Ireceived，mydearfriend，yourlettercoveringtheconstitutionforyourEquinoctialrepublsettingoutforthisplace。
　　Ibroughtitwithme，andhavereaditwithgreatsatisfaction。I
　　supposeitwellformedforthoseforwhomitwasintended，andtheexcellenceofeverygovernmentisitsadaptationtothestateofthosetobegovernedbyit。Forusitwouldnotdo。Distinguishingbetweenthestructureofthegovernmentandthemoralprinciplesonwhichyouprescribeitsadministration，withthelatterweconcurcordially，withtheformerweshouldnot。WeoftheUnitedStates，youknow，areconstitutionallyandconscientiouslydemocrats。Weconsidersocietyasoneofthenaturalwantswithwhichmanhasbeencreated；thathehasbeenendowedwithfacultiesandqualitiestoeffectitssatisfactionbyconcurrenceofothershavingthesamewant；thatwhen，bytheexerciseofthesefaculties，hehasprocuredastateofsociety，itisoneofhisacquisitionswhichhehasarighttoregulateandcontrol，jointlyindeedwithallthosewhohaveconcurredintheprocurement，whomhecannotexcludefromitsuseordirectionmorethantheyhim。Wethinkexperiencehasproveditsafer，forthemassofindividualscomposingthesociety，toreservetothemselvespersonallytheexerciseofallrightfulpowerstowhichtheyarecompetent，andtodelegatethosetowhichtheyarenotcompetenttodeputiesnamed，andremovableforunfaithfulconduct，bythemselvesimmediately。Hence，withus，thepeoplebywhichismeantthemassofindividualscomposingthesocietybeingcompetenttojudgeofthefactsoccurringinordinarylife，theyhaveretainedthefunctionsofjudgesoffacts，underthenameofjurors；butbeingunqualifiedforthemanagementofaffairsrequiringintelligenceabovethecommonlevel，yetcompetentjudgesofhumancharacter，theychose，fortheirmanagement，representatives，somebythemselvesimmediately，othersbyelectorschosenbythemselves。ThusourPresidentischosenbyourselves，directlyin_practice_，forwevoteforAaselectoronlyontheconditionhewillvoteforB，ourrepresentativesbyourselvesimmediately，ourSenateandjudgesoflawthroughelectorschosenbyourselves。Andwebelievethatthisproximatechoiceandpowerofremovalisthebestsecuritywhichexperiencehassanctionedforensuringanhonestconductinthefunctionariesofsociety。Yourthreeorfouralembicationshaveindeedaseducingappearance。Weshouldconceive_primafacie_，thatthelastextractwouldbethepurealcoholofthesubstance，threeorfourtimesrectified。Butinproportionastheyaremoreandmoresublimated，theyarealsofartherandfartherremovedfromthecontrolofthesociety；andthehumancharacter，webelieve，requiresingeneralconstantandimmediatecontrol，topreventitsbeingbiasedfromrightbytheseductionsofself-love。Yourprocessproducesthereforeastructureofgovernmentfromwhichthefundamentalprincipleofoursisexcluded。Youfirstsetdownaszerosallindividualsnothavinglands，whicharethegreaternumberineverysocietyoflongstanding。Thoseholdinglandsarepermittedtomanageinpersonthesmallaffairsoftheircommuneorcorporation，andtoelectadeputyforthecanton；inwhichelection，too，everyone’svoteistobeanunit，aplurality，orafraction，inproportiontohislandedpossessions。Theassembliesofcantons，then，electforthedistricts；thoseofdistrictsforcircles；andthoseofcirclesforthenationalassemblies。Someofthesehighestcouncils，too，areinaconsiderabledegreeself-elected，theregencypartially，thejudiciaryentirely，andsomeareforlife。Whenever，therefore，an_espritdecorps_，orofparty，getspossessionofthem，whichexperienceshowstobeinevitable，therearenomeansofbreakingitup，fortheywillneverelectbutthoseoftheirownspirit。Juriesareallowedincriminalcasesonly。Iacknowledgemyselfstronginaffectiontoourownform，yetbothofusactandthinkfromthesamemotive，webothconsiderthepeopleasourchildren，andlovethemwithparentalaffection。Butyoulovethemasinfantswhomyouareafraidtotrustwithoutnurses；andIasadultswhomIfreelyleavetoself-government。Andyouarerightinthecasereferredtoyou；mycriticismbeingbuiltonastateofsocietynotunderyourcontemplation。Itis，infact，likeacriticonHomerbythelawsoftheDrama。
　　Butwhenwecometothemoralprinciplesonwhichthegovernmentistobeadministered，wecometowhatisproperforallconditionsofsociety。Imeetyouthereinallthebenevolenceandrectitudeofyournativecharacter；andIlovemyselfalwaysmostwhereIconcurmostwithyou。Liberty，truth，probity，honor，aredeclaredtobethefourcardinalprinciplesofyoursociety。I
　　believewithyouthatmorality，compassion，generosity，areinnateelementsofthehumanconstitution；thatthereexistsarightindependentofforce；thatarighttopropertyisfoundedinournaturalwants，inthemeanswithwhichweareendowedtosatisfythesewants，andtherighttowhatweacquirebythosemeanswithoutviolatingthesimilarrightsofothersensiblebeings；thatnoonehasarighttoobstructanother，exercisinghisfacultiesinnocentlyforthereliefofsensibilitiesmadeapartofhisnature；thatjusticeisthefundamentallawofsociety；thatthemajority，oppressinganindividual，isguiltyofacrime，abusesitsstrength，andbyactingonthelawofthestrongestbreaksupthefoundationsofsociety；thatactionbythecitizensinperson，inaffairswithintheirreachandcompetence，andinallothersbyrepresentatives，chosenimmediately，andremovablebythemselves，constitutestheessenceofarepublic；thatallgovernmentsaremoreorlessrepublicaninproportionasthisprincipleentersmoreorlessintotheircomposition；andthatagovernmentbyrepresentationiscapableofextensionoveragreatersurfaceofcountrythanoneofanyotherform。These，myfriend，aretheessentialsinwhichyouandIagree；
　　however，inourzealfortheirmaintenance，wemaybeperplexedanddivaricate，astothestructureofsocietymostlikelytosecurethem。
　　IntheconstitutionofSpain，asproposedbythelateCortes，therewasaprincipleentirelynewtome，andnotnoticedinyours，thatnoperson，bornafterthatday，shouldeveracquiretherightsofcitizenshipuntilhecouldreadandwrite。Itisimpossiblesufficientlytoestimatethewisdomofthisprovision。Ofallthosewhichhavebeenthoughtofforsecuringfidelityintheadministrationofthegovernment，constantralliancetotheprinciplesoftheconstitution，andprogressiveamendmentswiththeprogressiveadvancesofthehumanmind，orchangesinhumanaffairs，itisthemosteffectual。Enlightenthepeoplegenerally，andtyrannyandoppressionsofbodyandmindwillvanishlikeevilspiritsatthedawnofday。AlthoughIdonot，withsomeenthusiasts，believethatthehumanconditionwilleveradvancetosuchastateofperfectionasthatthereshallnolongerbepainorviceintheworld，yetIbelieveitsusceptibleofmuchimprovement，andmostofall，inmattersofgovernmentandreligion；andthatthediffusionofknowledgeamongthepeopleistobetheinstrumentbywhichitistobeeffected。TheconstitutionoftheCorteshaddefectsenough；butwhenIsawinitthisamendatoryprovision，Iwassatisfiedallwouldcomerightintime，underitssalutaryoperation。
　　Nopeoplehavemoreneedofasimilarprovisionthanthoseforwhomyouhavefeltsomuchinterest。NomortalwishesthemmoresuccessthanIdo。ButifwhatIhaveheardoftheignoranceandbigotryofthemassbetrue，Idoubttheircapacitytounderstandandtosupportafreegovernment；andfearthattheiremancipationfromtheforeigntyrannyofSpain，willresultinamilitarydespotismathome。
　　Palaciosmaybegreat；othersmaybegreat；butitisthemultitudewhichpossessforce：andwisdommustyieldtothat。Forsuchaconditionofsociety，theconstitutionyouhavedevisedisprobablythebestimaginable。Itiscertainlycalculatedtoelicitthebesttalents；althoughperhapsnotwellguardedagainsttheegoismofitsfunctionaries。Butthategoismwillbelightincomparisonwiththepressureofamilitarydespot，andhisarmyofJanissaries。LikeSolontotheAthenians，youhavegiventoyourColumbians，notthebestpossiblegovernment，butthebesttheycanbear。By-the-bye，I
　　wishyouhadcalledthemtheColumbianrepublics，todistinguishthemfromourAmericanrepublics。Theirswouldbethemosthonorablename，andtheybestentitledtoit；forColumbusdiscoveredtheircontinent，butneversawours。
　　Tothemlibertyandhappiness；toyouthemeedofwisdomandgoodnessinteachingthemhowtoattainthem，withtheaffectionaterespectandfriendshipof，CAPTAINLEWIS’SPAPERS
　　_ToCorreadaSerra_
　　_PoplarForest，April26，1816_
　　DEARSIR——YourfavorofMar。29。wasrecievedjustasIwassettingoutforthisplace。Ibroughtitwithmetobeansweredhence。SinceyouaresokindastointerestyourselfforCapt。
　　Lewis’spapers，Iwillgiveyouafullstatementofthem。
　　1。Tenortwelvesuchpocketvolumes，Moroccobound，asthatyoudescribe，inwhich，inhisownhandwriting，hehadjournalisedalloccurences，daybyday，ashetravelled。Theyweresmall8vosandopenedattheendformoreconvenientwriting。Everyonehadbeenputintoaseparatetincase，cementedtopreventinjuryfromwet。Butonhisreturnthecases，Ipresume，hadbeentakenfromthem，ashedeliveredmethebooksuncased。Therewereinthemthefiguresofsomeanimalsdrawnwiththepenwhileonhisjourney。ThegentlemenwhopublishedhistravelsmusthavehadtheseMs。volumes，andperhapsnowhavethem，orcangivesomeaccountofthem。
　　2。Descriptionsofanimalsandplants。Idonotrecollectwhethertherewassuchabookorcollectionofpapers，distinctfromhisjournal；altho’Iaminclinedtothinktherewasone：becausehistravelsaspublished，donotcontainallthenewanimalsofwhichhehadeitherdescriptionsorspecimens。Mr。Peale，Ithink，mustknowsomethingofthis，ashedrewfiguresofsomeoftheanimalsforengraving，andsomewereactuallyengraved。PerhapsConrad，hisbookseller，whowastohavepublishedthework，cangiveanaccountofthese。
　　3。Vocabularies。Ihadmyselfmadeacollectionofabout40。
　　vocabulariesoftheIndiansonthissideoftheMissisipi，andCapt。
　　Lewiswasinstructedtotakethoseofeverytribebeyond，whichhepossiblycould：theintentionwastopublishthewhole，andleavetheworldtosearchforaffinitiesbetweentheseandthelanguagesofEuropeandAsia。HewasfurnishedwithanumberofprintedvocabulariesofthesamewordsandformIhadused，withblankspacesfortheIndianwords。Hewasveryattentivetothisinstruction，nevermissinganopportunityoftakingavocabulary。Afterhisreturn，heaskedmeifIshouldhaveanyobjectiontotheprintinghisseparately，asminewerenotyetarrangedasIintended。I
　　assuredhimIhadnottheleast；andIamcertainhecontemplatedtheirpublication。Butwhetherhehadputthepapersoutofhisownhandornot，Idonotknow。Iimaginehehadnot：anditisprobablethatDoctr。Barton，whowasparticularlycuriousonthissubject，andpublishedonitoccasionally，wouldwillinglyrecieveandtakecareofthesepapersafterCapt。Lewis’sdeath，andthattheyarenowamonghispapers。
　　4。Hisobservationsoflongitudeandlatitude。Hewasinstructedtosendthesetothewar-office，thatmeasuresmightbetakentohavethecalculationsmade。Whetherhedeliveredthemtothewar-office，ortoDr。Patterson，Idonotknow；butIthinkhecommunicatedwithDr。Pattersonconcerningthem。Theseareall-important：becausealtho’，havingwithhimtheNauticalalmanacs，hecould&didcalculatesomeofhislatitudes，yetthelongitudesweretakenmerelyfromestimatesbythelog-line，timeandcourse。
　　Sothatitisonlyastolatitudesthathismapmaybeconsideredastolerablycorrect；notastoitslongitudes。
　　5。HisMap。Thiswasdrawnonsheetsofpaper，notputtogether，butsomarkedthattheycouldbejoinedtogetherwiththeutmostaccuracy；notasonegreatsquaremap，butramifyingwiththecoursesoftherivers。Thescalewasverylarge，andthesheetsnumerous，butinperfectpreservation。Thiswastoawaitpublication，untilcorrectedbythecalculationsoflongitudeandlatitude。Iexaminedthesesheetsmyselfminutely，asspreadonthefloor，andtheoriginalsmustbeinexistence，astheMappublishedwithhistravelsmusthavebeentakenfromthem。
　　Theseconstitutethewhole。Theyarethepropertyofthegovernment，thefruitsoftheexpeditionundertakenatsuchexpenseofmoneyandriskofvaluablelives。Theycontainexactlythewholeoftheinformationwhichitwasourobjecttoobtainforthebenefitofourowncountryandoftheworld。ButwewerewillingtogivetoLewisandClarkewhateverpecuniarybenefitsmightbederivedfromthepublication，andthereforeleftthepapersintheirhands，takingforgrantedthattheirinterestswouldproduceaspeedypublication，whichwouldbebetterifdoneundertheirdirection。ButthedeathofCapt。Lewis，thedistanceandoccupationsofGeneralClarke，andthebankruptcyoftheirbookseller，haveretardedthepublication，andrenderednecessarythatthegovernmentshouldattendtothereclamation&securityoftheirpapers。Theirrecoveryisnowbecomeanimperiousduty。Theirsafestdepositasfastastheycanbecollected，willbethePhilosophicalSociety，whonodoubtwillbesokindastoreceiveandpreservethem，subjecttotheordersofgovernment；andtheirpublication，onceeffectedinanyway，theoriginalswillprobablybeleftinthesamedeposit。AssoonasI
　　canlearntheirpresentsituation，Iwilllaythematterbeforethegovernmenttotakesuchorderastheythinkproper。Astoanyclaimsofindividualstothesepapers，itistobeobservedthat，asbeingthepropertyofthepublic，wearecertainneitherLewisnorClarkewouldundertaketoconveyawaytherighttothem，andthattheycouldnotconveythem，hadtheybeencapableofintendingit。Yetnointerestofthatkindismeanttobedisturbed，iftheindividualcangivesatisfactoryassurancethathewillpromptly&properlypublishthem。Otherwisetheymustberestoredtothegovernment，&theclaimantlefttosettlewiththoseonwhomhehasanyclaim。Myinterferencewill，Itrust，beexcused，notonlyfromtheportionwhicheverycitizenhasinwhateverispublic，butfromthepeculiarpartIhavehadinthedesignandexecutionofthisexpedition。
　　Toyou，myfriend，apologyisdueforinvolvingyouinthetroubleofthisinquiry。Itmustbefoundintheinterestyoutakeinwhateverbelongstoscience，andinyourownkindofferstomeofaidinthisresearch。Beassuredalwaysofmyaffectionatefriendshipandrespect。
　　THETESTOFREPUBLICANISM
　　_ToJohnTaylor_
　　_Monticello，May28，1816_
　　DEARSIR，——Onmyreturnfromalongjourneyandconsiderableabsencefromhome，Ifoundherethecopyofyour”Enquiryintotheprinciplesofourgovernment，”whichyouhadbeensokindastosendme；andforwhichIprayyoutoacceptmythanks。Thedifficultiesofgettingnewworksinoursituation，inlandandwithoutasinglebookstore，aresuchashadpreventedmyobtainingacopybefore；andletterswhichhadaccumulatedduringmyabsence，andwerecallingforanswers，havenotyetpermittedmetogivetothewholeathoroughreading；yetcertainthatyouandIcouldnotthinkdifferentlyonthefundamentalsofrightfulgovernment，Iwasimpatient，andavailedmyselfoftheintervalsofreposefromthewritingtable，toobtainacursoryideaofthebodyofthework。
　　Iseeinitmuchmatterforprofoundreflection；muchwhichshouldconfirmouradhesion，inpractice，tothegoodprinciplesofourconstitution，andfixourattentiononwhatisyettobemadegood。Thesixthsectiononthegoodmoralprinciplesofourgovernment，Ifoundsointerestingandrepletewithsoundprinciples，astopostponemyletter-writingtoitsthoroughperusalandconsideration。Besidesmuchothergoodmatter，itsettlesunanswerablytherightofinstructingrepresentatives，andtheirdutytoobey。Thesystemofbankingwehavebothequallyandeverreprobated。Icontemplateitasablotleftinallourconstitutions，which，ifnotcovered，willendintheirdestruction，whichisalreadyhitbythegamblersincorruption，andissweepingawayinitsprogressthefortunesandmoralsofourcitizens。
　　FundingIconsideraslimited，rightfully，toaredemptionofthedebtwithinthelivesofamajorityofthegenerationcontractingit；
　　everygenerationcomingequally，bythelawsoftheCreatoroftheworld，tothefreepossessionoftheearthhemadefortheirsubsistence，unincumberedbytheirpredecessors，who，likethem，werebuttenantsforlife。YouhavesuccessfullyandcompletelypulverizedMr。Adams’systemoforders，andhisopeningthemantleofrepublicanismtoeverygovernmentoflaws，whetherconsistentornotwithnaturalright。Indeed，itmustbeacknowledged，thattheterm_republic_isofveryvagueapplicationineverylanguage。Witnesstheself-styledrepublicsofHolland，Switzerland，Genoa，Venice，Poland。WereItoassigntothistermapreciseanddefiniteidea，I
　　wouldsay，purelyandsimply，itmeansagovernmentbyitscitizensinmass，actingdirectlyandpersonally，accordingtorulesestablishedbythemajority；andthateveryothergovernmentismoreorlessrepublican，inproportionasithasinitscompositionmoreorlessofthisingredientofthedirectactionofthecitizens。