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communications。　　Philosophical　vedette　at　the　distance　of　one

thousand　miles；　and　on　the　verge　of　the　terra　incognita　of　our

continent；　is　precious　to　us　here。　　I　pray　you　to　accept　assurances

of　my　high　consideration　&　esteem；　and　friendly　salutations。







　　　　　　　　THE　REVOLUTION　OF　1800




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Dickinson_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　6；　1801_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　No　pleasure　can　exceed　that　which　I　received　from

reading　your　letter　of　the　21st　ult。　　It　was　like　the　joy　we　expect

in　the　mansions　of　the　blessed；　when　received　with　the　embraces　of

our　fathers；　we　shall　be　welcomed　with　their　blessing　as　having　done

our　part　not　unworthily　of　them。　　The　storm　through　which　we　have

passed；　has　been　tremendous　indeed。　　The　tough　sides　of　our　Argosie

have　been　thoroughly　tried。　　Her　strength　has　stood　the　waves　into

which　she　was　steered；　with　a　view　to　sink　her。　　We　shall　put　her　on

her　republican　tack；　&　she　will　now　show　by　the　beauty　of　her　motion

the　skill　of　her　builders。　　Figure　apart；　our　fellow　citizens　have

been　led　hood…winked　from　their　principles；　by　a　most　extraordinary

combination　of　circumstances。　　But　the　band　is　removed；　and　they　now

see　for　themselves。　　I　hope　to　see　shortly　a　perfect　consolidation；

to　effect　which；　nothing　shall　be　spared　on　my　part；　short　of　the

abandonment　of　the　principles　of　our　revolution。　　A　just　and　solid

republican　government　maintained　here；　will　be　a　standing　monument　&

example　for　the　aim　&　imitation　of　the　people　of　other　countries；　and

I　join　with　you　in　the　hope　and　belief　that　they　will　see；　from　our

example；　that　a　free　government　is　of　all　others　the　most　energetic；

that　the　inquiry　which　has　been　excited　among　the　mass　of　mankind　by

our　revolution　&　it's　consequences；　will　ameliorate　the　condition　of

man　over　a　great　portion　of　the　globe。　　What　a　satisfaction　have　we

in　the　contemplation　of　the　benevolent　effects　of　our　efforts；

compared　with　those　of　the　leaders　on　the　other　side；　who　have

discountenanced　all　advances　in　science　as　dangerous　innovations；

have　endeavored　to　render　philosophy　and　republicanism　terms　of

reproach；　to　persuade　us　that　man　cannot　be　governed　but　by　the　rod；

&c。　　I　shall　have　the　happiness　of　living　&　dying　in　the　contrary

hope。　　Accept　assurances　of　my　constant　&　sincere　respect　and

attachment；　and　my　affectionate　salutations。







　　　　　　　　SOMETHING　NEW　UNDER　THE　SUN




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Joseph　Priestley_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　21；　1801_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　learnt　some　time　ago　that　you　were　in

Philadelphia；　but　that　it　was　only　for　a　fortnight；　&　supposed　you

were　gone。　　It　was　not　till　yesterday　I　received　information　that　you

were　still　there；　had　been　very　ill；　but　were　on　the　recovery。　　I

sincerely　rejoice　that　you　are　so。　　Yours　is　one　of　the　few　lives

precious　to　mankind；　&　for　the　continuance　of　which　every　thinking

man　is　solicitous。　　Bigots　may　be　an　exception。　　What　an　effort；　my

dear　Sir；　of　bigotry　in　Politics　&　Religion　have　we　gone　through！

The　barbarians　really　flattered　themselves　they　should　be　able　to

bring　back　the　times　of　Vandalism；　when　ignorance　put　everything　into

the　hands　of　power　&　priestcraft。　　All　advances　in　science　were

proscribed　as　innovations。　　They　pretended　to　praise　and　encourage

education；　but　it　was　to　be　the　education　of　our　ancestors。　　We　were

to　look　backwards；　not　forwards；　for　improvement；　the　President

himself　declaring；　in　one　of　his　answers　to　addresses；　that　we　were

never　to　expect　to　go　beyond　them　in　real　science。　　This　was　the　real

ground　of　all　the　attacks　on　you。　　Those　who　live　by　mystery　&

_charlatanerie_；　fearing　you　would　render　them　useless　by　simplifying

the　Christian　philosophy；　　the　most　sublime　&　benevolent；　but　most

perverted　system　that　ever　shone　on　man；　　endeavored　to　crush　your

well…earnt　&　well…deserved　fame。　　But　it　was　the　Lilliputians　upon

Gulliver。　　Our　countrymen　have　recovered　from　the　alarm　into　which

art　&　industry　had　thrown　them；　science　&　honesty　are　replaced　on

their　high　ground；　and　you；　my　dear　Sir；　as　their　great　apostle；　are

on　it's　pinnacle。　　It　is　with　heartfelt　satisfaction　that；　in　the

first　moments　of　my　public　action；　I　can　hail　you　with　welcome　to　our

land；　tender　to　you　the　homage　of　it's　respect　&　esteem；　cover　you

under　the　protection　of　those　laws　which　were　made　for　the　wise　and

good　like　you；　and　disdain　the　legitimacy　of　that　libel　on

legislation；　which　under　the　form　of　a　law；　was　for　some　time　placed

among　them。




　　　　　　　　As　the　storm　is　now　subsiding；　and　the　horizon　becoming　serene；

it　is　pleasant　to　consider　the　phenomenon　with　attention。　　We　can　no

longer　say　there　is　nothing　new　under　the　sun。　　For　this　whole

chapter　in　the　history　of　man　is　new。　　The　great　extent　of　our

Republic　is　new。　　Its　sparse　habitation　is　new。　　The　mighty　wave　of

public　opinion　which　has　rolled　over　it　is　new。　　But　the　most

pleasing　novelty　is；　it's　so　quickly　subsiding　over　such　an　extent　of

surface　to　it's　true　level　again。　　The　order　&　good　sense　displayed

in　this　recovery　from　delusion；　and　in　the　momentous　crisis　which

lately　arose；　really　bespeak　a　strength　of　character　in　our　nation

which　augurs　well　for　the　duration　of　our　Republic；　&　I　am　much

better　satisfied　now　of　it's　stability　than　I　was　before　it　was

tried。　　I　have　been；　above　all　things；　solaced　by　the　prospect　which

opened　on　us；　in　the　event　of　a　non…election　of　a　President；　in　which

case；　the　federal　government　would　have　been　in　the　situation　of　a

clock　or　watch　run　down。　　There　was　no　idea　of　force；　nor　of　any

occasion　for　it。　　A　convention；　invited　by　the　Republican　members　of

Congress；　with　the　virtual　President　&　Vice　President；　would　have

been　on　the　ground　in　8。　weeks；　would　have　repaired　the　Constitution

where　it　was　defective；　&　wound　it　up　again。　　This　peaceable　&

legitimate　resource；　to　which　we　are　in　the　habit　of　implicit

obedience；　superseding　all　appeal　to　force；　and　being　always　within

our　reach；　shows　a　precious　principle　of　self…preservation　in　our

composition；　till　a　change　of　circumstances　shall　take　place；　which

is　not　within　prospect　at　any　definite　period。




　　　　　　　　But　I　have　got　into　a　long　disquisition　on　politics；　when　I

only　meant　to　express　my　sympathy　in　the　state　of　your　health；　and　to

tender　you　all　the　affections　of　public　&　private　hospitality。　　I

should　be　very　happy　indeed　to　see　you　here。　　I　leave　this　about　the

30th　inst。；　to　return　about　the　twenty…fifth　of　April。　　If　you　do　not

leave　Philadelphia　before　that；　a　little　excursion　hither　would　help

your　health。　　I　should　be　much　gratified　with　the　possession　of　a

guest　I　so　much　esteem；　and　should　claim　a　right　to　lodge　you；　should

you　make　such　an　excursion。







　　　　　　　　WISDOM　AND　PATRIOTISM




　　　　　　　　_To　Moses　Robinson_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　March　23；　1801_




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

the　3rd　instant；　and　to　thank　you　for　the　friendly　expressions　it

contains。　　I　entertain　real　hope　that　the　whole　body　of　your　fellow

citizens　（many　of　whom　had　been　carried　away　by　the　X。　Y。　Z。

business）　will　shortly　be　consolidated　in　the　same　sentiments。　　When

they　examine　the　real　principles　of　both　parties；　I　think　they　will

find　little　to　differ　about。　　I　know；　indeed；　that　there　are　some　of

their　leaders　who　have　so　committed　themselves；　that　pride；　if　no

other　passion；　will　prevent　their　coalescing。　　We　must　be　easy　with

them。　　The　eastern　States　will　be　the　last　to　come　over；　on　account

of　the　dominion　of　the　clergy；　who　had　got　a　smell　of　union　between

Church　and　State；　and　began　to　indulge　reveries　which　can　never　be

realised　in　the　present　state　of　science。　　If；　indeed；　they　could

have　prevailed　on　us　to　view　all　advances　in　science　as　dangerous

innovations；　and　to　look　back　to　the　opinions　and　practices　of　our

forefathers；　instead　of　looking　forward；　for　improvement；　a　promising

groundwork　would　have　been　laid。　　But　I　am　in　hopes　their　good　sense

will　dictate　to　them；　that　since　the　mountain　will　not　come　to　them；

they　had　better　go　to　the　mountain：　that　they　will　find　their

interest　in　acquiescing　in　the　liberty　and　science　of　their　country；

and　that　the　Christian　religion；　when　divested　of　the　rags　in　which

they　have　enveloped　it；　and　brought　to　the　original　purity　and

simplicity　of　its　benevolent　institutor；　is　a　religion　of　all　others

most　friendly　to　liberty；　science；　and　the　freest　expansion　of　the

human　mind。




　　　　　　　　I　sincerely　wish　with　you；　we　could　see　our　government　so

secured　as　to　depend　less　on　the　character　of　the　person　in　whose

hands　it　is　trusted。　　Bad　men　will　sometimes　get　in；　and　with　such　an

immense　patronage；　may　make　great　progress　in　corrupting　the　public

mind　and　principles。　　This　is　a　subject　with　which　wisdom　and

patriotism　should　be　occupied。




　　　　　　　　I　pray　you　to　accept　assurances　of　my　high　respect　and　esteem。







　　　　　　　　RECONCILIATION　AND　REFORM




　　　　　　　　_To　Elbridge　Gerry_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　29；　1801_




　　　　　　　　MY　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　two　letters　of　Jan。　15　and　Feb。　24；　came

safely　to　hand；　and　I　thank　you　for　the　history　of　a　transaction

which　will　ever　be　interesting　in　our　affairs。　　It　has　been　very

precisely　as　I　had　imagined。　　I　thought；　on　your　return；　that　if　you

had　come　forward　boldly；　and　appealed　to　the　public　by　a　full

statement；　it　would　have　had　a　great　effect　in　your　favor　personally；

&　that　of　the　republican　cause　then　oppressed　almost　unto　death。　　But

I　judged　from　a　tact　of　the　southern　pulse。　　I　suspect　that　of　the

north　was　different　and　decided　your　conduct；　and　perhaps　it　has　been

as　well。　　If　the　revolution　of　sentiment　has　been　later；　it　has

perhaps　been　not　less　sure。　　At　length　it　is　arrived。　　What　with　the

natural　current　of　opinion　which　has　been　setting　over　to　us　for　18。

months；