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beauty。  It is plain; neat; convenient; and; taking no more room on

the writing table than a moderate 4to。 volume; it yet displays it

self sufficiently for any writing。  Mr。 Coolidge must do me the favor

of accepting this。  Its imaginary value will increase with the years;

and if he lives to my age; or another half century; he may see it

carried in the procession of our nation's birthday; as the relics of

teh saints are in those of the church。  I will send it thro' Colonel

Peyton; and hope with better fortune than that for which it is to be

a substitute。




        I remark what you say in your letter to your mother; relative

to Mr。 Willard and our University clock。  Judging from that that he

is the person whom Mr。 Coolidge would recommend; and having recieved

from Dr。 Waterhouse a very strong recommendation of him; you may

assure the old gentleman from me that he shall have the making of it。

We have lately made an important purchase of lands amounting to 7000。

D。 and the government is taking from us; under their old and new

Tariff; 2700。 D。 duty on the marble caps and bases of the portico of

our Rotunda; of 10 columns only。  These things try our funds for the

moment。  At the end of the year we shall see how we stand; and I

expect we may be able to give the final order for the clock by

February。




        I want to engage you; as my agent at Boston; for certain

articles not to be had here; and for such only。  But it will be on

the indispensable condition that you keep as rigorous an account of

Dollars and cents as old Yerragan our neighbor would do。  This alone

can induce friends to ask services freely; which would otherwise be

the asking of presents and amount to a prohibition。  We should be

very glad occasionally to get small supplies of the fine dumb codfish

to be had at Boston; and also of the tongues and sounds of the Cod。

This selection of the articles I trouble you for is not of such as

are better there than here; for on that ground we might ask for every

thing from thence; but such only as are not to be had here to all。

Perhaps I should trepass on Mr。 Coolidge for one other article。  We

pay here 2。 D。 a gallon for bad French brandy。  I think I have seen

in Degrand's Price current Marseilles brandy; from Dodge and Oxnard;

advertised good at 1。 Dollar; and another kind called Seignettes;

which I am told is good Cognac at 1。25。 D。  I will ask of you then a

supply of a kental of good dumb fish; and about 20 or 30 lbs。 of

tongues and sounds; and of Mr。 Collidge a 30 gallon cask of Dodge and

Oxnard's Marseilles brandy; if tolerable good at 1。 D。 or

thereabouts; but double cased to guard against spoliation。  Knowing

nothing of the prices of the fish; I will at a venture; desire Col。

Peyton to remit 60。 D。 to Mr。 Coolidge immediately; and any little

difference between this and actual cost either way; may stand over to

your next account。  We should be the better perhaps of your recipe

for dressing both articles。




        I promised Mr。 Ticknor to inform him at times how our

University goes on。  I shall be glad if you will read to him that

part of this letter which respects it; presuming Mr。 Coolidge may

have communicated to him the facts of my former letter to him。  These

facts may be used ad libitum; only keeping my name out of sight。

Writing is so irksome to me; especially since I am obliged to do it

in a recumbent posture; that I am sure Mr。 Ticknor will excuse my

economy in this exercise。  To you perhaps I should apologize for the

want of it on this occasion。  The family is well。  My own health

changes little。  I ride two or three miles in a carriage every day。

With my affectionate salutations to Mr。 Coolidge; be assured yourself

of my tender and constant love。







        CONSOLIDATION!




        _To William Branch Giles_

        _Monticello; December 26; 1825_




        DEAR SIR;  I wrote you a letter yesterday; of which you will

be free to make what use you please。  This will contain matters not

intended for the public eye。  I see; as you do; and with the deepest

affliction; the rapid strides with which the federal branch of our

government is advancing towards the usurpation of all the rights

reserved to the States; and the consolidation in itself of all

powers; foreign and domestic; and that; too; by constructions which;

if legitimate; leave no limits to their power。  Take together the

decisions of the federal court; the doctrines of the President; and

the misconstructions of the constitutional compact acted on by the

legislature of the federal branch; and it is but too evident; that

the three ruling branches of that department are in combination to

strip their colleagues; the State authorities; of the powers reserved

by them; and to exercise themselves all functions foreign and

domestic。  Under the power to regulate commerce; they assume

indefinitely that also over agriculture and manufactures; and call it

regulation to take the earnings of one of these branches of industry;

and that too the most depressed; and put them into the pockets of the

other; the most flourishing of all。  Under the authority to establish

post roads; they claim that of cutting down mountains for the

construction of roads; of digging canals; and aided by a little

sophistry on the words 〃general welfare;〃 a right to do; not only the

acts to effect that; which are specifically enumerated and permitted;

but whatsoever they shall think; or pretend will be for the general

welfare。  And what is our resource for the preservation of the

constitution?  Reason and argument?  You might as well reason and

argue with the marble columns encircling them。  The representatives

chosen by ourselves?  They are joined in the combination; some from

incorrect views of government; some from corrupt ones; sufficient

voting together to out…number the sound parts; and with majorities

only of one; two; or three; bold enough to go forward in defiance。

Are we then _to stand to our arms_; with the hot…headed Georgian?

No。  That must be the last resource; not to be thought of until much

longer and greater sufferings。  If every infraction of a compact of

so many parties is to be resisted at once; as a dissolution of it;

none can ever be formed which would last one year。  We must have

patience and longer endurance then with our brethren while under

delusion; give them time for reflection and experience of

consequences; keep ourselves in a situation to profit by the chapter

of accidents; and separate from our companions only when the sole

alternatives left; are the dissolution of our Union with them; or

submission to a government without limitation of powers。  Between

these two evils; when we must make a choice; there can be no

hesitation。  But in the meanwhile; the States should be watchful to

note every material usurpation on their rights; to denounce them as

they occur in the most peremptory terms; to protest against them as

wrongs to which our present submission shall be considered; not as

acknowledgments or precedents of r yeomanry。  This will be to them a

next best blessing to the monarchy of their first aim; and perhaps

the surest stepping…stone to it。




        I learn with great satisfaction that your school is thriving

well; and that you have at its head a truly classical scholar。  He is

one of three or four whom I can hear of in the State。  We were

obliged the last year to receive shameful Latinists into the

classical school of the University; such as we will certainly refuse

as soon as we can get from better schools a sufficiency of those

properly instructed to form a class。  We must get rid of this

Connecticut Latin; of this barbarous confusion of long and short

syllables; which renders doubtful whether we are listening to a

reader of Cherokee; Shawnee; Iroquois; or what。  Our University has

been most fortunate in the five professors procured from England。  A

finer selection could not have been made。  Besides their being of a

grade of science which has left little superior behind; the

correctness of their moral character; their accommodating

dispositions; and zeal for the prosperity of the institution; leave

us nothing more to wish。  I verily believe that as high a degree of

education can now be obtained here; as in the country they left。  And

a finer set of youths I never saw assembled for instruction。  They

committed some irregularities at first; until they learned the lawful

length of their tether; since which it has never been transgressed in

the smallest degree。  A great proportion of them are severely devoted

to study; and I fear not to say that within twelve or fifteen years

from this time; a majority of the rulers of our State will have been

educated here。  They shall carry hence the correct principles of our

day; and you may count assuredly that they will exhibit their country

in a degree of sound respectability it has never known; eithe

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