part11-第4章

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idea　I　have　formed　from　only　an　hour's　reading　of　Barruel's

quotations　from　him；　which　you　may　be　sure　are　not　the　most

favorable。　　Wishaupt　seems　to　be　an　enthusiastic　Philanthropist。　　He

is　among　those　（as　you　know　the　excellent　Price　and　Priestley　also

are）　who　believe　in　the　indefinite　perfectibility　of　man。　　He　thinks

he　may　in　time　be　rendered　so　perfect　that　he　will　be　able　to　govern

himself　in　every　circumstance　so　as　to　injure　none；　to　do　all　the

good　he　can；　to　leave　government　no　occasion　to　exercise　their　powers

over　him；　&　of　course　to　render　political　government　useless。　　This

you　know　is　Godwin's　doctrine；　and　this　is　what　Robinson；　Barruel　&

Morse　had　called　a　conspiracy　against　all　government。　　Wishaupt

believes　that　to　promote　this　perfection　of　the　human　character　was

the　object　of　Jesus　Christ。　　That　his　intention　was　simply　to

reinstate　natural　religion；　&　by　diffusing　the　light　of　his　morality；

to　teach　us　to　govern　ourselves。　　His　precepts　are　the　love　of　god　&

love　of　our　neighbor。　　And　by　teaching　innocence　of　conduct；　he

expected　to　place　men　in　their　natural　state　of　liberty　&　equality。

He　says；　no　one　ever　laid　a　surer　foundation　for　liberty　than　our

grand　master；　Jesus　of　Nazareth。　　He　believes　the　Free　masons　were

originally　possessed　of　the　true　principles　&　objects　of

Christianity；　&　have　still　preserved　some　of　them　by　tradition；　but

much　disfigured。　　The　means　he　proposes　to　effect　this　improvement　of

human　nature　are　‘to　enlighten　men；　to　correct　their　morals　&　inspire

them　with　benevolence。　　Secure　of　our　success；　sais　he；　we　abstain

from　violent　commotions。　　To　have　foreseen　the　happiness　of　posterity

&　to　have　prepared　it　by　irreproachable　means；　suffices　for　our

felicity。　　The　tranquility　of　our　consciences　is　not　troubled　by　the

reproach　of　aiming　at　the　ruin　or　overthrow　of　states　or　thrones。'　As

Wishaupt　lived　under　the　tyranny　of　a　despot　&　priests；　he　knew　that

caution　was　necessary　even　in　spreading　information；　&　the　principles

of　pure　morality。　　He　proposed　therefore　to　lead　the　Free　masons　to

adopt　this　object　&　to　make　the　objects　of　their　institution　the

diffusion　of　science　&　virtue。　　He　proposed　to　initiate　new　members

into　his　body　by　gradations　proportioned　to　his　fears　of　the

thunderbolts　of　tyranny。　　This　has　given　an　air　of　mystery　to　his

views；　was　the　foundation　of　his　banishment；　the　subversion　of　the

masonic　order；　&　is　the　colour　for　the　ravings　against　him　of

Robinson；　Barruel　&　Morse；　whose　real　fears　are　that　the　craft　would

be　endangered　by　the　spreading　of　information；　reason；　&　natural

morality　among　men。　　This　subject　being　new　to　me；　I　have　imagined

that　if　it　be　so　to　you　also；　you　may　receive　the　same　satisfaction

in　seeing；　which　I　have　had　in　forming　the　analysis　of　it：　&　I

believe　you　will　think　with　me　that　if　Wishaupt　had　written　here；

where　no　secrecy　is　necessary　in　our　endeavors　to　render　men　wise　&

virtuous；　he　would　not　have　thought　of　any　secret　machinery　for　that

purpose。　　As　Godwin；　if　he　had　written　in　Germany；　might　probably

also　have　thought　secrecy　&　mysticism　prudent。　　I　will　say　nothing　to

you　on　the　late　revolution　of　France；　which　is　painfully　interesting。

Perhaps　when　we　know　more　of　the　circumstances　which　gave　rise　to　it；

&　the　direction　it　will　take；　Buonaparte；　its　chief　organ；　may　stand

in　a　better　light　than　at　present。　　I　am　with　great　esteem；　dear　sir；

your　affectionate　friend。







　　　　　　　　〃A　FEW　PLAIN　DUTIES〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Gideon　Granger_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　Aug。　13；　1800_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　received　with　great　pleasure　your　favor　of　June

4；　and　am　much　comforted　by　the　appearance　of　a　change　of　opinion　in

your　state；　for　tho'　we　may　obtain；　&　I　believe　shall　obtain；　a

majority　in　the　legislature　of　the　United　States；　attached　to　the

preservation　of　the　Federal　constitution　according　to　it's　obvious

principles；　&　those　on　which　it　was　known　to　be　received；　attached

equally　to　the　preservation　to　the　states　of　those　rights

unquestionably　remaining　with　them；　friends　to　the　freedom　of

religion；　freedom　of　the　press；　trial　by　jury　&　to　economical

government；　opposed　to　standing　armies；　paper　systems；　war；　&　all

connection；　other　than　commerce；　with　any　foreign　nation；　in　short；　a

majority　firm　in　all　those　principles　which　we　have　espoused　and　the

federalists　have　opposed　uniformly；　still；　should　the　whole　body　of

New　England　continue　in　opposition　to　these　principles　of　government；

either　knowingly　or　through　delusion；　our　government　will　be　a　very

uneasy　one。　　It　can　never　be　harmonious　&　solid；　while　so　respectable

a　portion　of　it's　citizens　support　principles　which　go　directly　to　a

change　of　the　federal　constitution；　to　sink　the　state　governments；

consolidate　them　into　one；　and　to　monarchize　that。　　Our　country　is

too　large　to　have　all　its　affairs　directed　by　a　single　government。

Public　servants　at　such　a　distance；　&　from　under　the　eye　of　their

constituents；　must；　from　the　circumstance　of　distance；　be　unable　to

administer　&　overlook　all　the　details　necessary　for　the　good

government　of　the　citizens；　and　the　same　circumstance；　by　rendering

detection　impossible　to　their　constituents；　will　invite　the　public

agents　to　corruption；　plunder　&　waste。　　And　I　do　verily　believe；　that

if　the　principle　were　to　prevail；　of　a　common　law　being　in　force　in

the　U　S；　（which　principle　possesses　the　general　government　at　once　of

all　the　powers　of　the　state　governments；　and　reduces　us　to　a　single

consolidated　government；）　it　would　become　the　most　corrupt　government

on　the　earth。　　You　have　seen　the　practises　by　which　the　public

servants　have　been　able　to　cover　their　conduct；　or；　where　that　could

not　be　done；　delusions　by　which　they　have　varnished　it　for　the　eye　of

their　constituents。　　What　an　augmentation　of　the　field　for　jobbing；

speculating；　plundering；　office…building　&　office…hunting　would　be

produced　by　an　assumption　of　all　the　state　powers　into　the　hands　of

the　general　government。　　The　true　theory　of　our　constitution　is

surely　the　wisest　&　best；　that　the　states　are　independent　as　to

everything　within　themselves；　&　united　as　to　everything　respecting

foreign　nations。　　Let　the　general　government　be　reduced　to　foreign

concerns　only；　and　let　our　affairs　be　disentangled　from　those　of　all

other　nations；　except　as　to　commerce；　which　the　merchants　will　manage

the　better；　the　more　they　are　left　free　to　manage　for　themselves；　and

our　general　government　may　be　reduced　to　a　very　simple　organization；

&　a　very　unexpensive　one；　a　few　plain　duties　to　be　performed　by　a　few

servants。　　But　I　repeat；　that　this　simple　&　economical　mode　of

government　can　never　be　secured；　if　the　New　England　States　continue

to　support　the　contrary　system。　　I　rejoice；　therefore；　in　every

appearance　of　their　returning　to　those　principles　which　I　had　always

imagined　to　be　almost　innate　in　them。　　In　this　State；　a　few　persons

were　deluded　by　the　X。　Y。　Z。　duperies。　　You　saw　the　effect　of　it　in

our　last　Congressional　representatives；　chosen　under　their　influence。

This　experiment　on　their　credulity　is　now　seen　into；　and　our　next

representation　will　be　as　republican　as　it　has　heretofore　been。　　On

the　whole；　we　hope；　that　by　a　part　of　the　Union　having　held　on　to　the

principles　of　the　constitution；　time　has　been　given　to　the　states　to

recover　from　the　temporary　frenzy　into　which　they　had　been　decoyed；

to　rally　round　the　constitution；　&　to　rescue　it　from　the　destruction

with　which　it　had　been　threatened　even　at　their　own　hands。　　I　see

copied　from　the　American　Magazine　two　numbers　of　a　paper　signed　Don

Quixotte；　most　excellently　adapted　to　introduce　the　real　truth　to　the

minds　even　of　the　most　prejudiced。




　　　　　　　　I　would；　with　great　pleasure；　have　written　the　letter　you

desired　in　behalf　of　your　friend；　but　there　are　existing

circumstances　which　render　a　letter　from　me　to　that　magistrate　as

improper　as　it　would　be　unavailing。　　I　shall　be　happy；　on　some　more

fortunate　occasion；　to　prove　to　you　my　desire　of　serving　your　wishes。




　　　　　　　　I　sometime　ago　received　a　letter　from　a　Mr。　M'Gregory　of　Derby；

in　your　State；　it　is　written　with　such　a　degree　of　good　sense　&

appearance　of　candor；　as　entitles　it　to　an　answer。　　Yet　the　writer

being　entirely　unknown　to　me；　and　the　stratagems　of　the　times　very

multifarious；　I　have　thought　it　best　to　avail　myself　of　your

friendship；　&　enclose　the　answer　to　you。　　You　will　see　it's　nature。

If　you　find　from　the　character　of　the　person　to　whom　it　is　addressed；

that　no　improper　use　would　probably　be　made　of　it；　be　so　good　as　to

seal　&　send　it。　　Otherwise　suppress　it。




　　　　　　　　How　will　the　vote　of　your　State　and　R　I　be　as　to　A。　and　P。？




　　　　　　　　I　am；　with　great　and　sincere　esteem；　dear　Sir；　your　friend　and

servant。







　　　　　　　　〃I　HAVE　SWORN　UPON　THE　ALTAR　OF　GOD　。　　。　　。　〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Benjamin　Rush_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　Sep。　23；　1800_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　have　to　acknolege　the　receipt　of　your　favor　of

Aug。　22；　and　to　congratulate　you　on　the　healthiness　of　your　city。

Still　Baltimore；　Norfolk　&　Providence　admonish　us　that　we　are　not

clear　of　our　new　scourge。　　When　great　evils　happen；　I　am　in　the　habit

of　looking　out　for　what　good　may　arise　from　them　as　consolations　to

us；　and　Providence　has　in　fact　so　established　the　order　of　things；　as

that　most　evils　are　the　means　of　producing　some　good。　　The　yellow

fever　will　discourage　the　growth　of　great　cities　in　our　nation；　&　I

view　great　cities　as　pestilential　to　the　morals；　the　health　and　the

liberties　of　man。　　True；　they　nourish　some　of　the　elegant　arts；　but

the　useful　ones　can　thrive　elsewhere；　and　less　perfection　in　the

others；　with　more　health；　virtue　&　freedom；　would　be　my　choice。




　　　　　　　　I　agree　with　you　entirely；　in　condemning　the　mania　of　giving

names　to　objects　of　any　kind　after　persons　still　living。　　Death　alone

can　seal　the　title　of　any　man　to　this　honor；　by　putting　it　out　of　his

power　to　forfeit　it。　　There　is　one　other　mode　of　recording　merit；

which　I　have　often　thought　might　be　introduced；　so　as　to　gratify　the

living　by　praising　the　dead。　　In　giving；　for　instance；　a　commission

of　chief　justice　to　Bushrod　Washington；　it　should　be　in　consideration

of　his　integrity；　and　science　in　the　laws；　and　of　the　services

rendered　to　our　country　by　his　illustrious　relation；　&c。　　A

commission　to　a　descendant　of　Dr。　Franklin；　besides　being　in

consideration　of　the　proper　qualifications　of　the　person；　should　add

that　of　the　great　services　rendered　by　his　illustrious　ancestor；　Bn

Fr；　by　the　advancement　of　science；　by　inventions　useful　to　man；　&c。

I　am　not　sure　that　we　ought　to　change　all　our　names。　　And　during　the

regal　government；　sometimes；　indeed；　they　were　given　through

adulation；　but　often　also　as　the　reward　of　the　merit　of　the　times；

sometimes　for　services　rendered　the　colony。　　Perhaps；　too；　a　n