part12-第3部分

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powers　may　be　found　to　exist　at　the　day；　and　may　prevent　the　effect

of　the　law　from　being　defeated　by　intervening　changes。　　This；

however；　is　for　them　to　decide。　　Our　duty　will　be　to　respect　their

decision。







　　　　　　　　LIMITS　OF　THE　PRACTICABLE




　　　　　　　　_To　P。　S。　Dupont　de　Nemours_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Jan。　18；　1802_







　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　It　is　rare　I　can　indulge　myself　in　the　luxury　of

philosophy。　　Your　letters　give　me　a　few　of　those　delicious　moments。

Placed　as　you　are　in　a　great　commercial　town；　with　little　opportunity

of　discovering　the　dispositions　of　the　country　portions　of　our

citizens；　I　do　not　wonder　at　your　doubts　whether　they　will　generally

and　sincerely　concur　in　the　sentiments　and　measures　developed　in　my

message　of　the　7th　Jany。　　But　from　40。　years　of　intimate　conversation

with　the　agricultural　inhabitants　of　my　country；　I　can　pronounce　them

as　different　from　those　of　the　cities；　as　those　of　any　two　nations

known。　　The　sentiments　of　the　former　can　in　no　degree　be　inferred

from　those　of　the　latter。　　You　have　spoken　a　profound　truth　in　these

words；　〃Il　y　a　dans　les　etats　unis　un　bon　sens　silencieux；　un　esprit

de　justice　froide；　qui　lorsqu'il　est　question　d'emettre　un　_vote_

comme　les　bavardages　de　ceux　qui　font　les　habiles。〃　　A　plain　country

farmer　has　written　lately　a　pamphlet　on　our　public　affairs。　　His

testimony　of　the　sense　of　the　country　is　the　best　which　can　be

produced　of　the　justness　of　your　observation。　　His　words　are　〃The

tongue　of　man　is　not　his　whole　body。　　So；　in　this　case；　the　noisy

part　of　the　community　was　not　all　the　body　politic。　　During　the

career　of　fury　and　contention　（in　1800）　the　sedate；　grave　part　of　the

people　were　still；　hearing　all；　and　judging　for　themselves；　what

method　to　take；　when　the　constitutional　time　of　action　should　come；

the　exercise　of　the　right　of　suffrage。〃　　The　majority　of　the　present

legislature　are　in　unison　with　the　agricultural　part　of　our　citizens；

and　you　will　see　that　there　is　nothing　in　the　message；　to　which　they

do　not　accord。　　Some　things　may　perhaps　be　left　undone　from　motives

of　compromise　for　a　time；　and　not　to　alarm　by　too　sudden　a

reformation；　but　with　a　view　to　be　resumed　at　another　time。　　I　am

perfectly　satisfied　the　effect　of　the　proceedings　of　this　session　of

congress　will　be　to　consolidate　the　great　body　of　well　meaning

citizens　together；　whether　federal　or　republican；　heretofore　called。

I　do　not　mean　to　include　royalists　or　priests。　　Their　opposition　is

immovable。　　But　they　will　be　vox　et　preterea　nihil；　leaders　without

followers。　　I　am　satisfied　that　within　one　year　from　this　time　were

an　election　to　take　place　between　two　candidates　merely　republican

and　federal；　where　no　personal　opposition　existed　against　either；　the

federal　candidate　would　not　get　the　vote　of　a　single　elector　in　the

U。S。　　I　must　here　again　appeal　to　the　testimony　of　my　farmer；　who

says　〃The　great　body　of　the　people　are　one　in　sentiment。　　If　the

federal　party　and　the　republican　party；　should　each　of　them　choose　a

convention　to　frame　a　constitution　of　government　or　a　code　of　laws；

there　would　be　no　radical　difference　in　the　results　of　the　two

conventions。〃　　This　is　most　true。　　The　body　of　our　people；　tho'

divided　for　a　short　time　by　an　artificial　panic；　and　called　by

different　names；　have　ever　had　the　same　object　in　view；　to　wit；　the

maintenance　of　a　federal；　republican　government；　and　have　never

ceased　to　be　all　federalists；　all　republicans：　still　excepting　the

noisy　band　of　royalists　inhabiting　cities　chiefly；　and　priests　both

of　city　and　country。　　When　I　say　that　in　an　election　between　a

republican　and　federal　candidate；　free　from　personal　objection；　the

former　would　probably　get　every　vote；　I　must　not　be　understood　as

placing　myself　in　that　view。　　It　was　my　destiny　to　come　to　the

government　when　it　had　for　several　years　been　committed　to　a

particular　political　sect；　to　the　absolute　and　entire　exclusion　of

those　who　were　in　sentiment　with　the　body　of　the　nation。　　I　found　the

country　entirely　in　the　enemies　hands。　　It　was　necessary　to　dislodge

some　of　them。　　Out　of　many　thousands　of　officers　in　the　U。S。　9。　　only

have　been　removed　for　political　principle；　and　12。　for　delinquincies

chiefly　pecuniary。　　The　whole　herd　have　squealed　out；　as　if　all　their

throats　were　cut。　　These　acts　of　justice　few　as　they　have　been；　have

raised　great　personal　objections　to　me；　of　which　a　new　character

would　be　＇_faded_＇。　　When　this　government　was　first　established；　it

was　possible　to　have　kept　it　going　on　true　principles；　but　the

contracted；　English；　half…lettered　ideas　of　Hamilton；　destroyed　that

hope　in　the　bud。　　We　can　pay　off　his　debt　in　15。　years；　but　we　can

never　get　rid　of　his　financial　system。　　It　mortifies　me　to　be

strengthening　principles　which　I　deem　radically　vicious；　but　this

vice　is　entailed　on　us　by　the　first　error。　　In　other　parts　of　our

government　I　hope　we　shall　be　able　by　degrees　to　introduce　sound

principles　and　make　them　habitual。　　What　is　practicable　must　often

controul　what　is　pure　theory；　and　the　habits　of　the　governed

determine　in　a　great　degree　what　is　practicable。　　Hence　the　same

original　principles；　modified　in　practice　according　to　the　different

habits　of　different　nations；　present　governments　of　very　different

aspects。　　The　same　principles　reduced　to　forms　of　practice

accommodated　to　our　habits；　and　put　into　forms　accommodated　to　the

habits　of　the　French　nation　would　present　governments　very　unlike

each　other。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　that　a　great　man；　thoroughly　knowing

the　habits　of　France；　might　so　accommodate　to　them　the　principles　of

free　government　as　to　enable　them　to　live　free。　　But　in　the　hands　of

those　who　have　not　this　coup　d'oeil；　many　unsuccessful　experiments　I

fear　are　yet　to　be　tried　before　they　will　settle　down　in　freedom　and

tranquility。　　I　applaud　therefore　your　determination　to　remain　here；

tho'　for　yourself　and　the　adults　of　your　family　the　dissimilitude　of

our　manners　and　the　difference　of　tongue　will　be　sources　of　real

unhappiness。　　Yet　less　so　than　the　horrors　and　dangers　which　France

would　present　to　you；　and　as　to　those　of　your　family　still　in

infancy；　they　will　be　formed　to　the　circumstances　of　the　country；　and

will；　I　doubt　not；　be　happier　here　than　they　could　have　been　in

Europe　under　any　circumstances。　　Be　so　good　as　to　make　my　respectful

salutations　acceptable　to　Made。　Dupont；　and　all　of　your　family　and　to

be　assured　yourself　of　my　constant　and　affectionate　esteem。







　　　　　　　　〃TO　BE　LOVED　BY　EVERY　BODY〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Anne　Cary；　Thomas　Jefferson；　and

　　　　　　　　Ellen　Wayles　Randolph_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　2；　1802_




　　　　　　　　MY　DEAR　CHILDREN　　I　am　very　happy　to　find　that　two　of　you　can

write。　　I　shall　now　expect　that　whenever　it　is　inconvenient　for　your

papa　and　mama　to　write；　one　of　you　will　write　on　a　piece　of　paper

these　words　‘all　is　well'　and　send　it　for　me　to　the　post　office。　　I

am　happy　too　that　Miss　Ellen　can　now　read　so　readily。　　If　she　will

make　haste　and　read　through　all　the　books　I　have　given　her；　and　will

let　me　know　when　she　is　through　them；　I　will　go　and　carry　her　some

more。　　I　shall　now　see　whether　she　wishes　to　see　me　as　much　as　she

says。　　I　wish　to　see　you　all：　and　the　more　I　perceive　that　you　are

all　advancing　in　your　learning　and　improving　in　good　dispositions　the

more　I　shall　love　you；　and　the　more　every　body　will　love　you。　　It　is

a　charming　thing　to　be　loved　by　every　body：　and　the　way　to　obtain　it

is；　never　to　quarrel　or　be　angry　with　any　body　and　to　tell　a　story。

Do　all　the　kind　things　you　can　to　your　companions；　give　them　every

thing　rather　than　to　yourself。　　Pity　and　help　any　thing　you　see　in

distress　and　learn　your　books　and　improve　your　minds。　　This　will　make

every　body　fond　of　you；　and　desirous　of　doing　it　to　you。　　Go　on　then

my　dear　children；　and；　when　we　meet　at　Monticello；　let　me　see　who　has

improved　most。　　I　kiss　this　paper　for　each　of　you：　it　will　therefore

deliver　the　kisses　to　yourselves；　and　two　over；　which　one　of　you　must

deliver　to　your　Mama　for　me；　and　present　my　affectionate　attachment

to　your　papa。　　Yourselves　love　and　Adieux。







　　　　　　　　THE　PROGRESS　OF　REFORM




　　　　　　　　_To　General　Thaddeus　Kosciusko_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　April　2；　1802_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　GENERAL；　　It　is　but　lately　that　I　have　received　your

letter　of　the　25th　Frimaire　（December　15）　wishing　to　know　whether

some　officers　of　your　country　could　expect　to　be　employed　in　this

country。　　To　prevent　a　suspense　injurious　to　them；　I　hasten　to　inform

you；　that　we　are　now　actually　engaged　in　reducing　our　military

establishment　one　third；　and　discharging　one　third　of　our　officers。

We　keep　in　service　no　more　than　men　enough　to　garrison　the　small

posts　dispersed　at　great　distances　on　our　frontiers；　which　garrisons

will　generally　consist　of　a　captain's　company　only；　and　in　no　case　of

more　than　two　or　three；　in　not　one；　of　a　sufficient　number　to　require

a　field　officer；　and　no　circumstance　whatever　can　bring　these

garrisons　together；　because　it　would　be　an　abandonment　of　their

forts。　　Thus　circumstanced；　you　will　perceive　the　entire

impossibility　of　providing　for　the　persons　you　recommend。　　I　wish　it

had　been　in　my　power　to　give　you　a　more　favorable　answer；　but　next　to

the　fulfilling　your　wishes；　the　most　grateful　thing　I　can　do　is　to

give　a　faithful　answer。　　The　session　of　the　first　Congress　convened

since　republicanism　has　recovered　its　ascendancy；　is　now　drawing　to　a

close。　　They　will　pretty　completely　fulfil　all　the　desires　of　the

people。　　They　have　reduced　the　army　and　navy　to　what　is　barely

necessary。　　They　are　disarming　executive　patronage　and　preponderance；

by　putting　down　one　half　the　offices　of　the　United　States；　which　are

no　longer　necessary。　　These　economies　have　enabled　them　to　suppress

all　the　internal　taxes；　and　still　to　make　such　provision　for　the

payment　of　t