part11-第4节

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　　　　　　　　_To　John　Breckinridge_

　　　　　　　　_Philadelphia；　Jan。　29；　1800_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　the　13th　has　been　duly　received；　as

had　been　that　containing　the　resolutions　of　your　legislature　on　the

subject　of　the　former　resolutions。　　I　was　glad　to　see　the　subject

taken　up；　and　done　with　so　much　temper；　firmness　and　propriety。　　From

the　reason　of　the　thing　I　cannot　but　hope　that　the　Western　country

will　be　laid　off　into　a　separate　Judiciary　district。　　From　what　I

recollect　of　the　dispositions　on　the　same　subject　at　the　last

session；　I　should　expect　that　the　partiality　to　a　general　&　uniform

system　would　yield　to　geographical　&　physical　impracticabilities。　　I

was　once　a　great　advocate　for　introducing　into　chancery　viva　voce

testimony；　&　trial　by　jury。　　I　am　still　so　as　to　the　latter；　but　have

retired　from　the　former　opinion　on　the　information　received　from　both

your　state　&　ours；　that　it　worked　inconveniently。　　I　introduced　it

into　the　Virginia　law；　but　did　not　return　to　the　bar；　so　as　to　see

how　it　answered。　　But　I　do　not　understand　how　the　viva　voce

examination　comes　to　be　practiced　in　the　Federal　court　with　you；　&

not　in　your　own　courts；　the　Federal　courts　being　decided　by　law　to

proceed　&　decide　by　the　laws　of　the　states。




　　　　　　　　A　great　revolution　has　taken　place　at　Paris。　　The　people　of

that　country　having　never　been　in　the　habit　of　self…government；　are

not　yet　in　the　habit　of　acknoleging　that　fundamental　law　of　nature；

by　which　alone　self　government　can　be　exercised　by　a　society；　I　mean

the　_lex　majoris　partis_。　　Of　the　sacredness　of　this　law；　our

countrymen　are　impressed　from　their　cradle；　so　that　with　them　it　is

almost　innate。　　This　single　circumstance　may　possibly　decide　the　fate

of　the　two　nations。　　One　party　appears　to　have　been　prevalent　in　the

Directory　&　council　of　500。　the　other　in　the　council　of　antients。

Sieyes　&　Ducos；　the　minority　in　the　Directory；　not　being　able　to

carry　their　points　there　seem　to　have　gained　over　Buonaparte；　&

associating　themselves　with　the　majority　of　the　Council　of　antients；

have　expelled　（*）　120。　odd　members　the　most　obnoxious　of　the　minority

of　the　Elders；　&　of　the　majority　of　the　council　of　500。　so　as　to　give

themselves　a　majority　in　the　latter　council　also。　　They　have

established　Buonaparte；　Sieyes　&　Ducos　into　an　executive；　or　rather

Dictatorial　consulate；　given　them　a　committee　of　between　20。　&　30。

from　each　council；　&　have　adjourned　to　the　20th　of　Feb。　　Thus　the

Constitution　of　the　3d　year　which　was　getting　consistency　&　firmness

from　time　is　demolished　in　an　instant；　and　nothing　is　said　about　a

new　one。　　How　the　nation　will　bear　it　is　yet　unknown。　　Had　the

Consuls　been　put　to　death　in　the　first　tumult　&　before　the　nation　had

time　to　take　sides；　the　Directory　&　councils　might　have　reestablished

themselves　on　the　spot。　　But　that　not　being　done；　perhaps　it　is　now

to　be　wished　that　Buonaparte　may　be　spared；　as；　according　to　his

protestations；　he　is　for　liberty；　equality　&　representative

government；　and　he　is　more　able　to　keep　the　nation　together；　&　to

ride　out　the　storm　than　any　other。　　Perhaps　it　may　end　in　their

establishing　a　single　representative　&　that　in　his　person。　　I　hope　it

will　not　be　for　life；　for　fear　of　the　influence　of　the　example　on　our

countrymen。　　It　is　very　material　for　the　latter　to　be　made　sensible

that　their　own　character　&　situation　are　materially　different　from

the　French；　&　that　whatever　may　be　the　fate　of　republicanism　there；

we　are　able　to　preserve　it　inviolate　here：　we　are　sensible　of　the

duty　&　expediency　of　submitting　our　opinions　to　the　will　of　the

majority　and　can　wait　with　patience　till　they　get　right　if　they

happen　to　be　at　any　time　wrong。　　Our　vessel　is　moored　at　such　a

distance；　that　should　theirs　blow　up；　ours　is　still　safe；　if　we　will

but　think　so。




　　　　　　　　（*）　60。　were　expelled　from　the　500；　so　as　to　change　the

majority　there　to　the　other　side。　　It　seems　doubtful　whether　any　were

expelled　from　the　Antients。　　The　majority　there　was　already　with　the

Consular　party。




　　　　　　　　I　had　recommended　the　enclosed　letter　to　the　care　of　the

postmaster　at　Louisville；　but　have　been　advised　it　is　better　to　get　a

friend　to　forward　it　by　some　of　the　boats。　　I　will　ask　that　favor　of

you。　　It　is　the　duplicate　of　one　with　the　same　address　which　I

inclosed　last　week　to　mr。　Innes　&　should　therefore　go　by　a　different

conveyance。　　I　am　with　great　esteem　dear　sir　your　friend　&　servant。







　　　　　　　　ILLUMINATISM




　　　　　　　　_To　Bishop　James　Madison_

　　　　　　　　_Philadelphia；　Jan。　31；　1800_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　have　received　your　favor　of　the　17th；　&

communicated　it　to　Mr。　Smith。　　I　lately　forwarded　your　letter　from

Dr。　Priestley；　endorsed　‘with　a　book'；　I　struck　those　words　through

with　my　pen；　because　no　book　had　then　come。　　It　is　now　received；　&

shall　be　forwarded　to　Richmond　by　the　first　opportunity：　but　such

opportunities　are　difficult　to　find；　gentlemen　going　in　the　stage　not

liking　to　take　charge　of　a　packet　which　is　to　be　attended　to　every

time　the　stage　is　changed。　　The　best　chance　will　be　by　some　captain

of　a　vessel　going　round　to　Richmond。　　I　shall　address　it　to　the　care

of　Mr。　George　Jefferson　there。




　　　　　　　　I　have　lately　by　accident　got　a　sight　of　a　single　volume　（the

3d。）　of　the　Abbe　Barruel's　‘Antisocial　conspiracy；'　which　gives　me

the　first　idea　I　have　ever　had　of　what　is　meant　by　the　Illuminatism

against　which　‘illuminate　Morse'　as　he　is　now　called；　&　his

ecclesiastical　&　monarchical　associates　have　been　making　such　a　hue

and　cry。　　Barruel's　own　parts　of　the　book　are　perfectly　the　ravings

of　a　Bedlamite。　　But　he　quotes　largely　from　Wishaupt　whom　he

considers　as　the　founder　of　what　he　calls　the　order。　　As　you　may　not

have　had　an　opportunity　of　forming　a　judgment　of　this　cry　of　‘mad

dog'　which　has　been　raised　against　his　doctrines；　I　will　give　you　the

idea　I　have　formed　from　only　an　hour's　reading　of　Barruel's

quotations　from　him；　which　you　may　be　sure　are　not　the　most

favorable。　　Wishaupt　seems　to　be　an　enthusiastic　Philanthropist。　　He

is　among　those　（as　you　know　the　excellent　Price　and　Priestley　also

are）　who　believe　in　the　indefinite　perfectibility　of　man。　　He　thinks

he　may　in　time　be　rendered　so　perfect　that　he　will　be　able　to　govern

himself　in　every　circumstance　so　as　to　injure　none；　to　do　all　the

good　he　can；　to　leave　government　no　occasion　to　exercise　their　powers

over　him；　&　of　course　to　render　political　government　useless。　　This

you　know　is　Godwin's　doctrine；　and　this　is　what　Robinson；　Barruel　&

Morse　had　called　a　conspiracy　against　all　government。　　Wishaupt

believes　that　to　promote　this　perfection　of　the　human　character　was

the　object　of　Jesus　Christ。　　That　his　intention　was　simply　to

reinstate　natural　religion；　&　by　diffusing　the　light　of　his　morality；

to　teach　us　to　govern　ourselves。　　His　precepts　are　the　love　of　god　&

love　of　our　neighbor。　　And　by　teaching　innocence　of　conduct；　he

expected　to　place　men　in　their　natural　state　of　liberty　&　equality。

He　says；　no　one　ever　laid　a　surer　foundation　for　liberty　than　our

grand　master；　Jesus　of　Nazareth。　　He　believes　the　Free　masons　were

originally　possessed　of　the　true　principles　&　objects　of

Christianity；　&　have　still　preserved　some　of　them　by　tradition；　but

much　disfigured。　　The　means　he　proposes　to　effect　this　improvement　of

human　nature　are　‘to　enlighten　men；　to　correct　their　morals　&　inspire

them　with　benevolence。　　Secure　of　our　success；　sais　he；　we　abstain

from　violent　commotions。　　To　have　foreseen　the　happiness　of　posterity

&　to　have　prepared　it　by　irreproachable　means；　suffices　for　our

felicity。　　The　tranquility　of　our　consciences　is　not　troubled　by　the

reproach　of　aiming　at　the　ruin　or　overthrow　of　states　or　thrones。'　As

Wishaupt　lived　under　the　tyranny　of　a　despot　&　priests；　he　knew　that

caution　was　necessary　even　in　spreading　information；　&　the　principles

of　pure　morality。　　He　proposed　therefore　to　lead　the　Free　masons　to

adopt　this　object　&　to　make　the　objects　of　their　institution　the

diffusion　of　science　&　virtue。　　He　proposed　to　initiate　new　members

into　his　body　by　gradations　proportioned　to　his　fears　of　the

thunderbolts　of　tyranny。　　This　has　given　an　air　of　mystery　to　his

views；　was　the　foundation　of　his　banishment；　the　subversion　of　the

masonic　order；　&　is　the　colour　for　the　ravings　against　him　of

Robinson；　Barruel　&　Morse；　whose　real　fears　are　that　the　craft　would

be　endangered　by　the　spreading　of　information；　reason；　&　natural

morality　among　men。　　This　subject　being　new　to　me；　I　have　imagined

that　if　it　be　so　to　you　also；　you　may　receive　the　same　satisfaction

in　seeing；　which　I　have　had　in　forming　the　analysis　of　it：　&　I

believe　you　will　think　with　me　that　if　Wishaupt　had　written　here；

where　no　secrecy　is　necessary　in　our　endeavors　to　render　men　wise　&

virtuous；　he　would　not　have　thought　of　any　secret　machinery　for　that

purpose。　　As　Godwin；