The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 3 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 3 (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
Dear Sir,--I am to make you my acknowledgments for your favor of January
10th, and the information from France which it contained. It confirmed
what I had heard more loosely before, and accounts still more recent are
to the same effect. I look with great anxiety for the firm establishment
of the new government in France, being perfectly convinced that if it
takes place there, it will spread sooner or later all over Europe. On
the contrary, a check there would retard the revival of liberty in other
countries. I consider the establishment and success of their government
as necessary to stay up our own, and to prevent it from falling back to
that kind of a half-way house, the English constitution. It cannot be
denied that we have among us a sect who believe that to contain whatever
is perfect in human institutions; that the members of this sect have,
many of them, names and offices which stand high in the estimation of our
countrymen. I still rely that the great mass of our community is untainted
with these heresies, as is its head. On this I build my hope that we have
not labored in vain, and that our experiment will still prove that men
can be governed by reason. You have excited my curiosity in saying "there
is a particular circumstance, little attended to, which is continually
sapping the republicanism of the United States." What is it? What is said
in our country of the fiscal arrangements now going on? I really fear
their effect when I consider the present temper of the southern States.
Whether these measures be right or wrong abstractedly, more attention
should be paid to the general opinion. However, all will pass--the excise
will pass--the bank will pass. The only corrective of what is corrupt in
our present form of government will be the augmentation of the numbers in
the lower House, so as to get a more agricultural representation, which
may put that interest above that of the stock-jobbers.
I had no occasion to sound Mr. Madison on your fears expressed in your
letter. I knew before, as possessing his sentiments fully on that subject,
that his value for you was undiminished. I have always heard him say that
though you and he appeared to differ in your systems, yet you were in
truth nearer together than most persons who were classed under the same
appellation. You may quiet yourself in the assurance of possessing his
complete esteem. I have been endeavoring to obtain some little distinction
for our useful customers, the French. But there is a particular interest
opposed to it, which I fear will prove too strong. We shall soon see.
I will send you a copy of a report I have given in, as soon as it is
printed. I know there is one part of it contrary to your sentiments; yet
I am not sure you will not become sensible that a change should be slowly
preparing. Certainly, whenever I pass your road, I shall do myself the
pleasure of turning into it. Our last year's experiment, however, is much
in favor of that by Newgate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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