The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 9 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 9 (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
got out of patience, and insisted I should jog him. This I did on the
21st of February, at the President's assembly: he immediately promised
I should have it in a few days, and accordingly, on the 5th of March I
received it.
Written March the 11th, 1792.
* * * * *
March the 12th, 1792. Sent for by the President, and desired to bring
the letter he had signed to the King of France. Went. He said the House
of Representatives had, on Saturday, taken up the communication he had
made of the King's letter to him, and come to a vote in their own name;
that he did not expect this when he sent this message and the letter,
otherwise he would have sent the message without the letter, as I had
proposed. That he apprehended the legislature would be endeavoring to
invade the executive. I told him, I had understood the House had resolved
to request him to join their congratulations to his on the completion
and acceptance of the constitution; on which part of the vote, there
were only two dissentients, (Barnwell and Benson;) that the vote was
thirty-five to sixteen on that part which expressed an approbation of
the wisdom of the constitution; that in the letter he had signed, I had
avoided saying a word in approbation of the constitution, not knowing
whether the King, in his heart, approved it. Why, indeed, says he, I
begin to doubt very much of the affairs of France; there are papers from
London as late as the 10th of January, which represent them as going
into confusion. He read over the letter he had signed, found there was
not a word which could commit his judgment about the constitution, and
gave it to me back again. This is one of many proofs I have had, of his
want of confidence in the event of the French revolution. The fact is,
that Governeur Morris, a high-flying monarchy man, shutting his eyes and
his faith to every fact against his wishes, and believing everything he
desires to be true, has kept the President's mind constantly poisoned
with his forebodings. That the President wishes the revolution may be
established, I believe from several indications. I remember, when I
received the news of the King's flight and capture, I first told him of
it at his assembly. I never saw him so much dejected by any event in my
life. He expressed clearly, on this occasion, his disapprobation of the
legislature referring things to the Heads of departments.
Written March the 12th.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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