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,--My last to you was of July the 22d. Since that, I have received
yours of May the 27th, June 13th and 30th. The tranquillity of the city
has not been disturbed since my last. Dissensions between the French and
Swiss guards occasioned some private combats, in which five or six were
killed. These dissensions are made up. The want of bread for some days
past, has greatly endangered the peace of the city. Some get a little,
some none at all. The poor are the best served, because they besiege
perpetually the doors of the bakers. Notwithstanding this distress, and
the palpable importance of the city administration to furnish bread to
the city, it was not till yesterday, that general leave was given to the
bakers to go into the country and buy flour for themselves as they can.
This will soon relieve us, because the wheat harvest is well advanced.
Never was there a country where the practice of governing too much, had
taken deeper root and done more mischief. Their declaration of rights
is finished. If printed in time, I will enclose a copy with this. It is
doubtful whether they will now take up the finance or the constitution
first. The distress for money endangers everything. No taxes are paid, and
no money can be borrowed. Mr. Neckar was yesterday to give in a memoir
to the Assembly, on this subject. I think they will give him leave to
put into execution any plan he pleases, so as to debarrass themselves
of this, and take up that of the constitution. No plan is yet reported;
but the leading members (with some small difference of opinion) have in
contemplation the following: The executive power in a hereditary King,
with a negative on laws, and power to dissolve the legislature; to be
considerably restrained in the making of treaties, and limited in his
expenses. The legislative is a House of representatives. They propose a
Senate also, chosen on the plan of our federal Senate by the Provincial
Assemblies, but to be for life, of a certain age (they talk of forty
years), and certain wealth (four or five hundred guineas a year), but
to have no other power against the laws but to remonstrate against them
to the representatives, who will then determine their fate by a simple
majority. This, you will readily perceive, is a mere council of revision,
like that of New York, which, in order to be something, must form an
alliance with the King, to avail themselves of his veto. The alliance will
be useful to both, and to the nation. The representatives to be chosen
every two or three years. The judiciary system is less prepared than any
other part of the plan; however, they will abolish the parliaments, and
establish an order of judges and justices, general and provincial, a good
deal like ours, with trial by jury in criminal cases certainly, perhaps
also in civil. The provinces will have Assemblies for their provincial
government, and the cities a municipal body for municipal government, all
founded on the basis of popular election.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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