The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
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The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
take away; and Congress will have a right to take away trials by jury in
all civil cases. Let me add, that a bill of rights is what the people are
entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular; and
what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.
The second feature I dislike, and strongly dislike, is the abandonment,
in every instance, of the principle of rotation in office, and most
particularly in the case of the President. Reason and experience tell
us, that the first magistrate will always be re-elected if he may be
re-elected. He is then an officer for life. This once observed, it
becomes of so much consequence to certain nations, to have a friend or
a foe at the head of our affairs, that they will interfere with money
and with arms. A Galloman, or an Angloman, will be supported by the
nation he befriends. If once elected, and at a second or third election
outvoted by one or two votes, he will pretend false votes, foul play, hold
possession of the reigns of government, be supported by the States voting
for him, especially if they be the central ones, lying in a compact body
themselves, and separating their opponents; and they will be aided by one
nation in Europe, while the majority are aided by another. The election of
a President of America, some years hence, will be much more interesting to
certain nations of Europe, than ever the election of a King of Poland was.
Reflect on all the instances in history, ancient and modern, of elective
monarchies, and say if they do not give foundation for my fears; the Roman
Emperors, the Popes while they were of any importance, the German Emperors
till they became hereditary in practice, the Kings of Poland, the Deys
of the Ottoman dependencies. It may be said, that if elections are to be
attended with these disorders, the less frequently they are repeated the
better. But experience says, that to free them from disorder, they must
be rendered less interesting by a necessity of change. No foreign power,
nor domestic party, will waste their blood and money to elect a person,
who must go out at the end of a short period. The power of removing every
fourth year by the vote of the people, is a power which they will not
exercise, and if they were disposed to exercise it, they would not be
permitted. The King of Poland is removable every day by the diet. But
they never remove him. Nor would Russia, the Emperor, &c., permit them to
do it. Smaller objections are, the appeals on matters of fact as well as
laws; and the binding all persons, legislative, executive and judiciary
by oath, to maintain that constitution. I do not pretend to decide, what
would be the best method of procuring the establishment of the manifold
good things in this constitution, and of getting rid of the bad. Whether
by adopting it, in hopes of future amendment; or after it shall have been
duly weighed and canvassed by the people, after seeing the parts they
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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