part13-第14章

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which　is　seen　in　a　newspaper。　　Truth　itself　becomes　suspicious　by

being　put　into　that　polluted　vehicle。　　The　real　extent　of　this　state

of　misinformation　is　known　only　to　those　who　are　in　situations　to

confront　facts　within　their　knolege　with　the　lies　of　the　day。　　I

really　look　with　commiseration　over　the　great　body　of　my　fellow

citizens；　who；　reading　newspapers；　live　&　die　in　the　belief；　that

they　have　known　something　of　what　has　been　passing　in　the　world　in

their　time；　whereas　the　accounts　they　have　read　in　newspapers　are

just　as　true　a　history　of　any　other　period　of　the　world　as　of　the

present；　except　that　the　real　names　of　the　day　are　affixed　to　their

fables。　　General　facts　may　indeed　be　collected　from　them；　such　as

that　Europe　is　now　at　war；　that　Bonaparte　has　been　a　successful

warrior；　that　he　has　subjected　a　great　portion　of　Europe　to　his　will；

&c。；　&c。；　but　no　details　can　be　relied　on。　　I　will　add；　that　the　man

who　never　looks　into　a　newspaper　is　better　informed　than　he　who　reads

them；　inasmuch　as　he　who　knows　nothing　is　nearer　to　truth　than　he

whose　mind　is　filled　with　falsehoods　&　errors。　　He　who　reads　nothing

will　still　learn　the　great　facts；　and　the　details　are　all　false。




　　　　　　　　Perhaps　an　editor　might　begin　a　reformation　in　some　such　way　as

this。　　Divide　his　paper　into　4　chapters；　heading　the　1st；　Truths。

2d；　Probabilities。　　3d；　Possibilities。　　4th；　Lies。　　The　first　chapter

would　be　very　short；　as　it　would　contain　little　more　than　authentic

papers；　and　information　from　such　sources；　as　the　editor　would　be

willing　to　risk　his　own　reputation　for　their　truth。　　The　2d　would

contain　what；　from　a　mature　consideration　of　all　circumstances；　his

judgment　should　conclude　to　be　probably　true。　　This；　however；　should

rather　contain　too　little　than　too　much。　　The　3d　&　4th　should　be

professedly　for　those　readers　who　would　rather　have　lies　for　their

money　than　the　blank　paper　they　would　occupy。




　　　　　　　　Such　an　editor　too；　would　have　to　set　his　face　against　the

demoralising　practice　of　feeding　the　public　mind　habitually　on

slander；　&　the　depravity　of　taste　which　this　nauseous　aliment

induces。　　Defamation　is　becoming　a　necessary　of　life；　insomuch；　that

a　dish　of　tea　in　the　morning　or　evening　cannot　be　digested　without

this　stimulant。　　Even　those　who　do　not　believe　these　abominations；

still　read　them　with　complaisance　to　their　auditors；　and　instead　of

the　abhorrence　&　indignation　which　should　fill　a　virtuous　mind；

betray　a　secret　pleasure　in　the　possibility　that　some　may　believe

them；　tho　they　do　not　themselves。　　It　seems　to　escape　them；　that　it

is　not　he　who　prints；　but　he　who　pays　for　printing　a　slander；　who　is

it's　real　author。




　　　　　　　　These　thoughts　on　the　subjects　of　your　letter　are　hazarded　at

your　request。　　Repeated　instances　of　the　publication　of　what　has　not

been　intended　for　the　public　eye；　and　the　malignity　with　which

political　enemies　torture　every　sentence　from　me　into　meanings

imagined　by　their　own　wickedness　only；　justify　my　expressing　a

solicitude；　that　this　hasty　communication　may　in　nowise　be　permitted

to　find　it's　way　into　the　public　papers。　　Not　fearing　these　political

bull…dogs；　I　yet　avoid　putting　myself　in　the　way　of　being　baited　by

them；　and　do　not　wish　to　volunteer　away　that　portion　of　tranquillity；

which　a　firm　execution　of　my　duties　will　permit　me　to　enjoy。




　　　　　　　　I　tender　you　my　salutations；　and　best　wishes　for　your　success。







　　　　　　　　A　SUBPOENA　FOR　THE　PRESIDENT




　　　　　　　　_To　George　Hay_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　June　20；　1807_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Mr。　Latrobe　now　comes　on　as　a　witness　against

Burr。　　His　presence　here　is　with　great　inconvenience　dispensed　with；

as　150　workmen　require　his　constant　directions　on　various　public

works　of　pressing　importance。　　I　hope　you　will　permit　him　to　come

away　as　soon　as　possible。　　How　far　his　testimony　will　be　important　as

to　the　prisoner；　I　know　not；　but　I　am　desirous　that　those　meetings　of

Yrujo　with　Burr　and　his　principal　accomplices；　should　come　fully　out；

and　judicially；　as　they　will　establish　the　just　complaints　we　have

against　his　nation。




　　　　　　　　I　did　not　see　till　last　night　the　opinion　of　the　Judge　on　the

_subpoena　duces　tecum_　against　the　President。　　Considering　the

question　there　as　_coram　non　judice_；　I　did　not　read　his　argument

with　much　attention。　　Yet　I　saw　readily　enough；　that；　as　is　usual

where　an　opinion　is　to　be　supported；　right　or　wrong；　he　dwells　much

on　smaller　objections；　and　passes　over　those　which　are　solid。　　Laying

down　the　position　generally；　that　all　persons　owe　obedience　to

subpoenas；　he　admits　no　exception　unless　it　can　be　produced　in　his

law　books。　　But　if　the　Constitution　enjoins　on　a　particular　officer

to　be　always　engaged　in　a　particular　set　of　duties　imposed　on　him；

does　not　this　supersede　the　general　law；　subjecting　him　to　minor

duties　inconsistent　with　these？　　The　Constitution　enjoins　his

constant　agency　in　the　concerns　of　6。　millions　of　people。　　Is　the　law

paramount　to　this；　which　calls　on　him　on　behalf　of　a　single　one？　　Let

us　apply　the　Judge's　own　doctrine　to　the　case　of　himself　&　his

brethren。　　The　sheriff　of　Henrico　summons　him　from　the　bench；　to

quell　a　riot　somewhere　in　his　county。　　The　federal　judge　is；　by　the

general　law；　a　part　of　the　_posse_　of　the　State　sheriff。　　Would　the

Judge　abandon　major　duties　to　perform　lesser　ones？　　Again；　the　court

of　Orleans　or　Maine　commands；　by　subpoenas；　the　attendance　of　all　the

judges　of　the　Supreme　Court。　　Would　they　abandon　their　posts　as

judges；　and　the　interests　of　millions　committed　to　them；　to　serve　the

purposes　of　a　single　individual？　　The　leading　principle　of　our

Constitution　is　the　independence　of　the　Legislature；　executive　and

judiciary　of　each　other；　and　none　are　more　jealous　of　this　than　the

judiciary。　　But　would　the　executive　be　independent　of　the　judiciary；

if　he　were　subject　to　the　_commands_　of　the　latter；　&　to　imprisonment

for　disobedience；　if　the　several　courts　could　bandy　him　from　pillar

to　post；　keep　him　constantly　trudging　from　north　to　south　&　east　to

west；　and　withdraw　him　entirely　from　his　constitutional　duties？　　The

intention　of　the　Constitution；　that　each　branch　should　be　independent

of　the　others；　is　further　manifested　by　the　means　it　has　furnished　to

each；　to　protect　itself　from　enterprises　of　force　attempted　on　them

by　the　others；　and　to　none　has　it　given　more　effectual　or　diversified

means　than　to　the　executive。　　Again；　because　ministers　can　go　into　a

court　in　London　as　witnesses；　without　interruption　to　their　executive

duties；　it　is　inferred　that　they　would　go　to　a　court　1000。　or　1500。

miles　off；　and　that　ours　are　to　be　dragged　from　Maine　to　Orleans　by

every　criminal　who　will　swear　that　their　testimony　‘may　be　of　use　to

him。'　The　Judge　says；　‘_it　is　apparent_　that　the　President's　duties

as　chief　magistrate　do　not　demand　his　whole　time；　&　are　not

unremitting。'　If　he　alludes　to　our　annual　retirement　from　the　seat　of

government；　during　the　sickly　season；　he　should　be　told　that　such

arrangements　are　made　for　carrying　on　the　public　business；　at　and

between　the　several　stations　we　take；　that　it　goes　on　as

unremittingly　there；　as　if　we　were　at　the　seat　of　government。　　I　pass

more　hours　in　public　business　at　Monticello　than　I　do　here；　every

day；　and　it　is　much　more　laborious；　because　all　must　be　done　in

writing。　　Our　stations　being　known；　all　communications　come　to　them

regularly；　as　to　fixed　points。　　It　would　be　very　different　were　we

always　on　the　road；　or　placed　in　the　noisy　&　crowdedtaverns　where

courts　are　held。　　Mr。　Rodney　is　expected　here　every　hour；　having　been

kept　away　by　a　sick　child。




　　　　　　　　I　salute　you　with　friendship　and　respect。