part13-第1节

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　　　　　　　　A　NATIONAL　AGRICULTURAL　SOCIETY




　　　　　　　　_To　Sir　John　Sinclair_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　June　30；　1803_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　It　is　so　long　since　I　have　had　the　pleasure　of

writing　to　you；　that　it　would　be　vain　to　look　back　to　dates　to

connect　the　old　and　the　new。　　Yet　I　ought　not　to　pass　over　my

acknowledgments　to　you　for　various　publications　received　from　time　to

time；　and　with　great　satisfaction　and　thankfulness。　　I　send　you　a

small　one　in　return；　the　work　of　a　very　unlettered　farmer；　yet

valuable；　as　it　relates　plain　facts　of　importance　to　farmers。　　You

will　discover　that　Mr。　Binns　is　an　enthusiast　for　the　use　of　gypsum。

But　there　are　two　facts　which　prove　he　has　a　right　to　be　so：　1。　He

began　poor；　andhas　made　himself　tolerably　rich　by　his　farming　alone。

2。　The　county　of　Loudon；　in　which　he　lives；　had　been　so　exhausted　and

wasted　by　bad　husbandry；　that　it　began　to　depopulate；　the　inhabitants

going　Southwardly　in　quest　of　better　lands。　　Binns'　success　has

stopped　that　emigration。　　It　is　now　becoming　one　of　the　most

productive　counties　of　the　State　of　Virginia；　and　the　price　given　for

the　lands　is　multiplied　manifold。




　　　　　　　　We　are　still　uninformed　here　whether　you　are　again　at　war。

Bonaparte　has　produced　such　a　state　of　things　in　Europe　as　it　would

seem　difficult　for　him　to　relinquish　in　any　sensible　degree；　and

equally　dangerous　for　Great　Britain　to　suffer　to　go　on；　especially　if

accompanied　by　maritime　preparations　on　his　part。　　The　events　which

have　taken　place　in　France　have　lessened　in　the　American　mind　the

motives　of　interest　which　it　felt　in　that　revolution；　and　its　amity

towards　that　country　now　rests　on　its　love　of　peace　and　commerce。　　We

see；　at　the　same　time；　with　great　concern；　the　position　in　which

Great　Britain　is　placed；　and　should　be　sincerely　afflicted　were　any

disaster　to　deprive　mankind　of　the　benefit　of　such　a　bulwark　against

the　torrent　which　has　for　some　time　been　bearing　down　all　before　it。

But　her　power　and　powers　at　sea　seem　to　render　everything　safe　in　the

end。　　Peace　is　our　passion；　and　the　wrongs　might　drive　us　from　it。

We　prefer　trying　_ever_　other　just　principles；　right　and　safety；

before　we　would　recur　to　war。




　　　　　　　　I　hope　your　agricultural　institution　goes　on　with　success。　　I

consider　you　as　the　author　of　all　the　good　it　shall　do。　　A　better

idea　has　never　been　carried　into　practice。　　Our　agricultural　society

has　at　length　formed　itself。　　Like　our　American　Philosophical

Society；　it　is　voluntary；　and　unconnected　with　the　public；　and　is

precisely　an　execution　of　the　plan　I　formerly　sketched　to　you。　　Some

State　societies　have　been　formed　heretofore；　the　others　will　do　the

same。　　Each　State　society　names　two　of　its　members　of　Congress　to　be

their　members　in　the　Central　society；　which　is　of　course　together

during　the　sessions　of　Congress。　　They　are　to　select　matter　from　the

proceedings　of　the　State　societies；　and　to　publish　it；　so　that　their

publications　may　be　called　_l'esprit　des　societes　d'agriculture_；　&c。

The　Central　society　was　formed　the　last　winter　only；　so　that　it　will

be　some　time　before　they　get　under　way。　　Mr。　Madison；　the　Secretary

of　State；　was　elected　their　President。




　　　　　　　　Recollecting　with　great　satisfaction　our　friendly　intercourse

while　I　was　in　Europe；　I　nourish　the　hope　it　still　preserves　a　place

in　your　mind；　and　with　my　salutations；　I　pray　you　to　accept

assurances　of　my　constant　attachment　and　high　respect。







　　　　　　　　PEACE　FOUNDED　ON　INTEREST




　　　　　　　　_To　the　Earl　of　Buchan_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　July　10；　1803_




　　　　　　　　MY　LORD；　　I　received；　through　the　hands　of　Mr。　Lenox；　on　his

return　to　the　United　States；　the　valuable　volume　you　were　so　good　as

to　send　me　on　the　life　and　writings　of　Fletcher；　of　Saltoun。　　The

political　principles　of　that　patriot　were　worthy　the　purest　periods

of　the　British　Constitution；　they　are　those　which　were　in　vigor　at

the　epoch　of　the　American　emigration。　　Our　ancestors　brought　them

here；　and　they　needed　little　strengthening　to　make　us　what　we　are。

But　in　the　weakened　condition　of　English　whigism　at　this　day；　it

requires　more　firmness　to　publish　and　advocate　them　than　it　then　did

to　act　on　them。　　This　merit　is　peculiarly　your　Lordship's；　and　no　one

honors　it　more　than　myself。　　While　I　freely　admit　the　right　of　a

nation　to　change　its　political　principles　and　constitution　at　will；

and　the　impropriety　of　any　but　its　own　citizens　censuring　that

change；　I　expect　your　Lordship　has　been　disappointed；　as　I

acknowledge　I　have　been；　in　the　issue　of　the　convulsions　on　the　other

side　the　channel。　　This　has　certainly　lessened　the　interest　which　the

philanthropist　warmly　felt　in　those　struggles。　　Without　befriending

human　liberty；　a　gigantic　force　has　risen　up　which　seems　to　threaten

the　world。　　But　it　hangs　on　the　thread　of　opinion；　which　may　break

from　one　day　to　another。　　I　feel　real　anxiety　on　the　conflict　to

which　imperious　circumstances　seem　to　call　your　nation；　and　bless　the

Almighty　Being；　who；　in　gathering　together　the　waters　under　the

heavens　into　one　place；　divided　the　dry　land　of　your　hemisphere　from

the　dry　lands　of　ours；　and　said；　at　least　be　there　peace。　　I　hope

that　peace　and　amity　with　all　nations　will　long　be　the　character　of

our　land；　and　that　its　prosperity　under　the　Charter　will　react　on　the

mind　of　Europe；　and　profit　her　by　the　example。　　My　hope　of　preserving

peace　for　our　country　is　not　founded　in　the　greater　principles　of

non…resistance　under　every　wrong；　but　in　the　belief　that　a　just　and

friendly　conduct　on　our　part　will　procure　justice　and　friendship　from

others。　　In　the　existing　contest；　each　of　the　combatants　will　find　an

interest　in　our　friendship。　　I　cannot　say　we　shall　be　unconcerned

spectators　of　this　combat。　　We　feel　for　human　sufferings；　and　we　wish

the　good　of　all。　　We　shall　look　on；　therefore；　with　the　sensations

which　these　dispositions　and　the　events　of　the　war　will　produce。




　　　　　　　　I　feel　a　pride　in　the　justice　which　your　Lordship's　sentiments

render　to　the　character　of　my　illustrious　countryman；　Washington。

The　moderation　of　his　desires；　and　the　strength　of　his　judgment；

enabled　him　to　calculate　correctly；　that　the　road　to　that　glory　which

never　dies　is　to　use　power　for　the　support　of　the　laws　and　liberties

of　our　country；　not　for　their　destruction；　and　his　will　accordingly

survives　the　wreck　of　everything　now　living。




　　　　　　　　Accept；　my　lord；　the　tribute　of　esteem；　from　one　who　renders　it

with　warmth　to　the　disinterested　friend　of　mankind；　and　assurances　of

my　high　consideration　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　PHILOSOPHY　AND　BLASTED　HOPES




　　　　　　　　_To　Pierre　J。　G。　Cabanis_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　July　12；　1803_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　lately　received　your　friendly　letter　of　28

Vendem。　an。　11；　with　the　two　volumes　on　the　relations　between　the

physical　and　moral　faculties　of　man。　　This　has　ever　been　a　subject　of

great　interest　to　the　inquisitive　mind；　and　it　could　not　have　got

into　better　hands　for　discussion　than　yours。　　That　thought　may　be　a

faculty　of　our　material　organization；　has　been　believed　in　the　gross；

and　though　the　〃modus　operandi〃　of　nature；　in　this；　as　in　most　other

cases；　can　never　be　developed　and　demonstrated　to　beings　limited　as

we　are；　yet　I　feel　confident　you　will　have　conducted　us　as　far　on　the

road　as　we　can　go；　and　have　lodged　us　within　reconnoitering　distance

of　the　citadel　itself。　　While　_here_；　I　have　time　to　read　nothing。

But　our　annual　recess　for　the　months　of　August　and　September　is　now

approaching；　during　which　time　I　shall　be　at　the　Montrials；　where　I

anticipate　great　satisfaction　in　the　presence　of　these　volumes。　　It

is　with　great　satisfaction；　too；　I　recollect　the　agreeable　hours　I

have　past　with　yourself　and　M。　de　La　Roche；　at　the　house　of　our　late

excellent　friend；　Madame　Helvetius；　and　elsewhere；　and　I　am　happy　to

learn　you　continue　your　residence　there。　　Antevil　always　appeared　to

me　a　delicious　village；　and　Madame　Helvetius's　the　most　delicious

spot　in　it。　　In　those　days　how　sanguine　we　were！　and　how　soon　were

the　virtuous　hopes　and　confidence　of　every　good　man　blasted！　and　how

many　excellent　friends　have　we　lost　in　your　efforts　towards

self…government；　_et　cui　bono_？　　But　let　us　draw　a　veil　over　the

dead；　and　hope　the　best　for　the　living。　　If　the　hero　who　has　saved

you　from　a　combination　of　enemies；　shall　also　be　the　means　of　giving

you　as　great　a　portion　of　liberty　as　the　opinions；　habits　and

character　of　the　nation　are　prepared　for；　progressive　preparation　may

fit　you　for　progressive　portions　of　that　first　of　blessings；　and　you

may　in　time　attain　what　we　erred　in　supposing　could　be　hastily　seized

and　maintained；　in　the　present　state　of　political　information　among

your　citizens　at　large。　　In　this　way　all　may　end　well。




　　　　　　　　You　are　again　at　war；　I　find。　　But　we；　I　hope；　shall　be

permitted　to　run　the　race　of　p