publicfunds,andtherebyplacingourpublicfinancesundertheircontrol;thattheyhaveintheiralliancethemostinfluentialcharactersin&outofoffice;whentheyhaveshewnthatbyallthesebearingsonthedifferentbranchesofthegovernment,theycanforceittoproceedinwhateverdirectiontheydictate,andbendtheinterestsofthiscountryentirelytothewillofanother;whenallthis,Isay,isattendedto,itisimpossibleforustosaywestandonindependentground,impossibleforafreemindnottosee&togroanunderthebondageinwhichitisbound。Ifanythingafterthiscouldexcitesurprise,itwouldbethattheyhavebeenablesofartothrowdustintheeyesofourowncitizens,astofixonthosewhowishmerelytorecoverself-governmentthechargeofsubservingoneforeigninfluence,becausetheyresistsubmissiontoanother。Buttheypossessourprintingpresses,apowerfulengineintheirgovernmentofus。Atthisverymoment,theywouldhavedrawnusintoawaronthesideofEngland,haditnotbeenforthefailureofherbank。Suchwastheiropen&loudcry,&thatoftheirgazettestillthisevent。AfterplungingusinallthebroilsoftheEuropeannations,therewouldremainbutoneacttocloseourtragedy,thatis,tobreakupourUnion;andeventhistheyhaveventuredseriously&solemnlytopropose&maintainbyargumentsinaConnecticutpaper。
Ihavebeenhappy,however,inbelieving,fromthestiflingofthiseffort,thatthatdosewasfoundtoostrong,&excitedasmuchrepugnancethereasitdidhorrorinotherpartsofourcountry,&
thatwhateverfollieswemaybeledintoastoforeignnations,weshallnevergiveupourUnion,thelastanchorofourhope,&thatalonewhichistopreventthisheavenlycountryfrombecominganarenaofgladiators。MuchasIabhorwar,andviewitasthegreatestscourgeofmankind,andanxiouslyasIwishtokeepoutofthebroilsofEurope,Iwouldyetgowithmybrethrenintothese,ratherthanseparatefromthem。ButIhopewemaystillkeepclearofthem,notwithstandingourpresentthraldom,&thattimemaybegivenustoreflectontheawfulcrisiswehavepassedthrough,andtofindsomemeansofshieldingourselvesinfuturefromforeigninfluence,political,commercial,orinwhateverotherformitmaybeattempted。IcanscarcelywithholdmyselffromjoininginthewishofSilasDeane,thattherewereanoceanoffirebetweenus&theoldworld。
Aperfectconfidencethatyouareasmuchattachedtopeace&
unionasmyself,thatyouequallyprizeindependenceofallnations,andtheblessingsofself-government,hasinducedmefreelytounbosommyselftoyou,andletyouseethelightinwhichIhaveviewedwhathasbeenpassingamongusfromthebeginningofthewar。
AndIshallbehappy,atalltimes,inanintercommunicationofsentimentswithyou,believingthatthedispositionsofthedifferentpartsofourcountryhavebeenconsiderablymisrepresented&
misunderstoodineachpart,astotheother,andthatnothingbutgoodcanresultfromanexchangeofinformation&opinionsbetweenthosewhosecircumstances&moralsadmitnodoubtoftheintegrityoftheirviews。
Iremain,withconstantandsincereesteem,DearSir,youraffectionatefriendandservant。
PEACEANDCOMMERCE
_ToThomasPinckney_
_Philadelphia,May29,1797_
DEARSIR,——Ireceivedfromyou,beforeyouleftEngland,aletterenclosingonefromthePrinceofParma。AsIlearntsoonafterthatyouwereshortlytoreturntoAmerica,Iconcludedtojoinmyacknolegmentsofittomycongratulationsonyourarrival;&bothhavebeendelayedbyablameablespiritofprocrastination,foreversuggestingtoourindolencethatweneednotdoto-daywhatmaybedoneto-morrow。Acceptthesenowinallthesincerityofmyheart。
ItisbutlatelyIhaveansweredthePrince’sletter。Itrequiredsometimetoestablisharrangementswhichmighteffecthispurpose,&
Iwishedalsotoforwardaparticulararticleortwoofcuriosity。
Youhavefoundonyourreturnahigherstyleofpoliticaldifferencethanyouhadlefthere。Ifearthisisinseparablefromthedifferentconstitutionsofthehumanmind,&thatdegreeoffreedomwhichpermitsunrestrainedexpression。Politicaldissensionisdoubtlessalessevilthanthelethargyofdespotism,butstillitisagreatevil,anditwouldbeasworthytheeffortsofthepatriotasofthephilosopher,toexcludeit’sinfluence,ifpossible,fromsociallife。Thegoodarerareenoughatbest。Thereisnoreasontosubdividethembyartificiallines。Butwhetherweshalleverbeablesofartoperfecttheprinciplesofsociety,asthatpoliticalopinionsshall,init’sintercourse,beasinoffensiveasthoseofphilosophy,mechanics,oranyother,maywellbedoubted。Foreigninfluenceisthepresent&justobjectofpublichueandcry,&——,asoftenhappens,themostguiltyareforemost&loudestinthecry。
Ifthosewhoaretrulyindependent,cansotrimourvesselsastobeatthroughthewavesnowagitatingus,theywillmeritaglorythegreaterasitseemslesspossible。WhenIcontemplatethespiritwhichisdrivingusonhere,&thatbeyondthewaterwhichwillviewusasbutamouthfulthemore,Ihavelittlehopeofpeace。I
anticipatetheburningofourseaports,havocofourfrontiers,householdinsurgency,withalongtrainofetceteras,whichisenoughforamantohavemetonceinhislife。Theexchange,whichistogiveusnewneighborsinLouisianaprobablythepresentFrencharmieswhendisbandedhasopenedustocombinationsofenemiesonthatsidewherewearemostvulnerable。Warisnotthebestengineforustoresortto,naturehasgivenusone_inourcommerce_,which,ifproperlymanaged,willbeabetterinstrumentforobligingtheinterestednationsofEuropetotreatuswithjustice。Ifthecommercialregulationshadbeenadoptedwhichourlegislaturewereatonetimeproposing,weshouldatthismomenthavebeenstandingonsuchaneminenceofsafety&respectasagescanneverrecover。Buthavingwanderedfromthat,ourobjectshouldnowbetogetback,withaslittlelossaspossible,&whenpeaceshallberestoredtotheworld,endeavorsotoformour_commercial_regulationsasthatjusticefromothernationsshallbetheirmechanicalresult。IamhappytoassureyouthattheconductofGen’l。Pinckneyhasmetuniversalapprobation。Itwasmarkedwiththatcoolness,dignity,&
goodsensewhichweexpectedfromhim。IamtoldthattheFrenchgovernmenthadtakenupanunhappyidea,thatMonroewasrecalledforthecandorofhisconductinwhatrelatedtotheBritishtreaty,&
Gen’l。Pinckneywassentashavingotherdispositionstowardsthem。
Ilearnfurther,thatsomeoftheirwell-informedcitizensherearesettingthemrightastoGenl。Pinckney’sdispositions,sowellknowntohavebeenjusttowardsthem;&Isincerelyhope,notonlythathemaybeemployedasenvoyextraordinarytothem,butthattheirmindswillbebetterpreparedtoreceivehim。Icandidlyacknolege,however,thatIdonotthinkthespeech&addressesofCongressasconciliatoryastheprecedingirritationsonbothsideswouldhaverenderedwise。Ishallbehappytohearfromyouatalltimes,tomakemyselfusefultoyouwheneveropportunityoffers,andtogiveeveryproofofthesincerityofthesentimentsofesteem&
respectwithwhichIam,DearSir,yourmostobedientandmosthumbleservant。
DOMESTICAFFECTIONS
_ToMarthaJeffersonRandolph_
_Philadelphia,June8,1797_
MYDEARMARTHA——YoursofMay20cametohandthe1st。inst。I
imagineyourecievedmineofMay18。aboutsixdaysafterthedateofyours。Itwaswrittenthefirstpostdayaftermyarrivalhere。ThecommissionyouinclosedforMariaisexecuted,andthethingsareinthecareofMr。BoyceofRichmond,whoisreturningfromhencewithsomegoodsofhisown,andwilldeliverthemtoMr。Johnston。I
recievewithinexpressiblepleasuretheinformationyourlettercontained。Afteryourownhappyestablishment,whichhasgivenmeaninestimablefriendtowhomIcanleavethecareofeverythingI
love,theonlyanxietyIhadremainingwastoseeMariaalsosoasociatedastoensureherhappiness。Shecouldnothavebeenmoresotomywishes,ifIhadhadthewholeearthfreetohavechosenapartnerforher。Inowseeourfiresideformedintoagroupe,noonememberofwhichhasafibreintheircompositionwhichcaneverproduceanyjarringorjealousiesamongus。Noirregularpassions,nodangerousbias,whichmayrenderproblematicalthefuturefortunesandhappinessofourdescendants。Wearequietedastotheirconditionforatleastonegenerationmore。Inordertokeepusalltogether,insteadofapresentprovisioninBedford,asinyourcase,IthinktoopenandresettletheplantationofPantopsforthem。
WhenIlooktotheineffablepleasuresofmyfamilysociety,Ibecomemoreandmoredisgustedwiththejealousies,thehatred,andtherancorousandmalignantpassionsofthisscene,andlamentmyhavingeveragainbeendrawnintopublicview。Tranquilityisnowmyobject。Ihaveseenenoughofpoliticalhonorstoknowthattheyarebutsplendidtorments:andhoweveronemightbedisposedtorenderservicesonwhichanyoftheirfellowcitizensshouldsetavalue;
yetwhenasmanywoulddeprecatethemasapubliccalamity,onemaywellentertainamodestdoubtoftheirrealimportance,andfeeltheimpulseofdutytobeveryweak。Therealdifficultyisthatbeingoncedeliveredintothehandsofothers,whosefeelingsarefriendlytotheindividualandwarmtothepubliccause,howtowithdrawfromthemwithoutleavingadissatisfactionintheirmind,andanimpressionofpusillanimitywiththepublic。
Congress,inallprobabilitywillriseonSaturdaythe17th。
inst。thedayafteryouwillrecievethis。IshallleavePhiladelphiaMondaythe19th。passadayatGeorgetownandadayatFredericksburg,atwhichplaceIwishmy_chair_andhorsestobeSundayeveningthe25th。OfcoursetheymustsetoutSaturdaymorningthe24th。Thisgivesmethechanceofanotherpost,asyouwill,theeveningbeforethat,recievebythepostaletterofaweeklaterdatethanthis,sothatifanythingshouldhappenwithinaweektodelaytherisingofCongress,Imaystillnotifyitandchangethetimeofthedepartureofmyhorses。JupitermustpursuetheroutbyNoel’stowhichhewillcomethefirstday,andbyChew’stoFredericksburgthenext。Ifixhisroutbecausewereanyaccidenttogetmealongearlier,orhimlater,wemightmeetontheroad。
NotyetinformedthatMr。RandolphisreturnedIhavethoughtitsafesttocommitthisarticletomylettertoyou。ThenewsofthedayIshallwritetohim。MywarmestlovetoyourselfandMaria。
Adieuaffectionately。
PATIENCEANDTHEREIGNOFWITCHES
_ToJohnTaylor_
_Philadelphia,June4,1798_
InowincloseyouMr。Martin’spatent。Apatenthadactuallybeenmadeoutonthefirstdescription,andhowtogetthissuppressedandanothermadeforasecondinvention,withoutasecondfee,wasthedifficulty。Ipractisedalittleartinacasewherehonestywasreallyonourside,¬hingagainstusbuttherigorousletterofthelaw,andhavingobtainedthe1stspecificationandgotthe2dputinitsplace,asecondpatenthasbeenformed,whichInowinclosewiththefirstspecification。
Ipromisedyou,longago,adescriptionofamouldboard。I
nowsendit;itisapresscopy&thereforedim。Itwillbelesssobyputtingasheetofwhitepaperbehindtheoneyouarereading。I
wouldrecommendtoyoufirsttohaveamodelmadeofabout3i。tothefoot,or1/4therealdimensions,andtohavetwoblocks,the1’stofwhich,aftertakingoutthepyramidalpiece&sawingitcrosswiseabove&below,shouldbepreservedinthatformtoinstructworkmeninmakingthelarge&realone。The2’dblockmaybecarriedthroughalltheoperations,soastopresenttheformofthemouldboardcomplete。IfIhadanopportunityofsendingyouamodelI
woulddoit。Ithasbeengreatlyapprovedhere,asithasbeenbeforebysomeverygoodjudgesatmyhouse,whereIhaveuseditfor5yearswithentireapprobation。
Mr。Newshewedmeyourletteronthesubjectofthepatent,whichgavemeanopportunityofobservingwhatyousaidastotheeffectwithyouofpublicproceedings,andthatitwasnotunusualnowtoestimatetheseparatemassofVirginiaandN。Carolinawithaviewtotheirseparateexistence。ItistruethatwearecompleatlyunderthesaddleofMassachusets&Connecticut,andthattheyrideusveryhard,cruellyinsultingourfeelingsaswellasexhaustingourstrengthandsubstance。Theirnaturalfriends,thethreeothereasternStates,jointhemfromasortoffamilypride,andtheyhavethearttodividecertainotherpartsoftheUnionsoastomakeuseofthemtogovernthewhole。Thisisnotnew。Itistheoldpracticeofdespotstouseapartofthepeopletokeeptherestinorder,andthosewhohaveoncegotanascendencyandpossessedthemselvesofalltheresourcesofthenation,theirrevenuesandoffices,haveimmensemeansforretainingtheiradvantages。Butourpresentsituationisnotanaturalone。ThebodyofourcountrymenissubstantiallyrepublicanthrougheverypartoftheUnion。Itwastheirresistableinfluence&popularityofGen’1Washington,playedoffbythecunningofHamilton,whichturnedthegovernmentovertoanti-republicanhands,orturnedtherepublicanmembers,chosenbythepeople,intoanti-republicans。Hedelivereditovertohissuccessorinthisstate,andveryuntowardevents,sinceimprovedwithgreatartifice,haveproducedonthepublicmindtheimpressionwesee;butstill,Irepeatit,thisisnotthenaturalstate。Timealonewouldbringroundanorderofthingsmorecorrespondenttothesentimentsofourconstituents;butaretherenoteventsimpendingwhichwilldoitwithinafewmonths?TheinvasionofEngland,thepublicandauthenticavowalofsentimentshostiletotheleadingprinciplesofourConstitution,theprospectofawarinwhichweshallstandalone,land-tax,stamp-tax,increaseofpublicdebt,&c。
Bethisasitmay,ineveryfree&deliberatingsocietytheremust,fromthenatureofman,beoppositeparties&violentdissensions&
discords;andoneofthese,forthemostpart,mustprevailovertheotherforalongerorshortertime。Perhapsthispartydivisionisnecessarytoinduceeachtowatch&delatetothepeopletheproceedingsoftheother。Butifonatemporarysuperiorityoftheoneparty,theotheristoresorttoascissionoftheUnion,nofederalgovernmentcaneverexist。IftoridourselvesofthepresentruleofMassachusets&ConnecticutwebreaktheUnion,willtheevilstopthere?SupposetheN。EnglandStatesalonecutoff,willournaturesbechanged?arewenotmenstilltothesouthofthat,&withallthepassionsofmen?ImmediatelyweshallseeaPennsylvania&aVirginiapartyariseintheresiduaryconfederacy,andthepublicmindwillbedistractedwiththesamepartyspirit。
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