeat　their　own　rights　and　purposes。　　This　is　the　present

situation　of　Europe　and　Spanish　America。　　But　it　is　not　desperate。

The　light　which　has　been　shed　on　mankind　by　the　art　of　printing　has

eminently　changed　the　condition　of　the　world。　　As　yet　that　light　has

dawned　on　the　midling　classes　only　of　the　men　of　Europe。　　The　kings

and　the　rabble　of　equal　ignorance；　have　not　yet　recieved　it's　rays；

but　it　continues　to　spread。　　And；　while　printing　is　preserved；　it　can

no　more　recede　than　the　sun　return　on　his　course。　　A　first　attempt　to

recover　the　right　of　self…government　may　fail；　so　may　a　2d。　a　3d。

etc。；　but　as　a　younger；　and　more　instructed　race　comes　on；　the

sentiment　becomes　more　and　more　intuitive；　and　a　4th。　a　5th。　or　some

subsequent　one　of　the　ever　renewed　attempts　will　ultimately　succeed。

In　France　the　1st。　effort　was　defeated　by　Robespierre；　the　2d。　by

Bonaparte；　the　3d。　by　Louis　XVIII。　and　his　holy　allies；　another　is

yet　to　come；　and　all　Europe；　Russia　excepted；　has　caught　the　spirit；

and　all　will　attain　representative　government；　more　or　less　perfect。

This　is　now　well　understood　to　be　a　necessary　check　on　kings；　whom

they　will　probably　think　it　more　prudent　to　chain　and　tame；　than　to

exterminate。　　To　attain　all　this　however　rivers　of　blood　must　yet

flow；　and　years　of　desolation　pass　over。　　Yet　the　object　is　worth

rivers　of　blood；　and　years　of　desolation　for　what　inheritance　so

valuable　can　man　leave　to　his　posterity？　　The　spirit　of　the　Spaniard

and　his　deadly　and　eternal　hatred　to　a　Frenchman；　gives　me　much

confidence　that　he　will　never　submit；　but　finally　defeat　this

atrocious　violation　of　the　laws　of　god　and　man　under　which　he　is

suffering；　and　the　wisdom　and　firmness　of　the　Cortes　afford

reasonable　hope　that　that　nation　will　settle　down　in　a　temperate

representative　government；　with　an　Executive　properly　subordinated　to

that。　　Portugal；　Italy；　Prussia；　Germany；　Greece　will　follow　suit。

You　and　I　shall　look　down　from　another　world　on　these　glorious

atchievements　to　man；　which　will　add　to　the　joys　even　of　heaven。




　　　　　　　　I　observe　your　toast　of　Mr。　Jay　on　the　4th。　of　July；　wherein

you　say　that　the　omission　of　his　signature　to　the　Declaration　of

Independance　was　by　_accident_。　　Our　impressions　as　to　this　fact

being　different；　I　shall　be　glad　to　have　mine　corrected；　if　wrong。

Jay；　you　know；　had　been　in　constant　opposition　to　our　laboring

majority。　　Our　estimate；　at　the　time；　was　that　he；　Dickinson　and

Johnson　of　Maryland　by　their　ingenuity；　perseverance　and　partiality

to　our　English　connection；　had　constantly　kept　us　a　year　behind　where

we　ought　to　have　been　in　our　preparations　and　proceedings。　　From

about　the　date　of　the　Virginia　instructions　of　May　15。　76。　to　declare

Independance　Mr。　Jay　absented　himself　from　Congress；　and　never　came

there　again　until　Dec。　78。　　Of　course　he　had　no　part　in　the

discussions　or　decision　of　that　question。　　The　instructions　to　their

delegates　by　the　Convention　of　New　York；　then　sitting；　to　sign　the

Declaration；　were　presented　to　Congress　on　the　15th。　of　July　only；

and　on　that　day　the　journals　shew　the　absence　of　Mr。　Jay　by　a　letter

recieved　from　him；　as　they　had　done　as　early　as　the　29th。　of　May　by

another　letter。　　And；　I　think；　he　had　been　omitted　by　the　Convention

on　a　new　election　of　Delegates　when　they　changed　their　instructions。

Of　this　last　fact　however　having　no　evidence　but　an　antient

impression；　I　shall　not　affirm　it。　　But　whether　so　or　not；　no　agency

of　_accident_　appears　in　the　case。　　This　error　of　fact　however；

whether　yours　or　mine；　is　of　little　consequence　to　the　public。　　But

truth　being　as　cheap　as　error；　it　is　as　well　to　rectify　it　for　our

own　satisfaction。




　　　　　　　　I　have　had　a　fever　of　about　three　weeks　during　the　last　and

preceding　month；　from　which　I　am　entirely　recovered　except　as　to

strength。　　Ever　and　affectionately　yours







　　　　　　　　〃THE　BEST　LETTER　THAT　EVER　WAS　WRITTEN　。　。　。〃




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Adams_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　Oct。　12；　1823_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　do　not　write　with　the　ease　whichyour　letter　of

Sep。　18。　supposes。　　Crippled　wrists　and　fingers　make　writing　slow　and

laborious。　　But；　while　writing　to　you；　I　lose　the　sense　of　these

things；　in　the　recollection　of　antient　times；　when　youth　and　health

made　happiness　out　of　every　thing。　　I　forget　for　a　while　the　hoary

winter　of　age；　when　we　can　think　of　nothing　but　how　to　keep　ourselves

warm；　and　how　to　get　rid　of　our　heavy　hours　until　the　friendly　hand

of　death　shall　rid　us　of　all　at　once。　　Against　this　tedium　vitae

however　I　am　fortunately　mounted　on　a　Hobby；　which　indeed　I　should

have　better　managed　some　30。　or　40。　years　ago；　but　whose　easy　amble

is　still　sufficient　to　give　exercise　and　amusement　to　an　Octogenary

rider。　　This　is　the　establishment　of　an　University；　on　a　scale　more

comprehensive；　and　in　a　country　more　healthy　and　central　than　our　old

William　and　Mary；　which　these　obstacles　have　long　kept　in　a　state　of

languor　and　inefficiency。　　But　the　tardiness　with　which　such　works

proceed　may　render　it　doubtful　whether　I　shall　live　to　see　it　go　into

action。




　　　　　　　　Putting　aside　these　things　however　for　the　present；　I　write

this　letter　as　due　to　a　friendship　co…eval　with　our　government；　and

now　attempted　to　be　poisoned；　when　too　late　in　life　to　be　replaced　by

new　affections。　　I　had　for　some　time　observed；　in　the　public　papers；

dark　hints　and　mysterious　innuendoes　of　a　correspondence　of　yours

with　a　friend；　to　whom　you　had　opened　your　bosom　without　reserve；　and

which　was　to　be　made　public　by　that　friend；　or　his　representative。

And　now　it　is　said　to　be　actually　published。　　It　has　not　yet　reached

us；　but　extracts　have　been　given；　and　such　as　seemed　most　likely　to

draw　a　curtain　of　separation　between　you　and　myself。　　Were　there　no

other　motive　than　that　of　indignation　against　the　author　of　this

outrage　on　private　confidence；　whose　shaft　seems　to　have　been　aimed

at　yourself　more　particularly；　this　would　make　it　the　duty　of　every

honorable　mind　to　disappoint　that　aim；　by　opposing　to　it's　impression

a　seven…fold　shield　of　apathy　and　insensibility。　　With　me　however　no

such　armour　is　needed。　　The　circumstances　of　the　times；　in　which　we

have　happened　to　live；　and　the　partiality　of　our　friends；　at　a

particular　period；　placed　us　in　a　state　of　apparent　opposition；　which

some　might　suppose　to　be　personal　also；　and　there　might　not　be

wanting　those　who　wish'd　to　make　it　so；　by　filling　our　ears　with

malignant　falsehoods；　by　dressing　up　hideous　phantoms　of　their　own

creation；　presenting　them　to　you　under　my　name；　to　me　under　your's；

and　endeavoring　to　instill　into　our　minds　things　concerning　each

other　the　most　destitute　of　truth。　　And　if　there　had　been；　at　any

time；　a　moment　when　we　were　off　our　guard；　and　in　a　temper　to　let　the

whispers　of　these　people　make　us　forget　what　we　had　known　of　each

other　for　so　many　years；　and　years　of　so　much　trial；　yet　all　men　who

have　attended　to　the　workings　of　the　human　mind；　who　have　seen　the

false　colours　under　which　passion　sometimes　dresses　the　actions　and

motives　of　others；　have　seen　also　these　passions　subsiding　with　time

and　reflection；　dissipating；　like　mists　before　the　rising　sun；　and

restoring　to　us　the　sight　of　all　things　in　their　true　shape　and

colours。　　It　would　be　strange　indeed　if；　at　our　years；　we　were　to　go

an　age　back　to　hunt　up　imaginary；　or　forgotten　facts；　to　disturb　the

repose　of　affections　so　sweetening　to　the　evening　of　our　lives。　　Be

assured；　my　dear　Sir；　that　I　am　incapable　of　recieving