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第71章

  engagedhimtoinquireforthis;hewastherejustaftertheharvest,procuredandsentmeathirty-galloncaskofit。Itarrivedintimetheensuingspringtobesown。IdivideditbetweentheAgriculturalSocietyofCharlestonandsomeprivategentlemenofGeorgia,recommendingittotheircare,inthehopewhichhadinducedmetoendeavortoobtainit,thatifitansweredaswellastheswamprice,itmightridthemofthatsourceoftheirsummerdiseases。NothingcameofthetrialsinSouthCarolina,butbeingcarriedintotheupperhillypartsofGeorgia,itsucceededthereperfectly,hasspreadoverthecountry,andisnowcommonlycultivated;still,however,forfamilyusechiefly,astheycannotmakeitforsaleincompetitionwiththericeoftheswamps。Theformerpartofthesedetailsiswrittenfrommemory,thepapersbeingatMonticellowhichwouldenablemetoparticularizeexactlythedatesoftimesandplaces。ThelatterpartisfromthelateMr。Baldwin,oneofthosewhomIengagedinthedistributionoftheseedinGeorgia,andwhoinhisannualattendanceonCongress,gavemefromtimetotimethehistoryofitsprogress。IthasgotfromGeorgiaintoKentucky,whereitiscultivatedbymanyindividualsforfamilyuse。I
  cultivatedittwoorthreeyearsatMonticello,andhadgoodcrops,asdidmyneighbors,butnothavingconveniencesforhuskingit,wedeclinedit。Itriedsomeofitinapot,whileIlivedinPhiladelphia,andgaveseedtoMr。Bartram。Itproducedluxuriantplantswithusboth,butnoseed;nordoIbelieveitwillripenintheUnitedStatesasfarnorthasPhiladelphia。BusinessandanindispositionofsomedaysmustapologizeforthisdelayinansweringyourletterofOctober24th,whichIdidnotreceivetillthe6thofNovember。Andpermitmeheretoaddmysalutationsandassurancesofesteemandrespect。”LASTTRIALFORPEACE”
  _ToJamesMonroe_
  _Washington,January28,1809_
  DEARSIR,——Yourfavorofthe18thwasreceivedinduetime,andtheanswerhasbeendelayedaswellbyapressureofbusiness,asbytheexpectationofyourabsencefromRichmond。
  TheideaofsendingaspecialmissiontoFranceorEnglandisnotentertainedatallhere。Aftersolittleattentiontousfromtheformer,andsoinsultingananswerfromCanning,suchamarkofrespectasanextraordinarymission,wouldbeadegradationagainstwhichallmindsrevolthere。TheideawashazardedintheHouseofRepresentativesafewdaysago,byamember,andanapprobationexpressedbyanother,butrejectedindignantlybyeveryotherpersonwhospoke,andverygenerallyinconversationbyallothers;andIamsatisfiedsuchapropositionwouldgetnovoteintheSenate。ThecoursetheLegislaturemeanstopursue,maybeinferredfromtheactnowpassedforameetinginMay,andapropositionbeforethemforrepealingtheembargoinJune,andthenresumingandmaintainingbyforceourrightofnavigation。Therewillbeconsiderableoppositiontothislastproposition,notonlyfromthefederalists,oldandnew,whoopposeeverything,butfromsoundmembersofthemajority。Yetitisbelieveditwillobtainagoodmajority,andthatitistheonlypropositionwhichcanbedevisedthatcouldobtainamajorityofanykind。Finalpropositionswill,therefore,besoondespatchedtoboththebelligerentsthroughtheresidentministers,sothattheiranswerswillbereceivedbeforethemeetinginMay,andwilldecidewhatistobedone。Thislasttrialforpeaceisnotthoughtdesperate。If,asisexpected,BonaparteshouldbesuccessfulinSpain,howevereveryvirtuousandliberalsentimentrevoltsatit,itmayinducebothpowerstobemoreaccommodatingwithus。Englandwillseeheretheonlyasylumforhercommerceandmanufactures,worthmoretoherthanherordersofcouncil。AndBonaparte,havingSpainathisfeet,willlookimmediatelytotheSpanishcolonies,andthinkourneutralitycheaplypurchasedbyarepealoftheillegalpartsofhisdecrees,withperhapstheFloridasthrownintothebargain。ShouldachangeintheaspectofaffairsinEuropeproducethisdispositioninbothpowers,ourpeaceandprosperitymayberevivedandlongcontinue。Otherwise,wemustagaintakethetentedfield,aswedidin1776undermoreinauspiciouscircumstances。
  Thereneverhasbeenasituationoftheworldbefore,inwhichsuchendeavorsaswehavemadewouldnothavesecuredourpeace。Itisprobablethereneverwillbesuchanother。Ifwegotowarnow,I
  fearwemayrenounceforeverthehopeofseeinganendofournationaldebt。Ifwecankeepatpeaceeightyearslonger,ourincome,liberatedfromdebt,willbeadequatetoanywar,withoutnewtaxesorloans,andourpositionandincreasingstrengthputus_horsd’insulte_fromanynation。Iamnowsonearthemomentofretiring,thatItakenopartinaffairsbeyondtheexpressionofanopinion。
  Ithinkitfairthatmysuccessorshouldnoworiginatethosemeasuresofwhichhewillbechargedwiththeexecutionandresponsibility,andthatitismydutytoclothethemwiththeformsofauthority。
  FiveweeksmorewillrelievemefromadrudgerytowhichIamnolongerequal,andrestoremetoasceneoftranquillity,amidstmyfamilyandfriends,morecongenialtomyageandnaturalinclinations。Inthatsituation,itwillalwaysbeapleasuretometoseeyou,andtorepeattoyoutheassurancesofmyconstantfriendshipandrespect。
  THEREPUBLICOFSCIENCE
  _ToJohnHollins_
  _Washington,February19,1809_
  DEARSIR,——Alittletransactionofmine,asinnocentanoneasIeverenteredinto,andwhereanimproperconstructionwasneverlessexpected,ismakingsomenoise,Iobserve,inyourcity。Ibegleavetoexplainittoyou,becauseImeantoaskyouragencyinit。
  Thelastyear,theAgriculturalSocietyofParis,ofwhichIamamember,havinghadaploughpresentedtothem,which,ontrialwithagraduatedinstrument,didequalworkwithhalftheforceoftheirbestploughs,theythoughtitwouldbeabenefittomankindtocommunicateit。Theyaccordinglysentonetome,withaviewtoitsbeingmadeknownhere,andtheysentonetotheDukeofBedfordalso,whoisoneoftheirmembers,tobemadeuseofforEngland,althoughthetwonationswerethenatwar。BytheMentor,nowgoingtoFrance,IhavegivenpermissiontotwoindividualsinDelawareandNewYork,toimporttwoparcelsofMerinosheepfromFrance,whichtheyhaveprocuredthere,andtosomegentlemeninBoston,toimportaveryvaluablemachinewhichspinscotton,woolandflaxequally。
  Thelastspring,theSocietyinformedmetheywerecultivatingthecottonoftheLevantandotherpartsoftheMediterranean,andwishedtotryalsothatofoursouthernStates。Iimmediatelygotafriendtohavetwotiercesofseedforwardedtome。TheywereconsignedtoMessrs。FallsandBrownofBaltimore,andnoticeofitbeinggivenme,Iimmediatelywrotetothemtore-shipthemtoNewYork,tobesentbytheMentor。Theirfirstobjectwastomakeashowofmyletter,assomethingverycriminal,andtocarrythesubjectintothenewspapers。Ihad,onalikerequest,sometimeago,butbeforetheembargofromthePresidentoftheBoardofAgricultureofLondon,ofwhichIamalsoamember,tosendthemsomeofthegenuineMaywheatofVirginia,forwardedtothemtwoorthreebarrelsofit。GeneralWashington,inhistime,receivedfromthesameSocietytheseedoftheperennialsuccory,whichArthurYounghadcarriedoverfromFrancetoEngland,andIhavesincereceivedfromamemberofittheseedofthefamousturnipofSweden,nowsowellknownhere。I
  mentionthesethings,toshewthenatureofthecorrespondencewhichiscarriedonbetweensocietiesinstitutedforthebenevolentpurposeofcommunicatingtoallpartsoftheworldwhateverusefulisdiscoveredinanyoneofthem。Thesesocietiesarealwaysinpeace,howevertheirnationsmaybeatwar。Liketherepublicofletters,theyformagreatfraternityspreadingoverthewholeearth,andtheircorrespondenceisneverinterruptedbyanycivilizednation。
  Vaccinationhasbeenalateandremarkableinstanceoftheliberaldiffusionofablessingnewlydiscovered。Itisreallypainful,itismortifying,tobeobligedtonotethesethings,whichareknowntoeveryonewhoknowsanything,andfeltwithapprobationbyeveryonewhohasanyfeeling。Butwehaveafactiontowhosehostilepassionsthetortureevenofrightintowrongisadeliciousgratification。
  TheirmaliceIhavelonglearnedtodisregard,theircensuretodeempraise。ButIobserve,thatsomerepublicansarenotsatisfiedevenwhilewearereceivingliberallyfromothersthatthissmallreturnshouldbemade。Theywillthinkmorejustlyatanotherday:butinthemeantime,Iwishtoavoidoffence。Myprayertoyou,therefore,is,thatyouwillbesogood,undertheinclosedorder,astoreceivethesetwotiercesofseedfromFallsandBrown,andpaythemtheirdisbursementsforfreight,&c。whichIwillimmediatelyremityouonknowingtheamount。Oftheseed,whenreceived,besogoodastomakemanureforyourgarden。Whenrottedwithaduemixtureofstablemanureorearth,itisthebestintheworld。Irelyonyourfriendshiptoexcusethistrouble,itbeingnecessaryIshouldnotcommitmyselfagaintopersonsofwhosehonor,orthewantofit,I
  knownothing。
  Accepttheassurancesofmyconstantesteemandrespect。
  THENEGRORACE
  _ToHenriGregoire_
  _Washington,February25,1809_
  SIR,——IhavereceivedthefavorofyourletterofAugust17th,andwithitthevolumeyouweresokindastosendmeonthe”LiteratureofNegroes。”BeassuredthatnopersonlivingwishesmoresincerelythanIdo,toseeacompleterefutationofthedoubtsI
  havemyselfentertainedandexpressedonthegradeofunderstandingallottedtothembynature,andtofindthatinthisrespecttheyareonaparwithourselves。MydoubtsweretheresultofpersonalobservationonthelimitedsphereofmyownState,wheretheopportunitiesforthedevelopmentoftheirgeniuswerenotfavorable,andthoseofexercisingitstilllessso。Iexpressedthemthereforewithgreathesitation;butwhateverbetheirdegreeoftalentitisnomeasureoftheirrights。BecauseSirIsaacNewtonwassuperiortoothersinunderstanding,hewasnotthereforelordofthepersonorpropertyofothers。Onthissubjecttheyaregainingdailyintheopinionsofnations,andhopefuladvancesaremakingtowardstheirre-establishmentonanequalfootingwiththeothercolorsofthehumanfamily。Iprayyouthereforetoacceptmythanksforthemanyinstancesyouhaveenabledmetoobserveofrespectableintelligenceinthatraceofmen,whichcannotfailtohaveeffectinhasteningthedayoftheirrelief;andtobeassuredofthesentimentsofhighandjustesteemandconsiderationwhichItendertoyourselfwithallsincerity。”APRISONER,RELEASEDFROMHISCHAINS”
  _ToP。S。DupontdeNemours_
  _Washington,March2,1809_
  DEARSIR,——MylasttoyouwasofMaythe2nd;sincewhichI
  havereceivedyoursofMaythe25th,Junethe1st,Julythe23rd,24th,andSeptemberthe5th,anddistributedthetwopamphletsaccordingtoyourdesire。Theyarereadwiththedelightwhicheverythingfromyourpengives。
  AfterusingeveryeffortwhichcouldpreventordelayourbeingentangledinthewarofEurope,thatseemsnowouronlyresource。
  Theedictsofthetwobelligerents,forbiddingustobeseenontheocean,wemetbyanembargo。Thisgaveustimetocallhomeourseamen,shipsandproperty,tolevymenandputourseaportsintoacertainstateofdefence。Wehavenowtakenofftheembargo,exceptastoFranceandEnglandandtheirterritories,becausefiftymillionsofexports,annuallysacrificed,arethetrebleofwhatwarwouldcostus;besides,thatbywarweshouldtakesomething,andloselessthanatpresent。Buttogiveyouatruedescriptionofthestateofthingshere,ImustreferyoutoMr。Coles,thebearerofthis,mysecretary,amostworthy,intelligentandwellinformedyoungman,whomIrecommendtoyournotice,andconversationonouraffairs。Hisdiscretionandfidelitymaybereliedon。IexpecthewillfindyouwithSpainatyourfeet,butEnglandstillafloat,andabarriertotheSpanishcolonies。ButalltheseconcernsIamnowleavingtobesettledbymyfriendMr。Madison。WithinafewdaysI
  retiretomyfamily,mybooksandfarms;andhavinggainedtheharbormyself,Ishalllookonmyfriendsstillbuffetingthestorm,withanxietyindeed,butnotwithenvy。Neverdidaprisoner,releasedfromhischains,feelsuchreliefasIshallonshakingofftheshacklesofpower。Natureintendedmeforthetranquilpursuitsofscience,byrenderingthemmysupremedelight。ButtheenormitiesofthetimesinwhichIhavelived,haveforcedmetotakeapartinresistingthem,andtocommitmyselfontheboisterousoceanofpoliticalpassions。IthankGodfortheopportunityofretiringfromthemwithoutcensure,andcarryingwithmethemostconsolingproofsofpublicapprobation。Ileaveeverythinginthehandsofmensoabletotakecareofthem,thatifwearedestinedtomeetmisfortunes,itwillbebecausenohumanwisdomcouldavertthem。
  ShouldyoureturntotheUnitedStates,perhapsyourcuriositymayleadyoutovisitthehermitofMonticello。Hewillreceiveyouwithaffectionanddelight;hailingyouinthemeantimewithhisaffectionatesalutations,andassurancesofconstantesteemandrespect。
  P。S。Ifyoureturntous,bringacoupleofpairoftrue-bredshepherd’sdogs。Youwilladdavaluablepossessiontoacountrynowbeginningtopaygreatattentiontotheraisingsheep。
  APARTINGBLESSING
  _ToMrs。SamuelH。Smith_
  _Washington,Mar。6,1809_