part12-第7章

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cultivate　their　love。　　As　to　their　fear；　we　presume　that　our　strength

and　their　weakness　is　now　so　visible　that　they　must　see　we　have　only

to　shut　our　hand　to　crush　them；　and　that　all　our　liberalities　to　them

proceed　from　motives　of　pure　humanity　only。　　Should　any　tribe　be

fool…hardy　enough　to　take　up　the　hatchet　at　any　time；　the　seizing　the

whole　country　of　that　tribe；　and　driving　them　across　the　Mississippi；

as　the　only　condition　of　peace；　would　be　an　example　to　others；　and　a

furtherance　of　our　final　consolidation。




　　　　　　　　Combined　with　these　views；　and　to　be　prepared　against　the

occupation　of　Louisiana　by　a　powerful　and　enterprising　people；　it　is

important　that；　setting　less　value　on　interior　extension　of　purchases

from　the　Indians；　we　bend　our　whole　views　to　the　purchase　and

settlement　of　the　country　on　the　Mississippi；　from　its　mouth　to　its

northern　regions；　that　we　may　be　able　to　present　as　strong　a　front　on

our　western　as　on　our　eastern　border；　and　plant　on　the　Mississippi

itself　the　means　of　its　own　defence。　　We　now　own　from　31　to　the

Yazoo；　and　hope　this　summer　to　purchase　what　belongs　to　the　Choctaws

from　the　Yazoo　up　to　their　boundary；　supposed　to　be　about　opposite

the　mouth　of　Acanza。　　We　wish　at　the　same　time　to　begin　in　your

quarter；　for　which　there　is　at　present　a　favorable　opening。　　The

Cahokias　extinct；　we　are　entitled　to　their　country　by　our　paramount

sovereignty。　　The　Piorias；　we　understand；　have　all　been　driven　off

from　their　country；　and　we　might　claim　it　in　the　same　way；　but　as　we

understand　there　is　one　chief　remaining；　who　would；　as　the　survivor

of　the　tribe；　sell　the　right；　it　is　better　to　give　him　such　terms　as

will　make　him　easy　for　life；　and　take　a　conveyance　from　him。　　The

Kaskaskias　being　reduced　to　a　few　families；　I　presume　we　may　purchase

their　whole　country　for　what　would　place　every　individual　of　them　at

his　ease；　and　be　a　small　price　to　us；　　say　by　laying　off　for　each

family；　whenever　they　would　choose　it；　as　much　rich　land　as　they

could　cultivate；　adjacent　to　each　other；　enclosing　the　whole　in　a

single　fence；　and　giving　them　such　an　annuity　in　money　or　goods

forever　as　would　place　them　in　happiness；　and　we　might　take　them　also

under　the　protection　of　the　United　States。　　Thus　possessed　of　the

rights　of　these　tribes；　we　should　proceed　to　the　settling　their

boundaries　with　the　Poutewatamies　and　Kickapoos；　claiming　all

doubtful　territory；　but　paying　them　a　price　for　the　relinquishment　of

their　concurrent　claim；　and　even　prevailing　on　them；　if　possible；　to

_cede_；　for　a　price；　such　of　their　own　unquestioned　territory　as

would　give　us　a　convenient　northern　boundary。　　Before　broaching　this；

and　while　we　are　bargaining　with　the　Kaskaskies；　the　minds　of　the

Poutewatamies　and　Kickapoos　should　be　soothed　and　conciliated　by

liberalities　and　sincere　assurances　of　friendship。　　Perhaps　by

sending　a　well…qualified　character　to　stay　some　time　in　Decoigne's

village；　as　if　on　other　business；　and　to　sound　him　and　introduce　the

subject　by　degrees　to　his　mind　and　that　of　the　other　heads　of

families；　inculcating　in　the　way　of　conversation；　all　those

considerations　which　prove　the　advantages　they　would　receive　by　a

cession　on　these　terms；　the　object　might　be　more　easily　and

effectually　obtained　than　by　abruptly　proposing　it　to　them　at　a

formal　treaty。　　Of　the　means；　however；　of　obtaining　what　we　wish；　you

will　be　the　best　judge；　and　I　have　given　you　this　view　of　the　system

which　we　suppose　will　best　promote　the　interests　of　the　Indians　and

ourselves；　and　finally　consolidate　our　whole　country　to　one　nation

only；　that　you　may　be　enabled　the　better　to　adapt　your　means　to　the

object；　for　this　purpose　we　have　given　you　a　general　commission　for

treating。　　The　crisis　is　pressing：　whatever　can　now　be　obtained　must

be　obtained　quickly。　　The　occupation　of　New　Orleans；　hourly　expected；

by　the　French；　is　already　felt　like　a　light　breeze　by　the　Indians。

You　know　the　sentiments　they　entertain　of　that　nation；　under　the　hope

of　their　protection　they　will　immediately　stiffen　against　cessions　of

lands　to　us。　　We　had　better；　therefore；　do　at　once　what　can　now　be

done。




　　　　　　　　I　must　repeat　that　this　letter　is　to　be　considered　as　private

and　friendly；　and　is　not　to　control　any　particular　instructions　which

you　may　receive　through　official　channel。　　You　will　also　perceive　how

sacredly　it　must　be　kept　within　your　own　breast；　and　especially　how

improper　to　be　understood　by　the　Indians。　　For　their　interests　and

their　tranquillity　it　is　best　they　should　see　only　the　present　age　of

their　history。　　I　pray　you　to　accept　assurances　of　my　esteem　and　high

consideration。







　　　　　　　　JESUS；　SOCRATES；　AND　OTHERS




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Joseph　Priestley_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Apr。　9；　1803_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　While　on　a　short　visit　lately　to　Monticello；　I

received　from　you　a　copy　of　your　comparative　view　of　Socrates　&

Jesus；　and　I　avail　myself　of　the　first　moment　of　leisure　after　my

return　to　acknolege　the　pleasure　I　had　in　the　perusal　of　it；　and　the

desire　it　excited　to　see　you　take　up　the　subject　on　a　more　extensive

scale。　　In　consequence　of　some　conversation　with　Dr。　Rush；　in　the

year　1798…99；　I　had　promised　some　day　to　write　him　a　letter　giving

him　my　view　of　the　Christian　system。　　I　have　reflected　often　on　it

since；　&　even　sketched　the　outlines　in　my　own　mind。　　I　should　first

take　a　general　view　of　the　moral　doctrines　of　the　most　remarkable　of

the　antient　philosophers；　of　whose　ethics　we　have　sufficient

information　to　make　an　estimate；　say　of　Pythagoras；　Epicurus；

Epictetus；　Socrates；　Cicero；　Seneca；　Antoninus。　　I　should　do　justice

to　the　branches　of　morality　they　have　treated　well；　but　point　out　the

importance　of　those　in　which　they　are　deficient。　　I　should　then　take

a　view　of　the　deism　and　ethics　of　the　Jews；　and　show　in　what　a

degraded　state　they　were；　and　the　necessity　they　presented　of　a

reformation。　　I　should　proceed　to　a　view　of　the　life；　character；　&

doctrines　of　Jesus；　who　sensible　of　incorrectness　of　their　ideas　of

the　Deity；　and　of　morality；　endeavored　to　bring　them　to　the

principles　of　a　pure　deism；　and　juster　notions　of　the　attributes　of

God；　to　reform　their　moral　doctrines　to　the　standard　of　reason；

justice　&　philanthropy；　and　to　inculcate　the　belief　of　a　future

state。　　This　view　would　purposely　omit　the　question　of　his　divinity；

&　even　his　inspiration。　　To　do　him　justice；　it　would　be　necessary　to

remark　the　disadvantages　his　doctrines　have　to　encounter；　not　having

been　committed　to　writing　by　himself；　but　by　the　most　unlettered　of

men；　by　memory；　long　after　they　had　heard　them　from　him；　when　much

was　forgotten；　much　misunderstood；　&　presented　in　very　paradoxical

shapes。　　Yet　such　are　the　fragments　remaining　as　to　show　a　master

workman；　and　that　his　system　of　morality　was　the　most　benevolent　&

sublime　probably　that　has　been　ever　taught；　and　consequently　more

perfect　than　those　of　any　of　the　antient　philosophers。　　His　character

&　doctrines　have　received　still　greater　injury　from　those　who　pretend

to　be　his　special　disciples；　and　who　have　disfigured　and

sophisticated　his　actions　&　precepts；　from　views　of　personal

interest；　so　as　to　induce　the　unthinking　part　of　mankind　to　throw　off

the　whole　system　in　disgust；　and　to　pass　sentence　as　an　impostor　on

the　most　innocent；　the　most　benevolent；　the　most　eloquent　and　sublime

character　that　ever　has　been　exhibited　to　man。　　This　is　the　outline；

but　I　have　not　the　time；　&　still　less　the　information　which　the

subject　needs。　　It　will　therefore　rest　with　me　in　contemplation　only。

You　are　the　person　who　of　all　others　would　do　it　best；　and　most

promptly。　　You　have　all　the　materials　at　hand；　and　you　put　together

with　ease。　　I　wish　you　could　be　induced　to　extend　your　late　work　to

the　whole　subject。　　I　have　not　heard　particularly　what　is　the　state

of　your　health；　but　as　it　has　been　equal　to　the　journey　to

Philadelphia；　perhaps　it　might　encourage　the　curiosity　you　must　feel

to　see　for　once　this　place；　which　nature　has　formed　on　a　beautiful

scale；　and　circumstances　destine　for　a　great　one。　　As　yet　we　are　but

a　cluster　of　villages；　we　cannot　offer　you　the　learned　society　of

Philadelphia；　but　you　will　have　that　of　a　few　characters　whom　you

esteem；　&　a　bed　&　hearty　welcome　with　one　who　will　rejoice　in　every

opportunity　of　testifying　to　you　his　high　veneration　&　affectionate

attachment。







　　　　　　　　THE　MORALS　OF　JESUS




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Benjamin　Rush；　with　a　Syllabus_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Apr。　21；　1803_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　In　some　of　the　delightful　conversations　with　you；

in　the　evenings　of　1798…99；　and　which　served　as　an　anodyne　to　the

afflictions　of　the　crisis　through　which　our　country　was　then

laboring；　the　Christian　religion　was　sometimes　our　topic；　and　I　then

promised　you；　that　one　day　or　other；　I　would　give　you　my　views　of　it。

They　are　the　result　of　a　life　of　inquiry　&　reflection；　and　very

different　from　that　anti…Christian　system　imputed　to　me　by　those　who

know　nothing　ofmy　opinions。　　To　the　corruptions　of　Christianity　I　am

indeed　opposed；　but　not　to　the　genuine　precepts　of　Jesus　himself。　　I

am　a　Christian；　in　the　only　sense　he　wished　any　one　to　be；　sincerely

attached　to　his　doctrines；　in　preference　to　all　others；　ascribing　to

himself　every　_human_　excellence；　&　believing　he　never　claimed　any

other。　　At　the　short　intervals　since　these　conversations；　when　I

could　justifiably　abstract　my　mind　from　public　affairs；　the　subject

has　been　under　my　contemplation。　　But　the　more　I　considered　it；　the

more　it　expanded　beyond　the　measure　of　either　my　time　or　information。

In　the　moment　of　my　late　departure　from　Monticello；　I　received　from

Doctr　Priestley；　his　little　treatise　of　〃Socrates　&　Jesus　compared。〃

This　being　a　section　of　the　general　view　I　had　taken　of　the　field；　it

became　a　subject　of　reflection　while　on　the　road；　and　unoccupied

otherwise。　　The　result　was；　to　arrange　in　my　mind　a　syllabus；　or

outline　of　such　an　estimate　of　the　comparative　merits　of

Christianity；　as　I　wished　to　see　executed　by　some　one　of　more　leisure

and　information　for　the　task；　than　myself。　　This　I　now　send　you；　as

the　only　discharge　of　my　promise　I　can　probably　ever　execute。　　And　in

confiding　it　to　you；　I　know　it　will　not　be　exposed　to　the　malignant

perversions　of　those　who　make　every　word　from　me　a　text　for　new

misrepresentations　&　calumnies。　　I　am　moreover　averse　to　the

communication　of　my　religious　tenets　to　the　public；　because　it　would

countenance　the　presumption　of　those　who　have　endeavored　to　draw　them

before　that　tribunal；　and　to　seduce　public　opinion　to　erect　itself

into　that　inquisition　over　the　rights　of　conscience；　which　the　laws

have　so　justly　proscribed。　　It　behoves　every　man　who　values　liberty

of　conscience　for　himself；　to　resist　invasions　of　it　in　the　case　of

others；　or　their　case　may；　by　change　of　circumstances；