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imagined　to　be　almost　innate　in　them。　　In　this　State；　a　few　persons

were　deluded　by　the　X。　Y。　Z。　duperies。　　You　saw　the　effect　of　it　in

our　last　Congressional　representatives；　chosen　under　their　influence。

This　experiment　on　their　credulity　is　now　seen　into；　and　our　next

representation　will　be　as　republican　as　it　has　heretofore　been。　　On

the　whole；　we　hope；　that　by　a　part　of　the　Union　having　held　on　to　the

principles　of　the　constitution；　time　has　been　given　to　the　states　to

recover　from　the　temporary　frenzy　into　which　they　had　been　decoyed；

to　rally　round　the　constitution；　&　to　rescue　it　from　the　destruction

with　which　it　had　been　threatened　even　at　their　own　hands。　　I　see

copied　from　the　American　Magazine　two　numbers　of　a　paper　signed　Don

Quixotte；　most　excellently　adapted　to　introduce　the　real　truth　to　the

minds　even　of　the　most　prejudiced。




　　　　　　　　I　would；　with　great　pleasure；　have　written　the　letter　you

desired　in　behalf　of　your　friend；　but　there　are　existing

circumstances　which　render　a　letter　from　me　to　that　magistrate　as

improper　as　it　would　be　unavailing。　　I　shall　be　happy；　on　some　more

fortunate　occasion；　to　prove　to　you　my　desire　of　serving　your　wishes。




　　　　　　　　I　sometime　ago　received　a　letter　from　a　Mr。　M'Gregory　of　Derby；

in　your　State；　it　is　written　with　such　a　degree　of　good　sense　&

appearance　of　candor；　as　entitles　it　to　an　answer。　　Yet　the　writer

being　entirely　unknown　to　me；　and　the　stratagems　of　the　times　very

multifarious；　I　have　thought　it　best　to　avail　myself　of　your

friendship；　&　enclose　the　answer　to　you。　　You　will　see　it's　nature。

If　you　find　from　the　character　of　the　person　to　whom　it　is　addressed；

that　no　improper　use　would　probably　be　made　of　it；　be　so　good　as　to

seal　&　send　it。　　Otherwise　suppress　it。




　　　　　　　　How　will　the　vote　of　your　State　and　R　I　be　as　to　A。　and　P。？




　　　　　　　　I　am；　with　great　and　sincere　esteem；　dear　Sir；　your　friend　and

servant。







　　　　　　　　〃I　HAVE　SWORN　UPON　THE　ALTAR　OF　GOD　。　　。　　。　〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Benjamin　Rush_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　Sep。　23；　1800_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　have　to　acknolege　the　receipt　of　your　favor　of

Aug。　22；　and　to　congratulate　you　on　the　healthiness　of　your　city。

Still　Baltimore；　Norfolk　&　Providence　admonish　us　that　we　are　not

clear　of　our　new　scourge。　　When　great　evils　happen；　I　am　in　the　habit

of　looking　out　for　what　good　may　arise　from　them　as　consolations　to

us；　and　Providence　has　in　fact　so　established　the　order　of　things；　as

that　most　evils　are　the　means　of　producing　some　good。　　The　yellow

fever　will　discourage　the　growth　of　great　cities　in　our　nation；　&　I

view　great　cities　as　pestilential　to　the　morals；　the　health　and　the

liberties　of　man。　　True；　they　nourish　some　of　the　elegant　arts；　but

the　useful　ones　can　thrive　elsewhere；　and　less　perfection　in　the

others；　with　more　health；　virtue　&　freedom；　would　be　my　choice。




　　　　　　　　I　agree　with　you　entirely；　in　condemning　the　mania　of　giving

names　to　objects　of　any　kind　after　persons　still　living。　　Death　alone

can　seal　the　title　of　any　man　to　this　honor；　by　putting　it　out　of　his

power　to　forfeit　it。　　There　is　one　other　mode　of　recording　merit；

which　I　have　often　thought　might　be　introduced；　so　as　to　gratify　the

living　by　praising　the　dead。　　In　giving；　for　instance；　a　commission

of　chief　justice　to　Bushrod　Washington；　it　should　be　in　consideration

of　his　integrity；　and　science　in　the　laws；　and　of　the　services

rendered　to　our　country　by　his　illustrious　relation；　&c。　　A

commission　to　a　descendant　of　Dr。　Franklin；　besides　being　in

consideration　of　the　proper　qualifications　of　the　person；　should　add

that　of　the　great　services　rendered　by　his　illustrious　ancestor；　Bn

Fr；　by　the　advancement　of　science；　by　inventions　useful　to　man；　&c。

I　am　not　sure　that　we　ought　to　change　all　our　names。　　And　during　the

regal　government；　sometimes；　indeed；　they　were　given　through

adulation；　but　often　also　as　the　reward　of　the　merit　of　the　times；

sometimes　for　services　rendered　the　colony。　　Perhaps；　too；　a　name

when　given；　should　be　deemed　a　sacred　property。




　　　　　　　　I　promised　you　a　letter　on　Christianity；　which　I　have　not

forgotten。　　On　the　contrary；　it　is　because　I　have　reflected　on　it；

that　I　find　much　more　time　necessary　for　it　than　I　can　at　present

dispose　of。　　I　have　a　view　of　the　subject　which　ought　to　displease

neither　the　rational　Christian　nor　Deists；　and　would　reconcile　many

to　a　character　they　have　too　hastily　rejected。　　I　do　not　know　that　it

would　reconcile　the　_genus　irritabile　vatum_　who　are　all　in　arms

against　me。　　Their　hostility　is　on　too　interesting　ground　to　be

softened。　　The　delusion　into　which　the　X。　Y。　Z。　plot　shewed　it

possible　to　push　the　people；　the　successful　experiment　made　under　the

prevalence　of　that　delusion　on　the　clause　of　the　constitution；　which；

while　it　secured　the　freedom　of　the　press；　covered　also　the　freedom

of　religion；　had　given　to　the　clergy　a　very　favorite　hope　of

obtaining　an　establishment　of　a　particular　form　of　Christianity　thro'

the　U。　S。；　and　as　every　sect　believes　its　own　form　the　true　one；

every　one　perhaps　hoped　for　his　own；　but　especially　the　Episcopalians

&　Congregationalists。　　The　returning　good　sense　of　our　country

threatens　abortion　to　their　hopes；　&　they　believe　that　any　portion　of

power　confided　to　me；　will　be　exerted　in　opposition　to　their　schemes。

And　they　believe　rightly；　for　I　have　sworn　upon　the　altar　of　god；

eternal　hostility　against　every　form　of　tyranny　over　the　mind　of　man。

But　this　is　all　they　have　to　fear　from　me：　&　enough　too　in　their

opinion；　&　this　is　the　cause　of　their　printing　lying　pamphlets

against　me；　forging　conversations　for　me　with　Mazzei；　Bishop　Madison；

&c。；　which　are　absolute　falsehoods　without　a　circumstance　of　truth　to

rest　on；　falsehoods；　too；　of　which　I　acquit　Mazzei　&　Bishop　Madison；

for　they　are　men　of　truth。




　　　　　　　　But　enough　of　this：　it　is　more　than　I　have　before　committed　to

paper　on　the　subject　of　all　the　lies　that　has　been　preached　and

printed　against　me。　　I　have　not　seen　the　work　of　Sonnoni　which　you

mention；　but　I　have　seen　another　work　on　Africa；　（Parke's；）　which　I

fear　will　throw　cold　water　on　the　hopes　of　the　friends　of　freedom。

You　will　hear　an　account　of　an　attempt　at　insurrection　in　this　state。

I　am　looking　with　anxiety　to　see　what　will　be　it's　effect　on　our

state。　　We　are　truly　to　be　pitied。　　I　fear　we　have　little　chance　to

see　you　at　the　Federal　city　or　in　Virginia；　and　as　little　at

Philadelphia。　　It　would　be　a　great　treat　to　receive　you　here。　　But

nothing　but　sickness　could　effect　that；　so　I　do　not　wish　it。　　For　I

wish　you　health　and　happiness；　and　think　of　you　with　affection。

Adieu。







　　　　　　　　〃PHILOSOPHICAL　VEDETTE〃　AT　A　DISTANCE




　　　　　　　　_To　William　Dunbar_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Jan。　12；　1801_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　July　14；　with　the　papers

accompanying　it；　came　safely　to　hand　about　the　last　of　October。　　That

containing　remarks　on　the　line　of　demarcation　I　perused　according　to

your　permission；　and　with　great　satisfaction；　and　then　enclosed　to　a

friend　in　Philadelphia；　to　be　forwarded　to　it's　address。　　The　papers

addressed　to　me；　I　took　the　liberty　of　communicating　to　the

Philosophical　society。　　That　on　the　language　by　signs　is　quite　new。

Soon　after　receiving　your　meteorological　diary；　I　received　one　of

Quebec；　and　was　struck　with　the　comparison　between　…　32　&　＋　19　3/4

the　lowest　depression　of　the　thermometer　at　Quebec　&　the　Natchez。　　I

have　often　wondered　that　any　human　being　should　live　in　a　cold

country　who　can　find　room　in　a　warm　one。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　that

cold　is　the　source　of　more　sufferance　to　all　animal　nature　than

hunger；　thirst；　sickness；　&　all　the　other　pains　of　life　&　of　death

itself　put　together。　　I　live　in　a　temperate　climate；　and　under

circumstances　which　do　not　expose　me　often　to　cold。　　Yet　when　I

recollect　on　one　hand　all　the　sufferings　I　have　had　from　cold；　&　on

the　other　all　my　other　pains；　the　former　preponderate　greatly。　　What

then　must　be　the　sum　of　that　evil　if　we　take　in　the　vast　proportion

of　men　who　are　obliged　to　be　out　in　all　weather；　by　land　&　by　sea；

all　the　families　of　beasts；　birds；　reptiles；　&　even　the　vegetable

kingdom！　for　that　too　has　life；　and　where　there　is　life　there　may　be

sensation。　　I　remark　a　rainbow　of　a　great　portion　of　the　circle

observed　by　you　when　on　the　line　of　demarcation。　　I　live　in　a

situation　which　has　given　me　an　opportunity　of　seeing　more　than　the

semicircle　often。　　I　am　on　a　hill　500　f。　perpendicularly　high。　　On

the　east　side　it　breaks　down　abruptly　to　the　base；　where　a　river

passes　through。　　A　rainbow；　therefore；　about　sunset；　plunges　one　of

it's　legs　down　to　the　river；　500　f。　below　the　level　of　the　eye　on　the

top　of　the　hill。　　I　have　twice　seen　bows　formed　by　the　moon。　　They

were　of　the　color　of　the　common　circle　round　the　moon；　and　were　very

near；　being　within　a　few　paces　of　me　in　both　instances。　　I　thank　you

for　the　little　vocabularies　of　Bedais；　Jankawis　and　Teghas。　　I　have

it　much　at　heart　to　make　as　extensive　a　collection　as　possible　of　the

Indian　tongues。　　I　have　at　present　about　30。　tolerably　full；　among

which　the　number　radically　different；　is　truly　wonderful。　　It　is

curious　to　consider　how　such　handfuls　of　men　came　by　different

languages；　&　how　they　have　preserved　them　so　distinct。　　I　at　first

thought　of　reducing　them　all　to　one　orthography；　but　I　soon　become

sensible　that　this　would　occasion　two　sources　of　error　instead　of

one。　　I　therefore　think　it　best　to　keep　them　in　the　form　of

orthography　in　which　they　were　taken；　only　noting　whether　that　were

English；　French；　German；　or　what。　　I　have　never　been　a　very　punctual

correspondent；　and　it　is　possible　that　new　duties　may　make　me　less

so。　　I　hope　I　shall　not　on　that　account　lose　the　benefit　of　your

communications。　　Philosophical　vedette　at　the　distance　of　one

thousand　miles；　and　on　the　verge