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of　wax　in　the　hands　of　the　judiciary；　which　they　may　twist　and　shape

into　any　form　they　please。　　It　should　be　remembered；　as　an　axiom　of

eternal　truth　in　politics；　that　whatever　power　in　any　government　is

independent；　is　absolute　also；　in　theory　only；　at　first；　while　the

spirit　of　the　people　is　up；　but　in　practice；　as　fast　as　that　relaxes。

Independence　can　be　trusted　nowhere　but　with　the　people　in　mass。

They　are　inherently　independent　of　all　but　moral　law。　　My

construction　of　the　constitution　is　very　different　from　that　you

quote。　　It　is　that　each　department　is　truly　independent　of　the

others；　and　has　an　equal　right　to　decide　for　itself　what　is　the

meaning　of　the　constitution　in　the　cases　submitted　to　its　action；　and

especially；　where　it　is　to　act　ultimately　and　without　appeal。　　I　will

explain　myself　by　examples；　which；　having　occurred　while　I　was　in

office；　are　better　known　to　me；　and　the　principles　which　governed

them。




　　　　　　　　A　legislature　had　passed　the　sedition　law。　　The　federal　courts

had　subjected　certain　individuals　to　its　penalties　of　fine　and

imprisonment。　　On　coming　into　office；　I　released　these　individuals　by

the　power　of　pardon　committed　to　executive　discretion；　which　could

never　be　more　properly　exercised　than　where　citizens　were　suffering

without　the　authority　of　law；　or；　which　was　equivalent；　under　a　law

unauthorized　by　the　constitution；　and　therefore　null。　　In　the　case　of

Marbury　and　Madison；　the　federal　judges　declared　that　commissions；

signed　and　sealed　by　the　President；　were　valid；　although　not

delivered。　　I　deemed　delivery　essential　to　complete　a　deed；　which；　as

long　as　it　remains　in　the　hands　of　the　party；　is　as　yet　no　deed；　it

is　in　_posse_　only；　but　not　in　_esse_；　and　I　withheld　delivery　of　the

commissions。　　They　cannot　issue　a　mandamus　to　the　President　or

legislature；　or　to　any　of　their　officers　（*）。　　When　the　British

treaty　of　…　arrived；　without　any　provision　against　the

impressment　of　our　seamen；　I　determined　not　to　ratify　it。　　The　Senate

thought　I　should　ask　their　advice。　　I　thought　that　would　be　a　mockery

of　them；　when　I　was　predetermined　against　following　it；　should　they

advise　its　ratification。　　The　constitution　had　made　their　advice

necessary　to　confirm　a　treaty；　but　not　to　reject　it。　　This　has　been

blamed　by　some；　but　I　have　never　doubted　its　soundness。　　In　the　cases

of　two　persons；　_antenati_；　under　exactly　similar　circumstances；　the

federal　court　had　determined　that　one　of　them　（Duane）　was　not　a

citizen；　the　House　of　Representatives　nevertheless　determined　that

the　other　（Smith；　of　South　Carolina）　was　a　citizen；　and　admitted　him

to　his　seat　in　their　body。　　Duane　was　a　republican；　and　Smith　a

federalist；　and　these　decisions　were　made　during　the　federal

ascendancy。




　　　　　　　　（*）　The　constitution　controlling　the　common　law　in　this

particular。




　　　　　　　　These　are　examples　of　my　position；　that　each　of　the　three

departments　has　equally　the　right　to　decide　for　itself　what　is　its

duty　under　the　constitution；　without　any　regard　to　what　the　others

may　have　decided　for　themselves　under　a　similar　question。　　But　you

intimate　a　wish　that　my　opinion　should　be　known　on　this　subject。　　No；

dear　Sir；　I　withdraw　from　all　contest　of　opinion；　and　resign

everything　cheerfully　to　the　generation　now　in　place。　　They　are　wiser

than　we　were；　and　their　successors　will　be　wiser　than　they；　from　the

progressive　advance　of　science。　　Tranquillity　is　the　_summum　bonum_

of　age。　　I　wish；　therefore；　to　offend　no　man's　opinion；　nor　to　draw

disquieting　animadversions　on　my　own。　　While　duty　required　it；　I　met

opposition　with　a　firm　and　fearless　step。　　But　loving　mankind　in　my

individual　relations　with　them；　I　pray　to　be　permitted　to　depart　in

their　peace；　and　like　the　superannuated　soldier；　_〃quadragenis

stipendiis　emeritis；〃_　to　hang　my　arms　on　the　post。　　I　have　unwisely；

I　fear；　embarked　in　an　enterprise　of　great　public　concern；　but　not　to

be　accomplished　within　my　term；　without　their　liberal　and　prompt

support。　　A　severe　illness　the　last　year；　and　another　from　which　I　am

just　emerged；　admonish　me　that　repetitions　may　be　expected；　against

which　a　declining　frame　cannot　long　bear　up。　　I　am　anxious；

therefore；　to　get　our　University　so　far　advanced　as　may　encourage　the

public　to　persevere　to　its　final　accomplishment。　　That　secured；　I

shall　sing　my　_nunc　demittas_。　　I　hope　your　labors　will　be　long

continued　in　the　spirit　in　which　they　have　always　been　exercised；　in

maintenance　of　those　principles　on　which　I　verily　believe　the　future

happiness　of　our　country　essentially　depends。　　I　salute　you　with

affectionate　and　great　respect。







　　　　　　　　GREEK　PRONUNCIATION




　　　　　　　　_To　Nathaniel　F。　Moore_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　September　22；　1819_

　

　　　　　　　　I　thank　you；　Sir　for　the　remarks　on　the　pronunciation　of　the

Greek　language　which　you　have　been　so　kind　as　to　send　me。　　I　have

read　them　with　pleasure；　as　I　had　the　pamphlet　of　Mr。　Pickering　on

the　same　subject。　　This　question　has　occupied　long　and　learned

inquiry；　and　cannot；　as　I　apprehend；　be　ever　positively　decided。

Very　early　in　my　classical　days；　I　took　up　the　idea　that　the　ancient

Greek　language　having　been　changed　by　degrees　into　the　modern；　and

the　present　race　of　that　people　having　received　it　by　tradition；　they

had　of　course　better　pretensions　to　the　ancient　pronunciation　also；

than　any　foreign　nation　could　have。　　When　at　Paris；　I　became

acquainted　with　some　learned　Greeks；　from　whom　I　took　pains　to　learn

the　modern　pronunciation。　　But　I　could　not　receive　it　as　genuine　_in

toto_。　　I　could　not　believe　that　the　ancient　Greeks　had　provided　six

different　notations　for　the　simple　sound　of　｛i｝；　iota；　and　left　the

five　other　sounds　which　we　give　to　_n；　v；　｛i…i｝；　｛oi｝；　｛yi｝；_　without

any　characters　of　notation　at　all。　　I　could　not　acknowledge　the　｛y｝；

upsillon；　as　an　equivalent　to　our　｛n｝；　as　in　｛Achilleys｝；　which　they

pronounce　Achillevs；　nor　the　｛g｝；　gamma；　to　our　_y_；　as　in　｛alge｝；

which　they　pronounce　alye。　　I　concluded；　therefore；　that　as

experience　proves　to　us　that　the　pronunciation　of　all　languages

changes；　in　their　descent　through　time；　that　of　the　Greek　must　have

done　so　also　in　some　degree；　and　the　more　probably；　as　the　body　of

the　words　themselves　had　substantially　changed；　and　I　presumed　that

the　instances　above　mentioned　might　be　classed　with　the　degeneracies

of　time；　a　presumption　strengthened　by　their　remarkable　cacophony。

As　to　all　the　other　letters；　I　have　supposed　we　might　yield　to　their

traditionary　claim　of　a　more　orthodox　pronunciation。　　Indeed；　they

sound　most　of　them　as　we　do；　and；　where　they　differ；　as　in　the　｛e；　d；

ch；｝　their　sounds　do　not　revolt　us；　nor　impair　the　beauty　of　the

language。




　　　　　　　　If　we　adhere　to　the　Erasmian　pronunciation；　we　must　go　to　Italy

for　it；　as　we　must　do　for　the　most　probably　correct　pronunciation　of

the　language　of　the　Romans；　because　rejecting　the　modern；　we　must

argue　that　the　ancient　pronunciation　was　probably　brought　from

Greece；　with　the　language　itself；　and；　as　Italy　was　the　country　to

which　it　was　brought；　and　from　which　it　emanated　to　other　nations；　we

must　presume　it　better　preserved　there　than　with　the　nations　copying

from　them；　who　would　be　apt　to　affect　its　pronunciation　with　some　of

their　own　national　peculiarities。　　And　in　fact；　we　find　that　no　two

nations　pronounce　it　alike；　although　all　pretend　to　the　Erasmian

pronunciation。　　But　the　whole　subject　is　conjectural；　and　allows

therefore　full　and　lawful　scope　to　the　vagaries　of　the　human　mind。　　I

am　glad；　however；　to　see　the　question　stirred　here；　because　it　may

excite　among　our　young　countrymen　a　spirit　of　inquiry　and　criticism；

and　lead　them　to　more　attention　to　this　most　beautiful　of　all

languages。　　And　wishing　that　the　salutary　example　you　have　set　may

have　this　good　effect；　I　salute　you　with　great　respect　and

consideration。







　　　　　　　　〃I　TOO　AM　AN　EPICUREAN〃




　　　　　　　　_To　William　Short；　with　a　Syllabus_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　October　31；　1819_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　the　21st　is　received。　　My　late

illness；　in　which　you　are　so　kind　as　to　feel　an　interest；　was

produced　by　a　spasmodic　stricture　of　the　ilium；　which　came　upon　me　on

the　7th　inst。　　The　crisis　was　short；　passed　over　favorably　on　the

fourth　day；　and　I　should　soon　have　been　well　but　that　a　dose　of

calomel　and　jalap；　in　which　were　only　eight　or　nine　grains　of　the

former；　brought　on　a　salivation。　　Of　this；　however；　nothing　now

remains　but　a　little　soreness　of　the　mouth。　　I　have　been　able　to　get

on　horseback　for　three　or　four　days　past。




　　　　　　　　As　you　say　of　yourself；　I　too　am　an　Epicurian。　　I　consider　the

genuine　（not　the　imputed）　doctrines　of　Epicurus　as　containing

everything　rational　in　moral　philosophy　which　Greece　and　Rome　have

left　us。　　Epictetus　indeed；　has　given　us　what　was　good　of　the　stoics；

all　beyond；　of　their　dogmas；　being　hypocrisy　and　grima