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wintering　on　the　head　of　the　Missouri；　and　will　be　here　next　autumn。

Having　been　disappointed　in　our　view　of　sending　an　exploring　party　up

the　Red　river　the　last　year；　they　were　sent　up　the　Washita；　as　far　as

the　hot　springs；　under　the　direction　of　Mr。　Dunbar。　　He　found　the

temperature　of　the　springs　150　degrees　of　Fahrenheit　&　the　water

perfectly　potable　when　cooled。　　We　obtain　also　the　geography　of　that

river；　so　far　with　perfect　accuracy。　　Our　party　is　just　at　this　time

setting　out　from　Natchez　to　ascend　the　Red　river。　　These　expeditions

are　so　laborious；　&　hazardous；　that　men　of　science；　used　to　the

temperature　&　inactivity　of　their　closet；　cannot　be　induced　to

undertake　them。　　They　are　headed　therefore　by　persons　qualified

expressly　to　give　us　the　geography　of　the　rivers　with　perfect

accuracy；　and　of　good　common　knolege　and　observation　in　the　animal；

vegetable　&　mineral　departments。　　When　the　route　shall　be　once　open

and　known；　scientific　men　will　undertake；　&　verify　&　class　it's

subjects。　　Our　emigration　to　the　western　country　from　these　states

the　last　year　is　estimated　at　about　100；000。　　I　conjecture　that　about

one…half　the　number　of　our　increase　will　emigrate　westwardly

annually。　　A　newspaper　paragraph　tells　me；　with　some　details；　that

the　society　of　agriculture　of　Paris　had　thought　a　mould…board　of　my

construction　worthy　their　notice　&　Mr。　Dupont　confirms　it　in　a

letter；　but　not　specifying　anything　particular。　　I　send　him　a　model

with　an　advantageous　change　in　the　form；　in　which　however　the

principle　is　rigorously　the　same。　　I　mention　this　to　you　lest　he

should　have　left　France　for　America；　and　I　notice　it　no　otherwise

lest　there　should　have　been　any　error　in　the　information。　　Present　my

respectful　salutations　to　Doctr。　Cabanis　&　accept　them　yourself　with

assurances　of　my　constant　friendship　&　attachment。







　　　　　　　　A　NATIONAL　ACADEMY




　　　　　　　　_To　Joel　Barlow_

　　　　　　　　_Feb。　24；　1806_




　　　　　　　　I　return　you　the　draft　of　the　bill　for　the　establishment　of　a

National　Academy　&　University　at　the　city　of　Washington；　with　such

alterations　as　we　talked　over　the　last　night。　　They　are　chiefly

verbal。　　I　have　often　wished　we　could　have　a　Philosophical　society　or

academy　so　organized　as　that　while　the　central　academy　should　be　at

the　seat　of　government；　it's　members　dispersed　over　the　states；

should　constitute　filiated　academies　in　each　state；　publish　their

communications；　from　which　the　central　academy　should　select

unpublished　what　should　be　most　choice。　　In　this　way　all　the　members

wheresoever　dispersed　might　be　brought　into　action；　and　an　useful

emulation　might　arise　between　the　filiated　societies。　　Perhaps　the

great　societies　now　existing　might　incorporate　themselves　in　this　way

with　the　National　one。　　But　time　does　not　allow　me　to　pursue　this

idea；　nor　perhaps　had　we　time　at　all　to　get　it　into　the　present　bill。

I　procured　an　Agricultural　society　to　be　established　（voluntarily）　on

this　plan；　but　it　has　done　nothing。　　Friendly　salutations。







　　　　　　　　COURTING　ALEXANDER




　　　　　　　　_To　the　Emperor　Alexander_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　April　19；　1806_




　　　　　　　　I　owe　an　acknowledgment　to　your　Imperial　Majesty　for　the　great

satisfaction　I　have　received　from　your　letter　of　Aug。　20；　1805；　and

embrace　the　opportunity　it　affords　of　giving　expression　to　the

sincere　respect　and　veneration　I　entertain　for　your　character。　　It

will　be　among　the　latest　and　most　soothing　comforts　of　my　life；　to

have　seen　advanced　to　the　government　of　so　extensive　a　portion　of　the

earth；　and　at　so　early　a　period　of　his　life；　a　sovereign　whose　ruling

passion　is　the　advancement　of　the　happiness　and　prosperity　of　his

people；　and　not　of　his　own　people　only；　but　who　can　extend　his　eye

and　his　good　will　to　a　distant　and　infant　nation；　unoffending　in　its

course；　unambitious　in　its　views。




　　　　　　　　The　events　of　Europe　come　to　us　so　late；　and　so　suspiciously；

that　observations　on　them　would　certainly　be　stale；　and　possibly　wide

of　their　actual　state。　　From　their　general　aspect；　however；　I　collect

that　your　Majesty's　interposition　in　them　has　been　disinterested　and

generous；　and　having　in　view　only　the　general　good　of　the　great

European　family。　　When　you　shall　proceed　to　the　pacification　which　is

to　re…establish　peace　and　commerce；　the　same　dispositions　of　mind

will　lead　you　to　think　of　the　general　intercourse　of　nations；　and　to

make　that　provision　for　its　future　maintenance　which；　in　times　past；

it　has　so　much　needed。　　The　northern　nations　of　Europe；　at　the　head

of　which　your　Majesty　is　distinguished；　are　habitually　peaceable。

The　United　States　of　America；　like　them；　are　attached　to　peace。　　We

have　then　with　them　a　common　interest　in　the　neutral　rights。　　Every

nation　indeed；　on　the　continent　of　Europe；　belligerent　as　well　as

neutral；　is　interested　in　maintaining　these　rights；　in　liberalizing

them　progressively　with　the　progress　of　science　and　refinement　of

morality；　and　in　relieving　them　from　restrictions　which　the　extension

of　the　arts　has　long　since　rendered　unreasonable　and　vexatious。




　　　　　　　　Two　personages　in　Europe；　of　which　your　Majesty　is　one；　have　it

in　their　power；　at　the　approaching　pacification；　to　render　eminent

service　to　nations　in　general；　by　incorporating　into　the　act　of

pacification；　a　correct　definition　of　the　rights　of　neutrals　on　the

high　seas。　　Such　a　definition；　declared　by　all　the　powers　lately　or

still　belligerent；　would　give　to　those　rights　a　precision　and

notoriety；　and　cover　them　with　an　authority；　which　would　protect　them

in　an　important　degree　against　future　violation；　and　should　any

further　sanction　be　necessary；　that　of　an　exclusion　of　the　violating

nation　from　commercial　intercourse　with　all　the　others；　would　be

preferred　to　war；　as　more　analogous　to　the　offence；　more　easy　and

likely　to　be　executed　with　good　faith。　　The　essential　articles　of

these　rights；　too；　are　so　few　and　simple　as　easily　to　be　defined。




　　　　　　　　Having　taken　no　part　in　the　past　or　existing　troubles　of

Europe；　we　have　no　part　to　act　in　its　pacification。　　But　as

principles　may　then　be　settled　in　which　we　have　a　deep　interest；　it

is　a　great　happiness　for　us　that　they　are　placed　under　the　protection

of　an　umpire；　who；　looking　beyond　the　narrow　bounds　of　an　individual

nation；　will　take　under　the　cover　of　his　equity　the　rights　of　the

absent　and　unrepresented。　　It　is　only　by　a　happy　concurrence　of　good

characters　and　good　occasions；　that　a　step　can　now　and　then　be　taken

to　advance　the　well…being　of　nations。　　If　the　present　occasion　be

good；　I　am　sure　your　Majesty's　character　will　not　be　wanting　to　avail

the　world　of　it。　　By　monuments　of　such　good　offices；　may　your　life

become　an　epoch　in　the　history　of　the　condition　of　man；　and　may　He

who　called　it　into　being；　for　the　good　of　the　human　family；　give　it

length　of　days　and　success；　and　have　it　always　in　His　holy　keeping。







　　　　　　　　A　TRIBUTE　OF　GRATITUDE




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Edward　Jenner_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　May　14；　1806_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　I　have　received　a　copy　of　the　evidence　at　large

respecting　the　discovery　of　the　vaccine　inoculation　which　you　have

been　pleased　to　send　me；　and　for　which　I　return　you　my　thanks。

Having　been　among　the　early　converts；　in　this　part　of　the　globe；　to

its　efficiency；　I　took　an　early　part　in　recommending　it　to　my

countrymen。　　I　avail　myself　of　this　occasion　of　rendering　you　a

portion　of　the　tribute　of　gratitude　due　to　you　from　the　whole　human

family。　　Medicine　has　never　before　produced　any　single　improvement　of

such　utility。　　Harvey's　discovery　of　the　circulation　of　the　blood　was

a　beautiful　addition　to　our　knowledge　of　the　animal　economy；　but　on　a

review　of　the　practice　of　medicine　before　and　since　that　epoch；　I　do

not　see　any　great　amelioration　which　has　been　derived　from　that

discovery。　　You　have　erased　from　the　calendar　of　human　afflictions

one　of　its　greatest。　　Yours　is　the　comfortable　reflection　that

mankind　can　never　forget　that　you　have　lived。　　Future　nations　will

know　by　history　only　that　the　loathsome　small…pox　has　existed　and　by

you　has　been　extirpated。




　　　　　　　　Accept　my　fervent　wishes　for　your　health　and　happiness　and

assurances　of　the　greatest　respect　and　consideration。







　　　　　　　　SCHISM　AND　THE　MAJORITY　LEADSHIP




　　　　　　　　_To　Barnabas　Bidwell_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　July　5；　1806_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　June　the　21st　has　been　duly　received。　　We

have　not　as　yet　heard　from　General　Skinner　on　the　subject　of　his

office。　　Three　persons　are　proposed　on　the　most　respectable

recommendations；　and　under　circumstances　of　such　equality　as　renders

it　difficult　to　decide　between　them。　　But　it　shall　be　done

impartially。　　I　sincerely　congratulate　you　on　the　triumph　of

republicanism　in　Massachusetts。　　The　Hydra　of　federalism　has　now　lost

all　its　heads　but　two。　　Connecticut　I　think　will　soon　follow

Massachusetts。　　Del