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which　I　now　enclose　for　your　perusal；　after　which　be　so　good　as　to

return　it　to　me；　as　I　have　never　communicated　it　to　any　mortal

breathing；　before。　　I　send　it　to　you；　to　convince　you　I　have　not　been

wanting　either　in　the　desire；　or　the　endeavor　to　remove　this

misunderstanding。　　Indeed；　I　thoughtit　highly　disgraceful　to　us　both；

as　indicating　minds　notsufficiently　elevated　to　prevent　a　public

competition　fromaffecting　our　personal　friendship。　　I　soon　found　from

thecorrespondence　that　conciliation　was　desperate；　and　yielding　to　an

intimation　in　her　last　letter；　I　ceased　from　further　explanation。　　I

have　the　same　good　opinion　of　Mr。　Adams　which　I　ever　had。　　I　know　him

to　be　an　honest　man；　an　able　one　with　his　pen；　and　he　was　a　powerful

advocate　on　the　floor　of　Congress。　　He　has　been　alienated　from　me；　by

belief　in　the　lying　suggestions　contrived　for　electioneering

purposes；　that　I　perhaps　mixed　in　the　activity　and　intrigues　of　the

occasion。　　My　most　intimate　friends　can　testify　that　I　was　perfectly

passive。　　They　would　sometimes；　indeed；　tell　me　what　was　going　on；

but　no　man　ever　heard　me　take　part　in　such　conversations；　and　none

ever　misrepresented　Mr。　Adams　in　my　presence；　without　my　asserting

his　just　character。　　With　very　confidential　persons　I　have　doubtless

disapproved　of　the　principles　and　practices　of　his　administration。

This　was　unavoidable。　　But　never　with　those　with　whom　it　could　do　him

any　injury。　　Decency　would　have　required　this　conduct　from　me；　if

disposition　had　not；　and　I　am　satisfied　Mr。　　Adams'　conduct　was

equally　honorable　towards　me。　　But　I　think　it　part　of　his　character

to　suspect　foul　play　in　those　of　whom　he　is　jealous；　and　not　easily

to　relinquish　his　suspicions。




　　　　　　　　I　have　gone；　my　dear　friend；　into　these　details；　that　you　might

know　everything　which　had　passed　between　us；　might　be　fully　possessed

of　the　state　of　facts　and　dispositions；　and　judge　for　yourself

whether　they　admit　a　revival　of　that　friendly　intercourse　for　which

you　are　so　kindly　solicitous。　　I　shall　certainly　not　be　wanting　in

anything　on　my　part　which　may　second　your　efforts；　which　will　be　the

easier　with　me；　inasmuch　as　I　do　not　entertain　a　sentiment　of　Mr。

Adams；　the　expression　of　which　could　give　him　reasonable　offence。

And　I　submit　the　whole　to　yourself；　with　the　assurance；　that　whatever

be　the　issue；　my　friendship　and　respect　for　yourself　will　remain

unaltered　and　unalterable。







　　　　　　　　〃THE　SEEDS　OF　CIVILIZATION〃




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Lynch_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　January　21；　1811_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　You　have　asked　my　opinion　on　the　proposition　of　Mrs。

Mifflin；　to　take　measures　for　procuring；　on　the　coast　of　Africa；　an

establishment　to　which　the　people　of　color　of　these　States　might；

from　time　to　time；　be　colonized；　under　the　auspices　of　different

governments。　　Having　long　ago　made　up　my　mind　on　this　subject；　I　have

no　hesitation　in　saying　that　I　have　ever　thought　it　the　most

desirable　measure　which　could　be　adopted；　for　gradually　drawing　off

this　part　of　our　population；　most　advantageously　for　themselves　as

well　as　for　us。　　Going　from　a　country　possessing　all　the　useful　arts；

they　might　be　the　means　of　transplanting　them　among　the　inhabitants

of　Africa；　and　would　thus　carry　back　to　the　country　of　their　origin；

the　seeds　of　civilization　which　might　render　their　sojournment　and

sufferings　here　a　blessing　in　the　end　to　that　country。




　　　　　　　　I　received；　in　the　first　year　of　my　coming　into　the

administration　of　the　General　Government；　a　letter　from　the　Governor

of　Virginia；　（Colonel　Monroe；）　consulting　me；　at　the　request　of　the

Legislature　of　the　State；　on　the　means　of　procuring　some　such　asylum；

to　which　these　people　might　be　occasionally　sent。　　I　proposed　to　him

the　establishment　of　Sierra　Leone；　to　which　a　private　company　in

England　had　already　colonized　a　number　of　negroes；　and　particularly

the　fugitives　from　these　States　during　the　Revolutionary　War；　and　at

the　same　time　suggested；　if　this　could　not　be　obtained；　some　of　the

Portuguese　possessions　in　South　America；　as　next　most　desirable。　　The

subsequent　Legislature　approving　these　ideas；　I　wrote；　the　ensuing

year；　1802；　to　Mr。　King；　our　Minister　in　London；　to　endeavor　to

negotiate　with　the　Sierra　Leone　company　a　reception　of　such　of　these

people　as　might　be　colonized　thither。　　He　opened　a　correspondence

with　Mr。　Wedderburne　and　Mr。　Thornton；　secretaries　of　the　company；　on

the　subject；　and　in　1803　I　received　through　Mr。　King　the　result；

which　was　that　the　colony　was　going　on；　but　in　a　languishing

condition；　that　the　funds　of　the　company　were　likely　to　fail；　as　they

received　no　returns　of　profit　to　keep　them　up；　that　they　were

therefore　in　treaty　with　their　government　to　take　the　establishment

off　their　hands；　but　that　in　no　event　should　they　be　willing　to

receive　more　of　these　people　from　the　United　States；　as　it　was

exactly　that　portion　of　their　settlers　which　had　gone　from　hence；

which；　by　their　idleness　and　turbulence；　had　kept　the　settlement　in

constant　danger　of　dissolution；　which　could　not　have　been　prevented

but　for　the　aid　of　the　Maroon　negroes　from　the　West　Indies；　who　were

more　industrious　and　orderly　than　the　others；　and　supported　the

authority　of　the　government　and　its　laws。　　I　think　I　learned

afterwards　that　the　British　Government　had　taken　the　colony　into　its

own　hands；　and　I　believe　it　still　exists。　　The　effort　which　I　made

with　Portugal；　to　obtain　an　establishment　for　them　within　their

claims　in　South　America；　proved　also　abortive。




　　　　　　　　You　inquire　further；　whether　I　would　use　my　endeavors　to

procure　for　such　an　establishment　security　against　violence　from

other　powers；　and　particularly　from　France？　　Certainly；　I　shall　be

willing　to　do　anything　I　can　to　give　it　effect　and　safety。　　But　I　am

but　a　private　individual；　and　could　only　use　endeavors　with　private

individuals；　whereas；　the　National　Government　can　address　themselves

at　once　to　those　of　Europe　to　obtain　the　desired　security；　and　will

unquestionably　be　ready　to　exert　its　influence　with　those　nations　for

an　object　so　benevolent　in　itself；　and　so　important　to　a　great

portion　of　its　constituents。　　Indeed；　nothing　is　more　to　be　wished

than　that　the　United　States　would　themselves　undertake　to　make　such

an　establishment　on　the　coast　of　Africa。　　Exclusive　of　motives　of

humanity；　the　commercial　advantages　to　be　derived　from　it　might　repay

all　its　expenses。　　But　for　this；　the　national　mind　is　not　yet

prepared。　　It　may　perhaps　be　doubted　whether　many　of　these　people

would　voluntarily　consent　to　such　an　exchange　of　situation；　and　very

certain　that　few　of　those　advanced　to　a　certain　age　in　habits　of

slavery；　would　be　capable　of　self…government。　　This　should　not；

however；　discourage　the　experiment；　nor　the　early　trial　of　it；　and

the　proposition　should　be　made　with　all　the　prudent　cautions　and

attentions　requisite　to　reconcile　it　to　the　interests；　the　safety　and

the　prejudices　of　all　parties。




　　　　　　　　Accept　the　assurances　of　my　respect　and　esteem。







　　　　　　　　THE　EXECUTIVE　OFFICE




　　　　　　　　_To　A。　L。　C。　Destutt　de　Tracy_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　January　26；　1811_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　The　length　of　time　your　favor　of　June　the　12th；　1809；

was　on　its　way　to　me；　and　my　absence　from　home　the　greater　part　of

the　autumn；　delayed　very　much　the　pleasure　which　awaited　me　of

reading　the　packet　which　accompanied　it。　　I　cannot　express　to　you　the

satisfaction　which　I　received　from　its　perusal。　　I　had；　with　the

world；　deemed　Montesquieu's　work　of　much　merit；　but　saw　in　it；　with

every　thinking　man；　so　much　of　paradox；　of　false　principle　and

misapplied　fact；　as　to　render　its　value　equivocal　on　the　whole。

Williams　and　others　had　nibbled　only　at　its　errors。　　A　radical

correction　of　them；　therefore；　was　a　great　desideratum。　　This　want　is

now　supplied；　and　with　a　depth　of　thought；　precision　of　idea；　of

language　and　of　logic；　which　will　force　conviction　into　every　mind。

I　declare　to　you；　Sir；　in　the　spirit　of　truth　and　sincerity；　that　I

consider　it　the　most　precious　gift　the　present　age　has　received。　　But

what　would　it　have　been；　had　the　author；　or　would　the　author；　take　up

the　whole　scheme　of　Montesquieu's　work；　and　following　the　correct

analysis　he　has　here　developed；　fill　up　all　its　parts　according　to

his　sound　views　of　them？　　Montesquieu's　celebrity　would　be　but　a

small　portion　of　that　which　would　immortalize　the　author。　　And　with

whom？　　With　the　rational　and　high…minded　spirits　of　the　present　and

all　future　ages。　　With　those　whose　approbation　is　both　incitement　and

reward　to　virtue　and　ambition。　　Is　then　the　hope　desperate？　　To　what

object　can　the　occupation　of　his　future　life　be　devoted　so　usefully

to　the　world；　so　splendidly　to　himself？　　But　I　must　leave　to　others

who　have　higher　claims　on　his　attention；　to　press　these

considerations。




　　　　　　　　My　situation；　far　in　the　interior　of　the　country；　w