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infantry；　cavalry　and　artillery；　trained　under　officers　general　and

subordinate；　legally　appointed；　always　in　readiness；　and　to　whom　they

are　already　in　habits　of　obedience。　　The　republican　government　of

France　was　lost　without　a　struggle；　because　the　party　of　_〃un　et

indivisible〃_　had　prevailed；　no　provincial　organizations　existed　to

which　the　people　might　rally　under　authority　of　the　laws；　the　seats

of　the　directory　were　virtually　vacant；　and　a　small　force　sufficed　to

turn　the　legislature　out　of　their　chamber；　and　to　salute　its　leader

chief　of　the　nation。　　But　with　us；　sixteen　out　of　seventeen　States

rising　in　mass；　under　regular　organization；　and　legal　commanders；

united　in　object　and　action　by　their　Congress；　or；　if　that　be　in

_duresse_；　by　a　special　convention；　present　such　obstacles　to　an

usurper　as　forever　to　stifle　ambition　in　the　first　conception　of　that

object。




　　　　　　　　Dangers　of　another　kind　might　more　reasonably　be　apprehended

from　this　perfect　and　distinct　organization；　civil　and　military；　of

the　States；　to　wit；　that　certain　States　from　local　and　occasional

discontents；　might　attempt　to　secede　from　the　Union。　　This　is

certainly　possible；　and　would　be　befriended　by　this　regular

organization。　　But　it　is　not　probable　that　local　discontents　can

spread　to　such　an　extent；　as　to　be　able　to　face　the　sound　parts　of　so

extensive　an　Union；　and　if　ever　they　should　reach　the　majority；　they

would　then　become　the　regular　government；　acquire　the　ascendency　in

Congress；　and　be　able　to　redress　their　own　grievances　by　laws

peaceably　and　constitutionally　passed。　　And　even　the　States　in　which

local　discontents　might　engender　a　commencement　of　fermentation；

would　be　paralyzed　and　self…checked　by　that　very　division　into

parties　into　which　we　have　fallen；　into　which　all　States　must　fall

wherein　men　are　at　liberty　to　think；　speak；　and　act　freely；　according

to　the　diversities　of　their　individual　conformations；　and　which　are；

perhaps；　essential　to　preserve　the　purity　of　the　government；　by　the

censorship　which　these　parties　habitually　exercise　over　each　other。




　　　　　　　　You　will　read；　I　am　sure；　with　indulgence；　the　explanations　of

the　grounds　on　which　I　have　ventured　to　form　an　opinion　differing

from　yours。　　They　prove　my　respect　for　your　judgment；　and　diffidence

in　my　own；　which　have　forbidden　me　to　retain；　without　examination；　an

opinion　questioned　by　you。　　Permit　me　now　to　render　my　portion　of　the

general　debt　of　gratitude；　by　acknowledgements　in　advance　for　the

singular　benefaction　which　is　the　subject　of　this　letter；　to　tender

my　wishes　for　the　continuance　of　a　life　so　usefully　employed；　and　to

add　the　assurances　of　my　perfect　esteem　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　THE　LATIN　AMERICAN　REVOLUTION




　　　　　　　　_To　Alexander　von　Humboldt_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　April　14；　1811_




　　　　　　　　MY　DEAR　BARON；　　The　interruption　of　our　intercourse　with

France　for　some　time　past；　has　prevented　my　writing　to　you。　　A

conveyance　now　occurs；　by　Mr。　Barlow　or　Mr。　Warden；　both　of　them

going　in　a　public　capacity。　　It　is　the　first　safe　opportunity　offered

of　acknowledging　your　favor　of　September　23d；　and　the　receipt　at

different　times　of　the　IIId　part　of　your　valuable　work；　2d；　3d；　4th

and　5th　livraisons；　and　the　IVth　part；　2d；　3d；　and　4th　livraisons；

with　the　_Tableaux　de　la　nature_；　and　an　interesting　map　of　New

Spain。　　For　these　magnificent　and　much　esteemed　favors；　accept　my

sincere　thanks。　　They　give　us　a　knowledge　of　that　country　more

accurate　than　I　believe　we　possess　of　Europe；　the　seat　of　the　science

of　a　thousand　years。　　It　comes　out；　too；　at　a　moment　when　those

countries　are　beginning　to　be　interesting　to　the　whole　world。　　They

are　now　becoming　the　scenes　of　political　revolution；　to　take　their

stations　as　integral　members　of　the　great　family　of　nations。　　All　are

now　in　insurrection。　　In　several；　the　Independents　are　already

triumphant；　and　they　will　undoubtedly　be　so　in　all。　　What　kind　of

government　will　they　establish？　　How　much　liberty　can　they　bear

without　intoxication？　　Are　their　chiefs　sufficiently　enlightened　to

form　a　well…guarded　government；　and　their　people　to　watch　their

chiefs？　　Have　they　mind　enough　to　place　their　domesticated　Indians　on

a　footing　with　the　whites？　　All　these　questions　you　can　answer　better

than　any　other。　　I　imagine　they　will　copy　our　outlines　of

confederation　and　elective　government；　abolish　distinction　of　ranks；

bow　the　neck　to　their　priests；　and　persevere　in　intolerantism。　　Their

greatest　difficulty　will　be　in　the　construction　of　their　executive。

I　suspect　that；　regardless　of　the　experiment　of　France；　and　of　that

of　the　United　States　in　1784；　they　will　begin　with　a　directory；　and

when　the　unavoidable　schisms　in　that　kind　of　executive　shall　drive

them　to　something　else；　their　great　question　will　come　on　whether　to

substitute　an　executive　elective　for　years；　for　life；　or　an

hereditary　one。　　But　unless　instruction　can　be　spread　among　them　more

rapidly　than　experience　promises；　despotism　may　come　upon　them　before

they　are　qualified　to　save　the　ground　they　will　have　gained。　　Could

Napoleon　obtain；　at　the　close　of　the　present　war；　the　independence　of

all　the　West　India　islands；　and　their　establishment　in　a　separate

confederacy；　our　quarter　of　the　globe　would　exhibit　an　enrapturing

prospect　into　futurity。　　You　will　live　to　see　much　of　this。　　I　shall

follow；　however；　cheerfully　my　fellow　laborers；　contented　with　having

borne　a　part　in　beginning　this　beatific　reformation。




　　　　　　　　I　fear；　from　some　expressions　in　your　letter；　that　your

personal　interests　have　not　been　duly　protected；　while　you　were

devoting　your　time；　talents　and　labor　for　the　information　of　mankind。

I　should　sincerely　regret　it　for　the　honor　of　the　governing　powers；

as　well　as　from　affectionate　attachment　to　yourself　and　the　sincerest

wishes　for　your　felicity；　fortunes　and　fame。




　　　　　　　　In　sending　you　a　copy　of　my　Notes　on　Virginia；　I　do　but　obey

the　desire　you　have　expressed。　　They　must　appear　chetif　enough　to　the

author　of　the　great　work　on　South　America。　　But　from　the　widow　her

mite　was　welcome；　and　you　will　add　to　this　indulgence　the　acceptance

of　my　sincere　assurances　of　constant　friendship　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　〃A　YOUNG　GARDENER〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Charles　Willson　Peale_

　　　　　　　　_Poplar　Forest；　August　20；　1811_




　　　　　　　　It　is　long；　my　dear　Sir；　since　we　have　exchanged　a　letter。　　Our

former　correspondence　had　always　some　little　matter　of　business

interspersed；　but　this　being　at　an　end；　I　shall　still　be　anxious　to

hear　from　you　sometimes；　and　to　know　that　you　are　well　and　happy。　　I

know　indeed　that　your　system　is　that　of　contentment　under　any

situation。　　I　have　heard　that　you　have　retired　from　the　city　to　a

farm；　and　that　you　give　your　whole　time　to　that。　　Does　not　the　museum

suffer？　　And　is　the　farm　as　interesting？　　Here；　as　you　know；　we　are

all　farmers；　but　not　in　a　pleasing　style。　　We　have　so　little　labor　in

proportion　to　our　land　that；　although　perhaps　we　make　more　profit

from　the　same　labor；　we　cannot　give　to　our　grounds　that　style　of

beauty　which　satisfies　the　eye　of　the　amateur。　　Our　rotations　are

corn；　wheat；　and　clover；　or　corn；　wheat；　clover　and　clover；　or　wheat；

corn；　wheat；　clover　and　clover；　preceding　the　clover　by　a　plastering。

But　some；　instead　of　clover　substitute　mere　rest；　and　all　are

slovenly　enough。　　We　are　adding　the　care　of　Merino　sheep。　　I　have

often　thought　that　if　heaven　had　given　me　choice　of　my　position　and

calling；　it　should　have　been　on　a　rich　spot　of　earth；　well　watered；

and　near　a　good　market　for　the　productions　of　the　garden。　　No

occupation　is　so　delightful　to　me　as　the　culture　of　the　earth；　and　no

culture　comparable　to　that　of　the　garden。　　Such　a　variety　of

subjects；　some　one　always　coming　to　perfection；　the　failure　of　one

thing　repaired　by　the　success　of　another；　and　instead　of　one　harvest

a　continued　one　through　the　year。　　Under　a　total　want　of　demand

except　for　our　family　table；　I　am　still　devoted　to　the　garden。　　But

though　an　old　man；　I　am　but　a　young　gardener。




　　　　　　　　Your　application　to　whatever　you　are　engaged　in　I　know　to　be

incessant。　　But　Sundays　and　rainy　days　are　always　days　of　writing　for

the　farmer。　　Think　of　me　sometimes　when　you　have　your　pen　in　hand；

and　give　me　information　of　your　health　and　occupations；　and　be　always

assured　of　my　great　esteem　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　REPRISE：　WEIGHTS；　MEASURES；　AND　COINS




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Robert　Patterson_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　November　10；　1811_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　September　23d　came　to　hand　in　due

time；　and　I　thank　you　for　the　nautical　almanac　it　covered　for　the

year　1813。　　I　learn　with　pleasure　that　the　Philosophical　Society　has

concluded　to　take　into　consideration　the　subject　of　a　fixed　standard

of　measures；　weights　and　coins；　and　you　ask　my　ideas　on　it；　insulated

as　my　situation　is；　I　am　sure　I