part19-第8章

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Jesus　taught　nothing　of　it。　　He　told　us　indeed　that　‘God　is　a

spirit；'　but　he　has　not　defined　what　a　spirit　is；　nor　said　that　it　is

not　_matter_。　　And　the　antient　fathers　generally；　if　not　universally；

held　it　to　be　matter：　light　and　thin　indeed；　an　etherial　gas；　but

still　matter。　　Origen　says　‘Deus　reapse　corporalis　est；　sed　graviorum

tantum　corporum　ratione；　incorporeus。'　Tertullian　‘quid　enim　deus

nisi　corpus？'　and　again　‘quis　negabit　deumesse　corpus？　　Etsi　deus

spiritus；　spiritus　etiam　corpus　est；　sui　generis；　in　sua　effigie。'

St。　Justin　Martyr　‘｛to　Theion　phamen　einai　asomaton　oyk　oti　asomaton

　epeide　de　to　me　krateisthai　ypo　tinos；　toy　krateisthai　timioteron

esti；　dia　toyto　kaloymen　ayton　asomaton。｝'　And　St。　Macarius；　speaking

of　angels　says　‘quamvis　enim　subtilia　sint；　tamen　in　substantia；

forma　et　figura；　secundum　tenuitatem　naturae　eorum；　corpora　sunt

tenuia。'　And　St。　Austin；　St。　Basil；　Lactantius；　Tatian；　Athenagoras

and　others；　with　whose　writings　I　pretend　not　a　familiarity；　are　said

by　those　who　are；　to　deliver　the　same　doctrine。　　Turn　to　your　Ocellus

d'Argens　97。　105。　and　to　his　Timaeus　17。　for　these　quotations。　　In

England　these　Immaterialists　might　have　been　burnt　until　the　29。　Car。

2。　when　the　writ　de　haeretico　comburendo　was　abolished：　and　here

until　the　revolution；　that　statute　not　having　extended　to　us。　　All

heresies　being　now　done　away　with　us；　these　schismatists　are　merely

atheists；　differing　from　the　material　Atheist　only　in　their　belief

that　‘nothing　made　something；'　and　from　the　material　deist　who

believes　that　matter　alone　can　operate　on　matter。




　　　　　　　　Rejecting　all　organs　of　information　therefore　but　my　senses；　I

rid　myself　of　the　Pyrrhonisms　with　which　an　indulgence　in

speculations　hyperphysical　and　antiphysical　so　uselessly　occupy　and

disquiet　the　mind。　　A　single　sense　may　indeed　be　sometimes　decieved；

but　rarely：　and　never　all　our　senses　together；　with　their　faculty　of

reasoning。　　They　evidence　realities；　and　there　are　enough　of　these

for　all　the　purposes　of　life；　without　plunging　into　the　fathomless

abyss　of　dreams　and　phantasms。　　I　am　satisfied；　and　sufficiently

occupied　with　the　things　which　are；　without　tormenting　or　troubling

myself　about　those　which　may　indeed　be；　but　of　which　I　have　no

evidence。　　I　am　sure　that　I　really　know　many；　many；　things；　and　none

more　surely　than　that　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart；　and　pray　for　the

continuance　of　your　life　until　you　shall　be　tired　of　it　yourself。







　　　　　　　　JUDICIAL　SUBVERSION




　　　　　　　　_To　Thomas　Ritchie_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　December　25；　1820_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　On　my　return　home　after　a　long　absence；　I　find

here　your　favor　of　November　the　23d；　with　Colonel　Taylor's

〃Construction　Construed；〃　which　you　have　been　so　kind　as　to　send　me；

in　the　name　of　the　author　as　well　as　yourself。　　Permit　me；　if　you

please；　to　use　the　same　channel　for　conveying　to　him　the　thanks　I

render　you　also　for　this　mark　of　attention。　　I　shall　read　it；　I　know；

with　edification；　as　I　did　his　Inquiry；　to　which　I　acknowledge　myself

indebted　for　many　valuable　ideas；　and　for　the　correction　of　some

errors　of　early　opinion；　never　seen　in　a　correct　light　until

presented　to　me　in　that　work。　　That　the　present　volume　is　equally

orthodox；　I　know　before　reading　it；　because　I　know　that　Colonel

Taylor　and　myself　have　rarely；　if　ever；　differed　in　any　political

principle　of　importance。　　Every　act　of　his　life；　and　every　word　he

ever　wrote；　satisfies　me　of　this。　　So；　also；　as　to　the　two

Presidents；　late　and　now　in　office；　I　know　them　both　to　be　of

principles　as　truly　republican　as　any　men　living。　　If　there　be

anything　amiss；　therefore；　in　the　present　state　of　our　affairs；　as

the　formidable　deficit　lately　unfolded　to　us　indicates；　I　ascribe　it

to　the　inattention　of　Congress　to　their　duties；　to　their　unwise

dissipation　and　waste　of　the　public　contributions。　　They　seemed；　some

little　while　ago；　to　be　at　a　loss　for　objects　whereon　to　throw　away

the　supposed　fathomless　funds　of　the　treasury。　　I　had　feared　the

result；　because　I　saw　among　them　some　of　my　old　fellow　laborers；　of

tried　and　known　principles；　yet　often　in　their　minorities。　　I　am

aware　that　in　one　of　their　most　ruinous　vagaries；　the　people　were

themselves　betrayed　into　the　same　phrenzy　with　their　Representatives。

The　deficit　produced；　and　a　heavy　tax　to　supply　it；　will；　I　trust；

bring　both　to　their　sober　senses。




　　　　　　　　But　it　is　not　from　this　branch　of　government　we　have　most　to

fear。　　Taxes　and　short　elections　will　keep　them　right。　　The　judiciary

of　the　United　States　is　the　subtle　corps　of　sappers　and　miners

constantly　working　under　ground　to　undermine　the　foundations　of　our

confederated　fabric。　　They　are　construing　our　constitution　from　a

co…ordination　of　a　general　and　special　government　to　a　general　and

supreme　one　alone。　　This　will　lay　all　things　at　their　feet；　and　they

are　too　well　versed　in　English　law　to　forget　the　maxim；　_〃boni

judicis　est　ampliare　juris…dictionem。〃_　We　shall　see　if　they　are　bold

enough　to　take　the　daring　stride　their　five　lawyers　have　lately

taken。　　If　they　do；　then；　with　the　editor　of　our　book；　in　his　address

to　the　public；　I　will　say；　that　〃against　this　every　man　should　raise

his　voice；〃　and　more；　should　uplift　his　arm。　　Who　wrote　this

admirable　address？　　Sound；　luminous；　strong；　not　a　word　too　much；　nor

one　which　can　be　changed　but　for　the　worse。　　That　pen　should　go　on；

lay　bare　these　wounds　of　our　constitution；　expose　the　decisions

_seriatim_；　and　arouse；　as　it　is　able；　the　attention　of　the　nation　to

these　bold　speculators　on　its　patience。　　Having　found；　from

experience；　that　impeachment　is　an　impracticable　thing；　a　mere

scare…crow；　they　consider　themselves　secure　for　life；　they　sculk　from

responsibility　to　public　opinion；　the　only　remaining　hold　on　them；

under　a　practice　first　introduced　into　England　by　Lord　Mansfield。　　An

opinion　is　huddled　up　in　conclave；　perhaps　by　a　majority　of　one；

delivered　as　if　unanimous；　and　with　the　silent　acquiescence　of　lazy

or　timid　associates；　by　a　crafty　chief　judge；　who　sophisticates　the

law　to　his　mind；　by　the　turn　of　his　own　reasoning。　　A　judiciary　law

was　once　reported　by　the　Attorney　General　to　Congress；　requiring　each

judge　to　deliver　his　opinion　_seriatim_　and　openly；　and　then　to　give

it　in　writing　to　the　clerk　to　be　entered　in　the　record。　　A　judiciary

independent　of　a　king　or　executive　alone；　is　a　good　thing；　but

independence　of　the　will　of　the　nation　is　a　solecism；　at　least　in　a

republican　government。




　　　　　　　　But　to　return　to　your　letter；　you　ask　for　my　opinion　of　the

work　you　send　me；　and　to　let　it　go　out　to　the　public。　　This　I　have

ever　made　a　point　of　declining；　（one　or　two　instances　only　excepted。）

Complimentary　thanks　to　writers　who　have　sent　me　their　works；　have

betrayed　me　sometimes　before　the　public；　without　my　consent　having

been　asked。　　But　I　am　far　from　presuming　to　direct　the　reading　of　my

fellow　citizens；　who　are　good　enough　judges　themselves　of　what　is

worthy　their　reading。　　I　am；　also；　too　desirous　of　quiet　to　place

myself　in　the　way　of　contention。　　Against　this　I　am　admonished　by

bodily　decay；　which　cannot　be　unaccompanied　by　corresponding　wane　of

the　mind。　　Of　this　I　am　as　yet　sensible；　sufficiently　to　be　unwilling

to　trust　myself　before　the　public；　and　when　I　cease　to　be　so；　I　hope

that　my　friends　will　be　too　careful　of　me　to　draw　me　forth　and

present　me；　like　a　Priam　in　armor；　as　a　spectacle　for　public

compassion。　　I　hope　our　political　bark　will　ride　through　all　its

dangers；　but　I　can　in　future　be　but　an　inert　passenger。




　　　　　　　　I　salute　you　with　sentiments　of　great　friendship　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　THE　MISSOURI　QUESTION




　　　　　　　　_To　Albert　Gallatin_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　Dec。　26；　1820_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　‘It　is　said　to　be　an　ill　wind　which　blows

favorably　to　no　one。'　My　ill　health　has　long　suspended　the　too

frequent　troubles　I　have　heretofore　given　you　with　my　European

correspondence。　　To　this　is　added　a　stiffening　wrist；　the　effect　of

age　on　an　antient　dislocation；　which　renders　writing　slow　and

painful；　and　disables　me　nearly　from　all　correspondence；　and　may　very

possibly　make　this　the　last　trouble　I　shall　give　you　in　that　way。




　　　　　　　　Looking　from　our　quarter　of　the　world　over　the　horizon　of　yours

we　imagine　we　see　storms　gathering　which　may　again　desolate　the　face

of　that　country。　　So　many　revolutions　going　on；　in　different

countries　at　the　same　time；　such　combinations　of　tyranny；　and

military　preparations　and　movements　to　suppress　them。　　England　&

France　unsafe　from　internal　conflict；　Germany；　on　the　first　favorable

occasion；　ripe　for　insurrection；　such　a　state　of　things；　we　suppose；

must　end　in　war；　which　needs　a　kindling　spark　in　one　spot　only　to

spread　over　the　whole。　　Your　information　can　correct　these　views

which　are　stated　only　to　inform　you　of　impressions　here。




　　　　　　　　At　home　things　are　not　well。　　The　flood　of　paper　money；　as　you

well　know；　had　produced　an　exaggeration　of　nominal　prices　and　at　the

same　time　a　facility　of　obtaining　money；　which　not　only　encouraged

speculations　on　fictitious　capital；　but　seduced　those　of　real

capital；　even　in　private　life；　to　contract　debts　too　freely。　　Had

things　continued　in　the　same　course；　these　might　have　been

manageable。　　But　the　operations　of　the　U。S。　bank　for　the　demolition

of　the　state　banks；　obliged　these　suddenly　to　call　in　more　than　half

of　their　paper；　crushed　all　fictitious　and　doubtful　capital；　and

reduced　the　prices　of　property　and　produce　suddenly　to　1/3　of　what

they　had　been。　　Wheat；　for　example；　at　the　distance　of　two　or　three

days　from　market；　fell　to　and　continues　at　from　one　third　to　half　a

dollar。　　Should　it　be　stationary　at　this　for　a　while；　a　very　general

revolution　of　property　must　take　place。　　Something　of　the　same

character　has　taken　place　in　our　fiscal　system。　　A　little　while　back

Congress　seemed　at　a　loss　for　objects　whereon　to　squander　the

supposed　fathomless　funds　of　our　treasury。　　This　short　frenzy　has

been　arrested　by　a　deficit　of　5　millions　the　last　year；　and　of　7。

millions　this　year。　　A　loan　was　adopted　for　the　former　and　is

proposed　for　the　latter；　which　threatens　to　saddle　us　with　a

perpetual　debt。　　I　hope　a　tax　will　be　preferred；　because　it　will

awaken　the　attention　of　the　people；　and　make　reformation　&　economy

the　principles　of　the　next　election。　　The　frequent　recurrence　of　this

chastening　operation　can　alone　restrain　the　propensity　of　governments

to　enlarge　expence　beyond　income。　　The　steady　tenor　of　the　courts　of

the　US。　to　break　down　the　constitutional　barrier　between　the

coordinate　powers　of　the　States；　and　of　the　Union；　and　a　formal

opinion　lately　given　by　5。　lawyers　of　too　much　eminence　to　be

neglected；　give　uneasiness。　　But　nothing　has　ever　presented　so

threatening　an　aspect　as　what　is　called　the　Missouri　question。