part13-第10章

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republicanism　in　Massachusetts。　　The　Hydra　of　federalism　has　now　lost

all　its　heads　but　two。　　Connecticut　I　think　will　soon　follow

Massachusetts。　　Delaware　will　probably　remain　what　it　ever　has　been；

a　mere　county　of　England；　conquered　indeed；　and　held　under　by　force；

but　always　disposed　to　counter…revolution。　　I　speak　of　its　majority

only。




　　　　　　　　Our　information　from　London　continues　to　give　us　hopes　of　an

accommodation　there　on　both　the　points　of　‘accustomed　commerce　and

impressment。'　In　this　there　must　probably　be　some　mutual　concession；

because　we　cannot　expect　to　obtain　every　thing　and　yield　nothing。

But　I　hope　it　will　be　such　an　one　as　may　be　accepted。　　The　arrival　of

the　Hornet　in　France　is　so　recently　known；　that　it　will　yet　be　some

time　before　we　learn　our　prospects　there。　　Notwithstanding　the

efforts　made　here；　and　made　professedly　to　assassinate　that

negotiation　in　embryo；　if　the　good　sense　of　Buonaparte　should　prevail

over　his　temper；　the　present　state　of　things　in　Europe　may　induce　him

to　require　of　Spain　that　she　should　do　us　justice　at　least。　　That　he

should　require　her　to　sell　us　East　Florida；　we　have　no　right　to

insist：　yet　there　are　not　wanting　considerations　which　may　induce　him

to　wish　a　permanent　foundation　for　peace　laid　between　us。　　In　this

treaty；　whatever　it　shall　be；　our　old　enemies　the　federalists；　and

their　new　friends；　will　find　enough　to　carp　at。　　This　is　a　thing　of

course；　and　I　should　suspect　error　where　they　found　no　fault。　　The

buzzard　feeds　on　carrion　only。　　Their　rallying　point　is　‘war　with

France　and　Spain；　and　alliance　with　Great　Britain：'　and　every　thing

is　wrong　with　them　which　checks　their　new　ardor　to　be　fighting　for

the　liberties　of　mankind；　on　the　sea　always　excepted。　　There　one

nation　is　to　monopolise　all　the　liberties　of　the　others。




　　　　　　　　I　read；　with　extreme　regret；　the　expressions　of　an　inclination

on　your　part　to　retire　from　Congress。　　I　will　not　say　that　this　time；

more　than　all　others；　calls　for　the　service　of　every　man；　but　I　will

say；　there　never　was　a　time　when　the　services　of　those　who　possess

talents；　integrity；　firmness　and　sound　judgment；　were　more　wanted　in

Congress。　　Some　one　of　that　description　is　particularly　wanted　to

take　the　lead　in　the　House　of　Representatives；　to　consider　the

business　of　the　nation　as　his　own　business；　to　take　it　up　as　if　he

were　singly　charged　with　it；　and　carry　it　through。　　I　do　not　mean

that　any　gentleman；　relinquishing　his　own　judgment；　should　implicitly

support　all　the　measures　of　the　administration；　but　that；where　he

does　not　disapprove　of　them；　he　should　not　suffer　them　to　go　off　in

sleep；　but　bring　them　to　the　attention　of　the　House；　and　give　them　a

fair　chance。　　Where　he　disapproves；　he　will　of　course　leave　them　to

be　brought　forward　by　those　who　concur　in　the　sentiment。　　Shall　I

explain　my　idea　by　an　example？　　The　classification　of　the　militia　was

communicated　to　General　Varnum　and　yourself　merely　as　a　proposition；

which；　if　you　approved；　it　was　trusted　you　would　support。　　I　knew；

indeed；　that　General　Varnum　was　opposed　to　any　thing　which　might

break　up　the　present　organization　of　the　militia：　but　when　so

modified　as　to　avoid　this；　I　thought　he　might；　perhaps；　be　reconciled

to　it。　　As　soon　as　I　found　it　did　not　coincide　with　your　sentiments；

I　could　not　wish　you　to　support　it；　but　using　the　same　freedom　of

opinion；　I　procured　it　to　be　brought　forward　elsewhere。　　It　failed

there　also；　and　for　a　time　perhaps；　may　not　prevail：　but　a　militia

can　never　be　used　for　distant　service　on　any　other　plan；　and

Buonaparte　will　conquer　the　world；　if　they　do　not　learn　his　secret　of

composing　armies　of　young　men　only；　whose　enthusiasm　and　health

enable　them　to　surmount　all　obstacles。　　When　a　gentleman；　through

zeal　for　the　public　service；　undertakes　to　do　the　public　business；　we

know　that　we　shall　hear　the　cant　of　backstairs　counsellors。　　But　we

never　heard　this　while　the　declaimer　was　himself　a　backstairs　man；　as

he　calls　it；　but　in　the　confidence　and　views　of　the　administration；

as　may　more　properly　and　respectfully　be　said。　　But　if　the　members

are　to　know　nothing　but　what　is　important　enough　to　be　put　into　a

public　message；　and　indifferent　enough　to　be　made　known　to　all　the

world；　if　the　executive　is　to　keep　all　other　information　to　himself；

and　the　House　to　plunge　on　in　the　dark；　it　becomes　a　government　of

chance　and　not　of　design。　　The　imputation　was　one　of　those　artifices

used　to　despoil　an　adversary　of　his　most　effectual　arms；　and　men　of

mind　will　place　themselves　above　a　gabble　of　this　order。　　The　last

session　of　Congress　was　indeed　an　uneasy　one　for　a　time：　but　as　soon

as　the　members　penetrated　into　the　views　of　those　who　were　taking　a

new　course；　they　rallied　in　as　solid　a　phalanx　as　I　have　ever　seen

act　together。　　Indeed　I　have　never　seen　a　House　of　better

dispositions。　　They　want　only　a　man　of　business　&　in　whom　they　can

confide　to　conduct　things　in　the　house；　and　they　are　as　much　disposed

to　support　him　as　can　be　wished。　　It　is　only　speaking　a　truth　to　say

that　all　eyes　look　to　you。　　It　was　not　perhaps　expected　from　a　new

member；　at　his　first　session；　&　before　the　forms　&　style　of　doing

business　were　familiar。　　But　it　would　be　a　subject　of　deep　regret

were　you　to　refuse　yourself　to　the　conspicuous　part　in　the　business

of　the　house　which　all　assign　you。　　Perhaps　I　am　not　entitled　to

speak　with　so　much　frankness；　but　it　proceeds　from　no　motive　which

has　not　a　right　to　your　forgiveness。　　Opportunities　of　candid

explanation　are　so　seldom　afforded　me；　that　I　must　not　lose　them　when

they　occur。




　　　　　　　　The　information　I　receive　from　your　quarter　agrees　with　that

from　the　south；　that　the　late　schism　has　made　not　the　smallest

impression　on　the　public；　and　that　the　seceders　are　obliged　to　give

to　it　other　grounds　than　those　which　we　know　to　be　the　true　ones。

All　we　have　to　wish　is；　that　at　the　ensuing　session；　every　one　may

take　the　part　openly　which　he　secretly　befriends。　　I　recollect

nothing　new　and　true；　worthy　communicating　to　you。　　As　for　what　is

not　true；　you　will　always　find　abundance　in　the　newspapers。　　Among

other　things；　are　those　perpetual　alarms　as　to　the　Indians；　for　no

one　ofwhich　has　there　ever　been　the　slightest　ground。　　They　are　the

suggestions　of　hostile　traders；　always　wishing　to　embroil　us　with　the

Indians；　to　perpetuate　their　own　extortionate　commerce。　　I　salute　you

with　esteem　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　GARDENS　FOR　MONTICELLO




　　　　　　　　_To　William　Hamilton_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　July；　1806_




　　　　　　　　Your　favor　of　the　7'th　came　duly　to　hand　and　the　plant　you　are

so　good　as　to　propose　to　send　me　will　be　thankfully　rec'd。　　The

little　Mimosa　Julibrisin　you　were　so　kind　as　to　send　me　the　last　year

is　flourishing。　　I　obtained　from　a　gardener　in　this　nbh'd

＇neighborhood＇　2　plants　of　the　paper　mulberry；　but　the　parent　plant

being　male；　we　are　to　expect　no　fruit　from　them；unless　your　＇trees＇

should　chance　to　be　of　the　sex　wanted。　at　a　future　day；　say　two　years

hence　I　shall　ask　from　you　some　seeds　of　the　Mimosa　Farnesiana　or

Nilotica；　of　which　you　were　kind　enough　before　to　furnish　me　some。

but　the　plants　have　been　lost　during　my　absence　from　home。　　I

remember　seeing　in　your　greenhouse　a　plant　of　a　couple　of　feet　height

in　a　pot　the　fragrance　of　which　（from　it's　gummy　bud　if　I　recollect

rightly）　was　peculiarly　agreeable　to　me　and　you　were　so　kind　as　to

remark　that　it　required　only　a　greenhouse；　and　that　you　would　furnish

me　one　when　I　should　be　in　a　situation　to　preserve　it。　but　it's　name

has　entirely　escaped　me　&　I　cannot　suppose　you　can　recollect　or

conjecture　in　your　vast　collection　what　particular　plant　this　might

be。　　I　must　acquiese　therefore　in　a　privation　which　my　own　defect　of

memory　has　produced；　unless　indeed　I　could　some　of　these　days　make　an

impromptu　visit　to　Phila。　&　recognise　it　myself　at　the　Woodlands。




　　　　　　　　Having　decisively