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

months；　and　the　immense　impetus　which　was　given　it　from　the　11th　to

the　17th　of　Feb。；　we　may　now　say　that　the　U。S。　from　N。Y。　southwardly；

are　as　unanimous　in　the　principles　of　'76；　as　they　were　in　'76。　　The

only　difference　is；　that　the　leaders　who　remain　behind　are　more

numerous　&　bolder　than　the　apostles　of　toryism　in　'76。　　The　reason

is；　that　we　are　now　justly　more　tolerant　than　we　could　safely　have

been　then；　circumstanced　as　we　were。　　Your　part　of　the　Union　tho'　as

absolutely　republican　as　ours；　had　drunk　deeper　of　the　delusion；　&　is

therefore　slower　in　recovering　from　it。　　The　aegis　of　government；　&

the　temples　of　religion　&　of　justice；　have　all　been　prostituted　there

to　toll　us　back　to　the　times　when　we　burnt　witches。　　But　your　people

will　rise　again。　　They　will　awake　like　Sampson　from　his　sleep；　&

carry　away　the　gates　&　posts　of　the　city。　　You；　my　friend；　are

destined　to　rally　them　again　under　their　former　banner；　and　when

called　to　the　post；　exercise　it　with　firmness　&　with　inflexible

adherence　to　your　own　principles。　　The　people　will　support　you；

notwithstanding　the　howlings　of　the　ravenous　crew　from　whose　jaws

they　are　escaping。　　It　will　be　a　great　blessing　to　our　country　if　we

can　once　more　restore　harmony　and　social　love　among　its　citizens。　　I

confess；　as　to　myself；　it　is　almost　the　first　object　of　my　heart；　and

one　to　which　I　would　sacrifice　everything　but　principle。　　With　the

people　I　have　hopes　of　effecting　it。　　But　their　Coryphaei　are

incurables。　　I　expect　little　from　them。




　　　　　　　　I　was　not　deluded　by　the　eulogiums　of　the　public　papers　in　the

first　moments　of　change。　　If　they　could　have　continued　to　get　all　the

loaves　&　fishes；　that　is；　if　I　would　have　gone　over　to　them；　they

would　continue　to　eulogise。　　But　I　well　knew　that　the　moment　that

such　removals　should　take　place；　as　the　justice　of　the　preceding

administration　ought　to　have　executed；　their　hue　and　cry　would　be　set

up；　and　they　would　take　their　old　stand。　　I　shall　disregard　that

also。　　Mr。　Adams'　last　appointments；　when　he　knew　he　was　naming

counsellors　&　aids　for　me　&　not　for　himself；　I　set　aside　as　far　as

depends　on　me。　　Officers　who　have　been　guilty　of　gross　abuses　of

office；　such　as　marshals　packing　juries；　&c。；　I　shall　now　remove；　as

my　predecessor　ought　in　justice　to　have　done。　　The　instances　will　be

few；　and　governed　by　strict　rule；　&　not　party　passion。　　The　right　of

opinion　shall　suffer　no　invasion　from　me。　　Those　who　have　acted　well

have　nothing　to　fear；　however　they　may　have　differed　from　me　in

opinion：　those　who　have　done　ill；　however；　have　nothing　to　hope；　nor

shall　I　fail　to　do　justice　lest　it　should　be　ascribed　to　that

difference　of　opinion。　　A　coalition　of　sentiments　is　not　for　the

interest　of　printers。　　They；　like　the　clergy；　live　by　the　zeal　they

can　kindle；　and　the　schisms　they　can　create。　　It　is　contest　of

opinion　in　politics　as　well　as　religion　which　makes　us　take　great

interest　in　them；　and　bestow　our　money　liberally　on　those　who　furnish

aliment　to　our　appetite。　　The　mild　and　simple　principles　of　the

Christian　philosophy　would　produce　too　much　calm；　too　much　regularity

of　good；　to　extract　from　it's　disciples　a　support　for　a　numerous

priesthood；　were　they　not　to　sophisticate　it；　ramify　it；　split　it

into　hairs；　and　twist　it's　texts　till　they　cover　the　divine　morality

of　it's　author　with　mysteries；　and　require　a　priesthood　to　explain

them。　　The　Quakers　seem　to　have　discovered　this。　　They　have　no

priests；　therefore　no　schisms。　　They　judge　of　the　text　by　the

dictates　of　common　sense　&　common　morality。　　So　the　printers　can

never　leave　us　in　a　state　of　perfect　rest　and　union　of　opinion。　　They

would　be　no　longer　useful；　and　would　have　to　go　to　the　plough。　　In

the　first　moments　of　quietude　which　have　succeeded　the　election；　they

seem　to　have　aroused　their　lying　faculties　beyond　their　ordinary

state；　to　re…agitate　the　public　mind。　　What　appointments　to　office

have　they　detailed　which　had　never　been　thought　of；　merely　to　found　a

text　for　their　calumniating　commentaries。　　However；　the　steady

character　of　our　countrymen　is　a　rock　to　which　we　may　safely　moor；

and　notwithstanding　the　efforts　of　the　papers　to　disseminate　early

discontents；　I　expect　that　a　just；　dispassionate　and　steady　conduct；

will　at　length　rally　to　a　proper　system　the　great　body　of　our

country。　　Unequivocal　in　principle；　reasonable　in　manner；　we　shall　be

able　I　hope　to　do　a　great　deal　of　good　to　the　cause　of　freedom　&

harmony。　　I　shall　be　happy　to　hear　from　you　often；　to　know　your　own

sentiments　&　those　of　others　on　the　course　of　things；　and　to　concur

with　you　in　efforts　for　the　common　good。　　Your　letters　through　the

post　will　now　come　safely。　　Present　my　best　respects　to　Mrs。　Gerry；　&

accept　yourself　assurances　of　my　constant　esteem　and　high

consideration。