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of　St。　Domingo；　where　the　blacks　are　established　into　a　sovereignty

_de　facto_；　&　have　organized　themselves　under　regular　laws　&

government。　　I　should　conjecture　that　their　present　ruler　might　be

willing；　on　many　considerations；　to　receive　even　that　description

which　would　be　exiled　for　acts　deemed　criminal　by　us；　but

meritorious；　perhaps；　by　him。　　The　possibility　that　these　exiles

might　stimulate　&　conduct　vindicative　or　predatory　descents　on　our

coasts；　&　facilitate　concert　with　their　brethren　remaining　here；

looks　to　a　state　of　things　between　that　island　&　us　not　probable　on　a

contemplation　of　our　relative　strength；　and　of　the　disproportion

daily　growing；　and　it　is　overweighed　by　the　humanity　of　the　measures

proposed；　&　the　advantages　of　disembarrassing　ourselves　of　such

dangerous　characters。　　Africa　would　offer　a　last　&　undoubted　resort；

if　all　others　more　desirable　should　fail　us。　　Whenever　the

Legislature　of　Virginia　shall　have　brought　it's　mind　to　a　point；　so

that　I　may　know　exactly　what　to　propose　to　foreign　authorities；　I

will　execute　their　wishes　with　fidelity　&　zeal。　　I　hope；　however；

they　will　pardon　me　for　suggesting　a　single　question　for　their　own

consideration。　　When　we　contemplate　the　variety　of　countries　&　of

sovereigns　towards　which　we　may　direct　our　views；　the　vast

revolutions　&　changes　of　circumstances　which　are　now　in　a　course　of

progression；　the　possibilities　that　arrangements　now　to　be　made；　with

a　view　to　any　particular　plan；　may；　at　no　great　distance　of　time；　be

totally　deranged　by　a　change　of　sovereignty；　of　government；　or　of

other　circumstances；　it　will　be　for　the　Legislature　to　consider

whether；　after　they　shall　have　made　all　those　general　provisions

which　may　be　fixed　by　legislative　authority；　it　would　be　reposing　too

much　confidence　in　their　Executive　to　leave　the　place　of　relegation

to　be　decided　on　by　_them_。　　They　could　accommodate　their

arrangements　to　the　actual　state　of　things；　in　which　countries　or

powers　may　be　found　to　exist　at　the　day；　and　may　prevent　the　effect

of　the　law　from　being　defeated　by　intervening　changes。　　This；

however；　is　for　them　to　decide。　　Our　duty　will　be　to　respect　their

decision。







　　　　　　　　LIMITS　OF　THE　PRACTICABLE




　　　　　　　　_To　P。　S。　Dupont　de　Nemours_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Jan。　18；　1802_







　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　It　is　rare　I　can　indulge　myself　in　the　luxury　of

philosophy。　　Your　letters　give　me　a　few　of　those　delicious　moments。

Placed　as　you　are　in　a　great　commercial　town；　with　little　opportunity

of　discovering　the　dispositions　of　the　country　portions　of　our

citizens；　I　do　not　wonder　at　your　doubts　whether　they　will　generally

and　sincerely　concur　in　the　sentiments　and　measures　developed　in　my

message　of　the　7th　Jany。　　But　from　40。　years　of　intimate　conversation

with　the　agricultural　inhabitants　of　my　country；　I　can　pronounce　them

as　different　from　those　of　the　cities；　as　those　of　any　two　nations

known。　　The　sentiments　of　the　former　can　in　no　degree　be　inferred

from　those　of　the　latter。　　You　have　spoken　a　profound　truth　in　these

words；　〃Il　y　a　dans　les　etats　unis　un　bon　sens　silencieux；　un　esprit

de　justice　froide；　qui　lorsqu'il　est　question　d'emettre　un　_vote_

comme　les　bavardages　de　ceux　qui　font　les　habiles。〃　　A　plain　country

farmer　has　written　lately　a　pamphlet　on　our　public　affairs。　　His

testimony　of　the　sense　of　the　country　is　the　best　which　can　be

produced　of　the　justness　of　your　observation。　　His　words　are　〃The

tongue　of　man　is　not　his　whole　body。　　So；　in　this　case；　the　noisy

part　of　the　community　was　not　all　the　body　politic。　　During　the

career　of　fury　and　contention　（in　1800）　the　sedate；　grave　part　of　the

people　were　still；　hearing　all；　and　judging　for　themselves；　what

method　to　take；　when　the　constitutional　time　of　action　should　come；

the　exercise　of　the　right　of　suffrage。〃　　The　majority　of　the　present

legislature　are　in　unison　with　the　agricultural　part　of　our　citizens；

and　you　will　see　that　there　is　nothing　in　the　message；　to　which　they

do　not　accord。　　Some　things　may　perhaps　be　left　undone　from　motives

of　compromise　for　a　time；　and　not　to　alarm　by　too　sudden　a

reformation；　but　with　a　view　to　be　resumed　at　another　time。　　I　am

perfectly　satisfied　the　effect　of　the　proceedings　of　this　session　of

congress　will　be　to　consolidate　the　great　body　of　well　meaning

citizens　together；　whether　federal　or　republican；　heretofore　called。

I　do　not　mean　to　include　royalists　or　priests。　　Their　opposition　is

immovable。　　But　they　will　be　vox　et　preterea　nihil；　leaders　without

followers。　　I　am　satisfied　that　within　one　year　from　this　time　were

an　election　to　take　place　between　two　candidates　merely　republican

and　federal；　where　no　personal　opposition　existed　against　either；　the

federal　candidate　would　not　get　the　vote　of　a　single　elector　in　the

U。S。　　I　must　here　again　appeal　to　the　testimony　of　my　farmer；　who

says　〃The　great　body　of　the　people　are　one　in　sentiment。　　If　the

federal　party　and　the　republican　party；　should　each　of　them　choose　a

convention　to　frame　a　constitution　of　government　or　a　code　of　laws；

there　would　be　no　radical　difference　in　the　results　of　the　two

conventions。〃　　This　is　most　true。　　The　body　of　our　people；　tho'

divided　for　a　short　time　by　an　artificial　panic；　and　called　by

different　names；　have　ever　had　the　same　object　in　view；　to　wit；　the

maintenance　of　a　federal；　republican　government；　and　have　never

ceased　to　be　all　federalists；　all　republicans：　still　excepting　the

noisy　band　of　royalists　inhabiting　cities　chiefly；　and　priests　both

of　city　and　country。　　When　I　say　that　in　an　election　between　a

republican　and　federal　candidate；　free　from　personal　objection；　the

former　would　probably　get　every　vote；　I　must　not　be　understood　as

placing　myself　in　that　view。　　It　was　my　destiny　to　come　to　the

government　when　it　had　for　several　years　been　committed　to　a

particular　political　sect；　to　the　absolute　and　entire　exclusion　of

those　who　were　in　sentiment　with　the　body　of　the　nation。　　I　found　the

country　entirely　in　the　enemies　hands。　　It　was　necessary　to　dislodge

some　of　them。　　Out　of　many　thousands　of　officers　in　the　U。S。　9。　　only

have　been　removed　for　political　principle；　and　12。　for　delinquincies

chiefly　pecuniary。　　The　whole　herd　have　squealed　out；　as　if　all　their

throats　were　cut。　　These　acts　of　justice　few　as　they　have　been；　have

raised　great　personal　objections　to　me；　of　which　a　new　character

would　be　＇_faded_＇。　　When　this　government　was　first　established；　it

was　possible　to　have　kept　it　going　on　true　principles；　but　the

contracted；　English；　half…lettered　ideas　of　Hamilton；　destroyed　that

hope　in　the　bud。　　We　can　pay　off　his　debt　in　15。　years；　but　we　can

never　get　rid　of　his　financial　system。　　It　mortifies　me　to　be

strengthening　principles　which　I　deem　radically　vicious；　but　this

vice　is　entailed　on　us　by　the　first　error。　　In　other　parts　of　our

government　I　hope　we　shall　be　able　by　degrees　to　introduce　sound

principles　and　make　them　habitual。　　What　is　practicable　must　often

controul　what　is　pure　theory；　and　the　habits　of　the　governed

determine　in　a　great　degree　what　is　practicable。　　Hence　the　same

original　principles；　modified　in　practice　according　to　the　different

habits　of　different　nations；　present　governments　of　very　different

aspects。　　The　same　principles　reduced　to　forms　of　practice

accommodated　to　our　habits；　and　put　into　forms　accommodated　to　the

habits　of　the　French　nation　would　present　governments　very　unlike

each　other。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　that　a　great　man；　thoroughly　knowing

the　habits　of　France；　might　so　accommodate　to　them　the　principles　of

free　government　as　to　enable　them　to　live　free。　　But　in　the　hands　of

those　who　have　not　this　coup　d'oeil；　many　unsuccessful　experiments　I

fear　are　yet　to　be　tried　before　they　will　settle　down　in　freedom　and

tranquility。　　I　applaud　therefore　your　determination　to　remain　here；

tho'　for　yourself　and　the　adults　of　your　family　the　dissimilitude　of

our　manners　and　the　difference　of　tongue　will　be　sources　of　real

unhappiness。　　Yet　less　so　than　the　horrors　and　dangers　which　France

would　present　to　you；　and　as　to　those　of　your　family　still　in

infancy；　they　will　be　formed　to　the　circumstances　of　the　country；　and

will；　I　doubt　not；　be　happier　here　than　they　could　have　been　in

Europe　under　any　circumstances。　　Be　so　good　as　to　make　my　respectful

salutations　acceptable　to　Made。　Dupont；　and　all　of　your　family　and　to

be　assured　yourself　of　my　constant　and　affectionate　esteem。







　　　　　　　　〃TO　BE　LOVED　BY　EVERY　BODY〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Anne　Cary；　Thomas　Jefferson；　and

　　　　　　　　Ellen　Wayles　Randolph_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　2；　1802_




　　　　　　　　MY　DEAR　CHILDREN　　I　am　very　happy　to　find　that　two　of　you　can

write。　　I　shall　now　expect　that　whenever　it　is　inconvenient　for　your

papa　and　mama　to　write；　one　of　you　will　write　on　a　piece　of　paper

these　words　‘all　is　well'　and　send　it　for　me　to　the　post　office。　　I

am