part11-第8章

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legitimate　resource；　to　which　we　are　in　the　habit　of　implicit

obedience；　superseding　all　appeal　to　force；　and　being　always　within

our　reach；　shows　a　precious　principle　of　self…preservation　in　our

composition；　till　a　change　of　circumstances　shall　take　place；　which

is　not　within　prospect　at　any　definite　period。




　　　　　　　　But　I　have　got　into　a　long　disquisition　on　politics；　when　I

only　meant　to　express　my　sympathy　in　the　state　of　your　health；　and　to

tender　you　all　the　affections　of　public　&　private　hospitality。　　I

should　be　very　happy　indeed　to　see　you　here。　　I　leave　this　about　the

30th　inst。；　to　return　about　the　twenty…fifth　of　April。　　If　you　do　not

leave　Philadelphia　before　that；　a　little　excursion　hither　would　help

your　health。　　I　should　be　much　gratified　with　the　possession　of　a

guest　I　so　much　esteem；　and　should　claim　a　right　to　lodge　you；　should

you　make　such　an　excursion。







　　　　　　　　WISDOM　AND　PATRIOTISM




　　　　　　　　_To　Moses　Robinson_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　March　23；　1801_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　have　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　favor　of

the　3rd　instant；　and　to　thank　you　for　the　friendly　expressions　it

contains。　　I　entertain　real　hope　that　the　whole　body　of　your　fellow

citizens　（many　of　whom　had　been　carried　away　by　the　X。　Y。　Z。

business）　will　shortly　be　consolidated　in　the　same　sentiments。　　When

they　examine　the　real　principles　of　both　parties；　I　think　they　will

find　little　to　differ　about。　　I　know；　indeed；　that　there　are　some　of

their　leaders　who　have　so　committed　themselves；　that　pride；　if　no

other　passion；　will　prevent　their　coalescing。　　We　must　be　easy　with

them。　　The　eastern　States　will　be　the　last　to　come　over；　on　account

of　the　dominion　of　the　clergy；　who　had　got　a　smell　of　union　between

Church　and　State；　and　began　to　indulge　reveries　which　can　never　be

realised　in　the　present　state　of　science。　　If；　indeed；　they　could

have　prevailed　on　us　to　view　all　advances　in　science　as　dangerous

innovations；　and　to　look　back　to　the　opinions　and　practices　of　our

forefathers；　instead　of　looking　forward；　for　improvement；　a　promising

groundwork　would　have　been　laid。　　But　I　am　in　hopes　their　good　sense

will　dictate　to　them；　that　since　the　mountain　will　not　come　to　them；

they　had　better　go　to　the　mountain：　that　they　will　find　their

interest　in　acquiescing　in　the　liberty　and　science　of　their　country；

and　that　the　Christian　religion；　when　divested　of　the　rags　in　which

they　have　enveloped　it；　and　brought　to　the　original　purity　and

simplicity　of　its　benevolent　institutor；　is　a　religion　of　all　others

most　friendly　to　liberty；　science；　and　the　freest　expansion　of　the

human　mind。




　　　　　　　　I　sincerely　wish　with　you；　we　could　see　our　government　so

secured　as　to　depend　less　on　the　character　of　the　person　in　whose

hands　it　is　trusted。　　Bad　men　will　sometimes　get　in；　and　with　such　an

immense　patronage；　may　make　great　progress　in　corrupting　the　public

mind　and　principles。　　This　is　a　subject　with　which　wisdom　and

patriotism　should　be　occupied。




　　　　　　　　I　pray　you　to　accept　assurances　of　my　high　respect　and　esteem。







　　　　　　　　RECONCILIATION　AND　REFORM




　　　　　　　　_To　Elbridge　Gerry_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　29；　1801_




　　　　　　　　MY　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　two　letters　of　Jan。　15　and　Feb。　24；　came

safely　to　hand；　and　I　thank　you　for　the　history　of　a　transaction

which　will　ever　be　interesting　in　our　affairs。　　It　has　been　very

precisely　as　I　had　imagined。　　I　thought；　on　your　return；　that　if　you

had　come　forward　boldly；　and　appealed　to　the　public　by　a　full

statement；　it　would　have　had　a　great　effect　in　your　favor　personally；

&　that　of　the　republican　cause　then　oppressed　almost　unto　death。　　But

I　judged　from　a　tact　of　the　southern　pulse。　　I　suspect　that　of　the

north　was　different　and　decided　your　conduct；　and　perhaps　it　has　been

as　well。　　If　the　revolution　of　sentiment　has　been　later；　it　has

perhaps　been　not　less　sure。　　At　length　it　is　arrived。　　What　with　the

natural　current　of　opinion　which　has　been　setting　over　to　us　for　18。

months；　and　the　immense　impetus　which　was　given　it　from　the　11th　to

the　17th　of　Feb。；　we　may　now　say　that　the　U。S。　from　N。Y。　southwardly；

are　as　unanimous　in　the　principles　of　'76；　as　they　were　in　'76。　　The

only　difference　is；　that　the　leaders　who　remain　behind　are　more

numerous　&　bolder　than　the　apostles　of　toryism　in　'76。　　The　reason

is；　that　we　are　now　justly　more　tolerant　than　we　could　safely　have

been　then；　circumstanced　as　we　were。　　Your　part　of　the　Union　tho'　as

absolutely　republican　as　ours；　had　drunk　deeper　of　the　delusion；　&　is

therefore　slower　in　recovering　from　it。　　The　aegis　of　government；　&

the　temples　of　religion　&　of　justice；　have　all　been　prostituted　there

to　toll　us　back　to　the　times　when　we　burnt　witches。　　But　your　people

will　rise　again。　　They　will　awake　like　Sampson　from　his　sleep；　&

carry　away　the　gates　&　posts　of　the　city。　　You；　my　friend；　are

destined　to　rally　them　again　under　their　former　banner；　and　when

called　to　the　post；　exercise　it　with　firmness　&　with　inflexible

adherence　to　your　own　principles。　　The　people　will　support　you；

notwithstanding　the　howlings　of　the　ravenous　crew　from　whose　jaws

they　are　escaping。　　It　will　be　a　great　blessing　to　our　country　if　we

can　once　more　restore　harmony　and　social　love　among　its　citizens。　　I

confess；　as　to　myself；　it　is　almost　the　first　object　of　my　heart；　and

one　to　which　I　would　sacrifice　everything　but　principle。　　With　the

people　I　have　hopes　of　effecting　it。　　But　their　Coryphaei　are

incurables。　　I　expect　little　from　them。




　　　　　　　　I　was　not　deluded　by　the　eulogiums　of　the　public　papers　in　the

first　moments　of　change。　　If　they　could　have　continued　to　get　all　the

loaves　&　fishes；　that　is；　if　I　would　have　gone　over　to　them；　they

would　continue　to　eulogise。　　But　I　well　knew　that　the　moment　that

such　removals　should　take　place；　as　the　justice　of　the　preceding

administration　ought　to　have　executed；　their　hue　and　cry　would　be　set

up；　and　they　would　take　their　old　stand。　　I　shall　disregard　that

also。　　Mr。　Adams'　last　appointments；　when　he　knew　he　was　naming

counsellors　&　aids　for　me　&　not　for　himself；　I　set　aside　as　far　as

depends　on　me。　　Officers　who　have　been　guilty　of　gross　abuses　of

office；　such　as　marshals　packing　juries；　&c。；　I　shall　now　remove；　as

my　predecessor　ought　in　justice　to　have　done。　　The　instances　will　be

few；　and　governed　by　strict　rule；　&　not　party　passion。　　The　right　of

opinion　shall　suffer　no　invasion　from　me。　　Those　who　have　acted　well

have　nothing　to　fear；　however　they　may　have　differed　from　me　in

opinion：　those　who　have　done　ill；　however；　have　nothing　to　hope；　nor

shall　I　fail　to　do　justice　lest　it　should　be　ascribed　to　that

difference　of　opinion。　　A　coalition　of　sentiments　is　not　for　the

interest　of　printers。　　They；　like　the　clergy；　live　by　the　zeal　they

can　kindle；　and　the　schisms　they　can　create。　　It　is　contest　of

opinion　in　politics　as　well　as　religion　which　makes　us　take　great

interest　in　them；　and　bestow　our　money　liberally　on　those　who　furnish

aliment　to　our　appetite。　　The　mild　and　simple　principles　of　the

Christian　philosophy　would　produce　too　much　calm；　too　much　regularity

of　good；　to　extract　from　it's　disciples　a　support　for　a　numerous

priesthood；　were　they　not　to　sophisticate　it；　ramify　it；　split　it

into　hairs；　and　twist　it's　texts　till　they　cover　the　divine　morality

of　it's　author　with　mysteries；　and　require　a　priesthood　to　explain

them。　　The　Quakers　seem　to　have　discovered　this。　　They　have　no

priests；　therefore　no　schisms。　　They　judge　of　the　text　by　the

dictates　of　common　sense　&　common　morality。　　So　the　printers　can

never　leave　us　in　a　state　of　perfect　rest　and　union　of　opinion。　　They

would　be　no　longer　useful；　and　would　have　to　go　to　the　plough。　　In

the　first　moments　of　quietude　which　have　succeeded　the　election；　they

seem　to　have　aroused　their　lying　faculties　beyond　their　ordinary

state；　to　re…agitate　the　public　mind。　　What　appointments