part15-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



the　same　time　suggested；　if　this　could　not　be　obtained；　some　of　the

Portuguese　possessions　in　South　America；　as　next　most　desirable。　　The

subsequent　Legislature　approving　these　ideas；　I　wrote；　the　ensuing

year；　1802；　to　Mr。　King；　our　Minister　in　London；　to　endeavor　to

negotiate　with　the　Sierra　Leone　company　a　reception　of　such　of　these

people　as　might　be　colonized　thither。　　He　opened　a　correspondence

with　Mr。　Wedderburne　and　Mr。　Thornton；　secretaries　of　the　company；　on

the　subject；　and　in　1803　I　received　through　Mr。　King　the　result；

which　was　that　the　colony　was　going　on；　but　in　a　languishing

condition；　that　the　funds　of　the　company　were　likely　to　fail；　as　they

received　no　returns　of　profit　to　keep　them　up；　that　they　were

therefore　in　treaty　with　their　government　to　take　the　establishment

off　their　hands；　but　that　in　no　event　should　they　be　willing　to

receive　more　of　these　people　from　the　United　States；　as　it　was

exactly　that　portion　of　their　settlers　which　had　gone　from　hence；

which；　by　their　idleness　and　turbulence；　had　kept　the　settlement　in

constant　danger　of　dissolution；　which　could　not　have　been　prevented

but　for　the　aid　of　the　Maroon　negroes　from　the　West　Indies；　who　were

more　industrious　and　orderly　than　the　others；　and　supported　the

authority　of　the　government　and　its　laws。　　I　think　I　learned

afterwards　that　the　British　Government　had　taken　the　colony　into　its

own　hands；　and　I　believe　it　still　exists。　　The　effort　which　I　made

with　Portugal；　to　obtain　an　establishment　for　them　within　their

claims　in　South　America；　proved　also　abortive。




　　　　　　　　You　inquire　further；　whether　I　would　use　my　endeavors　to

procure　for　such　an　establishment　security　against　violence　from

other　powers；　and　particularly　from　France？　　Certainly；　I　shall　be

willing　to　do　anything　I　can　to　give　it　effect　and　safety。　　But　I　am

but　a　private　individual；　and　could　only　use　endeavors　with　private

individuals；　whereas；　the　National　Government　can　address　themselves

at　once　to　those　of　Europe　to　obtain　the　desired　security；　and　will

unquestionably　be　ready　to　exert　its　influence　with　those　nations　for

an　object　so　benevolent　in　itself；　and　so　important　to　a　great

portion　of　its　constituents。　　Indeed；　nothing　is　more　to　be　wished

than　that　the　United　States　would　themselves　undertake　to　make　such

an　establishment　on　the　coast　of　Africa。　　Exclusive　of　motives　of

humanity；　the　commercial　advantages　to　be　derived　from　it　might　repay

all　its　expenses。　　But　for　this；　the　national　mind　is　not　yet

prepared。　　It　may　perhaps　be　doubted　whether　many　of　these　people

would　voluntarily　consent　to　such　an　exchange　of　situation；　and　very

certain　that　few　of　those　advanced　to　a　certain　age　in　habits　of

slavery；　would　be　capable　of　self…government。　　This　should　not；

however；　discourage　the　experiment；　nor　the　early　trial　of　it；　and

the　proposition　should　be　made　with　all　the　prudent　cautions　and

attentions　requisite　to　reconcile　it　to　the　interests；　the　safety　and

the　prejudices　of　all　parties。




　　　　　　　　Accept　the　assurances　of　my　respect　and　esteem。







　　　　　　　　THE　EXECUTIVE　OFFICE




　　　　　　　　_To　A。　L。　C。　Destutt　de　Tracy_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　January　26；　1811_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　The　length　of　time　your　favor　of　June　the　12th；　1809；

was　on　its　way　to　me；　and　my　absence　from　home　the　greater　part　of

the　autumn；　delayed　very　much　the　pleasure　which　awaited　me　of

reading　the　packet　which　accompanied　it。　　I　cannot　express　to　you　the

satisfaction　which　I　received　from　its　perusal。　　I　had；　with　the

world；　deemed　Montesquieu's　work　of　much　merit；　but　saw　in　it；　with

every　thinking　man；　so　much　of　paradox；　of　false　principle　and

misapplied　fact；　as　to　render　its　value　equivocal　on　the　whole。

Williams　and　others　had　nibbled　only　at　its　errors。　　A　radical

correction　of　them；　therefore；　was　a　great　desideratum。　　This　want　is

now　supplied；　and　with　a　depth　of　thought；　precision　of　idea；　of

language　and　of　logic；　which　will　force　conviction　into　every　mind。

I　declare　to　you；　Sir；　in　the　spirit　of　truth　and　sincerity；　that　I

consider　it　the　most　precious　gift　the　present　age　has　received。　　But

what　would　it　have　been；　had　the　author；　or　would　the　author；　take　up

the　whole　scheme　of　Montesquieu's　work；　and　following　the　correct

analysis　he　has　here　developed；　fill　up　all　its　parts　according　to

his　sound　views　of　them？　　Montesquieu's　celebrity　would　be　but　a

small　portion　of　that　which　would　immortalize　the　author。　　And　with

whom？　　With　the　rational　and　high…minded　spirits　of　the　present　and

all　future　ages。　　With　those　whose　approbation　is　both　incitement　and

reward　to　virtue　and　ambition。　　Is　then　the　hope　desperate？　　To　what

object　can　the　occupation　of　his　future　life　be　devoted　so　usefully

to　the　world；　so　splendidly　to　himself？　　But　I　must　leave　to　others

who　have　higher　claims　on　his　attention；　to　press　these

considerations。




　　　　　　　　My　situation；　far　in　the　interior　of　the　country；　was　not

favorable　to　the　object　of　getting　this　work　translated　and　printed。

Philadelphia　is　the　least　distant　of　the　great　towns　of　our　States；

where　there　exists　any　enterprise　in　this　way；　and　it　was　not　till

the　spring　following　the　receipt　of　your　letter；　that　I　obtained　an

arrangement　for　its　execution。　　The　translation　is　just　now

completed。　　The　sheets　came　to　me　by　post；　from　time　to　time；　for

revisal；　but　not　being　accompanied　by　the　original；　I　could　not　judge

of　verbal　accuracies。　　I　think；　however；　it　is　substantially　correct；

without　being　an　adequate　representation　of　the　excellences　of　the

original；　as　indeed　no　translation　can　be。　　I　found　it　impossible　to

give　it　the　appearance　of　an　original　composition　in　our　language。　　I

therefore　think　it　best　to　divert　inquiries　after　the　author　towards

a　quarter　where　he　will　not　be　found；　and　with　this　view；　propose　to

prefix　the　prefatory　epistle；　now　enclosed。　　As　soon　as　a　copy　of　the

work　can　be　had；　I　will　send　it　to　you　by　duplicate。　　The　secret　of

the　author　will　be　faithfully　preserved　during　his　and　my　joint

lives；　and　those　into　whose　hands　my　papers　will　fall　at　my　death；

will　be　equally　worthy　of　confidence。　　When　the　death　of　the　author；

or　his　living　consent　shall　permit　the　world　to　know　their

benefactor；　both　his　and　my　papers　will　furnish　the　evidence。　　In　the

meantime；　the　many　important　truths　the　work　so　solidly　establishes；

will；　I　hope；　make　it　the　political　rudiment　of　the　young；　and　manual

of　our　older　citizens。




　　　　　　　　One　of　its　doctrines；　indeed；　the　preference　of　a　plural　over　a

singular　executive；　will　probably　not　be　assented　to　here。　　When　our

present　government　was　first　established；　we　had　many　doubts　on　this

question；　and　many　leanings　towards　a　supreme　executive　council。　　It

happened　that　at　that　time　the　experiment　of　such　an　one　was

commenced　in　France；　while　the　single　executive　was　under　trial　here。

We　watched　the　motions　and　effects　of　these　two　rival　plans；　with　an

interest　and　anxiety　proportioned　to　the　importance　of　a　choice

between　them。　　The　experiment　in　France　failed　after　a　short　course；

and　not　from　any　circumstance　peculiar　to　the　times　or　nation；　but

from　those　internal　jealousies　and　dissensions　in　the　Directory；

which　will　ever　arise　among　men　equal　in　power；　without　a　principal

to　decide　and　control　their　differences。　　We　had　tried　a　similar

experiment　in　1784；　by　establishing　a　committee　of　the　States；

composed　of　a　member　from　every　State；　then　thirteen；　to　exercise　the

executive　functions　during　the　recess　of　Congress。　　They　fell

immediately　into　schisms　and　dissensions；　which　became　at　length　so

inveterate　as　to　render　all　co…operation　among　them　impracticable：

they　dissolved　themselves；　abandoning　the　helm　of　government；　and　it

continued　without　a　head；　until　Congress　met　the　ensuing　winter。

This　was　then　imputed　to　the　temper　of　two　or　three　individuals；　but

the　wise　ascribed　it　to　the　nature　of　man。　　The　failure　of　the　French

Directory；　and　from　the　same　cause；　seems　to　have　authorized　a　belief

that　the　form　of　a　plurality；　however　promising　in　theory；　is

impracticable　with　men　constituted　with　the　ordinary　passions。　　While

the　tranquil　and　steady　tenor　of　our　single　executive；　during　a

course　of　twenty…two　years　of　the　most　tempestuous　times　the　history

of　the　world　has　ever　presented；　gives　a　rational　hope　that　this

important　problem　is　at　length　solved。　　Aided　by　the　counsels　of　a

cabinet　of　heads　of　departments；　originally　four；　but　now　five；　with

whom　the　President　consults；　either　singly　or　altogether；　he　has　the

benefit　of　their　wisdom　and　information；　brings　their　views　to　one

centre；　and　produces　an　unity　of　action　and　direction　in　all　the

branches　of　the　government。　　The　excellence　of　this　construction　of

the　executive　power　has　already　manifested　itself　here　under　very

opposite　circumstances。　　During　the　administration　of　our　first

President；　his　cabinet　of　four　members　was　equally　divided　by　as

marked　an　opposition　of　principle　as　monarchism　and　republicanism

could　bring　into　conflict。　　Had　that　cabinet　been　a　directory；　like

positive　and　negative　quantities　in　algebra；　the　opposing　wills　would

have　balanced　each　other　and　produceda　state　of　absolute　inaction。

But　the　President　heard　with　calmness　the　opinions　and　reasons　of

each；　decided　the　course　to　be　pursued；　and　kept　the　government

steadily　in　it；　unaffected　by　the　agitation。　　The　public　knew　well

the　dissensions　of　the　cabinet；　but　never　had　an　uneasy　thought　on

their　account；　because　they　knew　also　they　had　provided　a　regulating

power　which　would　keep　the　machine　in　steady　movement。　　I　speak　with

an　intimate　knowledge　of　these　scenes；　_quorum　pars　fui_；　as　I　may　of

others　of　a　character　entirely　opposite。　　The　third　administration；

which　was　of　eight　years；　presented　an　example　of　harmony　in　a

cabinet　of　six　person；　to　which　perhaps　history　has　furnished　no

parallel。　　There　never　arose；　during　the　whole　time；　an　instance　of

an　unpleasant　thought　or　word　between　the　members。　　We　sometimes　met

under　differences　of　opinion；　but　scarcely　ever　failed；　by　conversing

and　reasoning；　so　to　modify　each　other's　ideas；　as　to　produce　an

unanimous　result。　　Yet；　able　and　amicable　as　these　members　were；　I　am

not　certain　this　would　have　been　the　case；　had　each　possessed　equal

and　independent　powers。　　Ill…defined　limits　of　their　respective

departments；　jealousies；　trifling　at　first；　but　nourished　and

strengthened　by　repetition　of　occasions；　intrigues　without　doors　of

designing　persons　to　build　an　importance　to　themselves　on　the

divisions　of　others；　might；　from　small　beginnings；　have　produced

persevering　oppositions。　　But　the　power　of　decision　in　the　President

left　no　object　for　internal　dissension；　and　external　intrigue　was

stifled　in　embryo　by　the　knowledge　which　incendiaries　possessed；　that

no　division　they　could　foment　would　c