part18-第12章

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not　possess　before。　　An　incident　which　merits　to　be　known　as　a　lesson

to　mankind；　in　all　its　details。　　This　mark　of　your　attention　recalls

to　my　mind　the　earlier　period　of　life　at　which　I　had　the　pleasure　of

your　personal　acquaintance；　and　renews　the　sentiments　of　high　respect

and　esteem　with　which　that　acquaintance　inspired　me。　　I　had　not

failed　to　accompany　your　personal　sufferings　during　the　civil

convulsions　of　your　country；　and　had　sincerely　sympathized　with　them。

An　awful　period；　indeed；　has　passed　in　Europe　since　our　first

acquaintance。　　When　I　left　France　at　the　close　of　'89；　your

revolution　was；　as　I　thought；　under　the　direction　of　able　and　honest

men。　　But　the　madness　of　some　of　their　successors；　the　vices　of

others；　the　malicious　intrigues　of　an　envious　and　corrupting

neighbor；　the　tracasserie　of　the　Directory；　the　usurpations；　the

havoc；　and　devastations　of　your　Attila；　and　the　equal　usurpations；

depredations　and　oppressions　of　your　hypocritical　deliverers；　will

form　a　mournful　period　in　the　history　of　man；　a　period　of　which　the

last　chapter　will　not　be　seen　in　your　day　or　mine；　and　one　which　I

still　fear　is　to　be　written　in　characters　of　blood。　　Had　Bonaparte

reflected　that　such　is　the　moral　construction　of　the　world；　that　no

national　crime　passes　unpunished　in　the　long　run；　he　would　not　now　be

in　the　cage　of　St。　Helena；　and　were　your　present　oppressors　to

reflect　on　the　same　truth；　they　would　spare　to　their　own　countries

the　penalties　on　their　present　wrongs　which　will　be　inflicted　on　them

on　future　times。　　The　seeds　of　hatred　and　revenge　which　they　are　now

sowing　with　a　large　hand；　will　not　fail　to　produce　their　fruits　in

time。　　Like　their　brother　robbers　on　the　highway；　they　suppose　the

escape　of　the　moment　a　final　escape；　and　deem　infamy　and　future　risk

countervailed　by　present　gain。　　Our　lot　has　been　happier。　　When　you

witnessed　our　first　struggles　in　the　war　of　independence；　you　little

calculated；　more　than　we　did；　on　the　rapid　growth　and　prosperity　of

this　country；　on　the　practical　demonstration　it　was　about　to　exhibit；

of　the　happy　truth　that　man　is　capable　of　self…government；　and　only

rendered　otherwise　by　the　moral　degradation　designedly　superinduced

on　him　by　the　wicked　acts　of　his　tyrants。




　　　　　　　　I　have　much　confidence　that　we　shall　proceed　successfully　for

ages　to　come；　and　that；　contrary　to　the　principle　of　Montesquieu；　it

will　be　seen　that　the　larger　the　extent　of　country；　the　more　firm　its

republican　structure；　if　founded；　not　on　conquest；　but　in　principles

of　compact　and　equality。　　My　hope　of　its　duration　is　built　much　on

the　enlargement　of　the　resources　of　life　going　hand　in　hand　with　the

enlargement　of　territory；　and　the　belief　that　men　are　disposed　to

live　honestly；　if　the　means　of　doing　so　are　open　to　them。　　With　the

consolation　of　this　belief　in　the　future　result　of　our　labors；　I　have

that　of　other　prophets　who　foretell　distant　events；　that　I　shall　not

live　to　see　it　falsified。　　My　theory　has　always　been；　that　if　we　are

to　dream；　the　flatteries　of　hope　are　as　cheap；　and　pleasanter　than

the　gloom　of　despair。　　I　wish　to　yourself　a　long　life　of　honors；

health　and　happiness。