part14-第4章

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his　senses；　it　mortifies　and　corrects　him　in　the　most　salutary　way；

and　places　him　at　the　feet　of　your　good　nature　in　the　eyes　of　the

company。　　But　in　stating　prudential　rules　for　our　government　in

society　I　must　not　omit　the　important　one　of　never　entering　into

dispute　or　argument　withanother。　　I　never　yet　saw　an　instance　of　one

of　two　disputantsconvincing　the　other　by　argument。　　I　have　seen　many

on　their　getting　warm；　becoming　rude；　and　shooting　one　another。

Conviction　is　the　effect　of　our　own　dispassionate　reasoning；　either

in　solitude；　or　weighing　within　ourselves　dispassionately　what　we

hear　from　others　standing　uncommitted　in　argument　ourselves。　　It　was

one　of　the　rules　which　above　all　others　made　Doctr。　Franklin　the　most

amiable　of　men　in　society；　‘never　to　contradict　any　body。'　If　he　was

urged　to　anounce　an　opinion；　he　did　it　rather　by　asking　questions；　as

if　for　information；　or　by　suggesting　doubts。　　When　I　hear　another

express　an　opinion；　which　is　not　mine；　I　say　to　myself；　He　has　a

right　to　his　opinion；　as　I　to　mine；　why　should　I　question　it。　　His

error　does　me　no　injury；　and　shall　I　becomea　Don　Quixot　to　bring　all

men　by　force　of　argument；　to　one　opinion？　　If　a　fact　be　misstated；　it

is　probable　he　is　gratified　by　a　belief　of　it；　and　I　have　no　right　to

deprive　him　of　the　gratification。　　If　he　wants　information　he　will

ask　it；　and　then　I　will　give　it　in　measured　terms；　but　if　he　still

believes　his　own　story；　and　shows　a　desire　to　dispute　the　fact　with

me；　I　hear　him　and　say　nothing。　　It　is　his　affair；　not　mine；　if　he

prefers　error。　　There　are　two　classes　of　disputants　most　frequently

to　be　met　with　among　us。　　The　first　is　of　young　students　just　entered

the　threshold　of　science；　with　a　first　view　of　it's　outlines；　not　yet

filled　up　with　the　details　and　modifications　which　a　further　progress

would　bring　to　their　knoledge。　　The　other　consists　of　the

ill…tempered　and　rude　men　in　society　who　have　taken　up　a　passion　for

politics。　　（Good　humor　and　politeness　never　introduce　into　mixed

society　a　question　on　which　they　foresee　there　will　be　a　difference

of　opinion。）　From　both　of　these　classes　of　disputants；　my　dear

Jefferson；　keep　aloof；　as　you　would　from　the　infected　subjects　of

yellow　fever　or　pestilence。　　Consider　yourself；　when　with　them；　as

among　the　patients　of　Bedlam　needing　medical　more　than　moral　counsel。

Be　a　listener　only；　keep　within　yourself；　and　endeavor　to　establish

with　yourself　the　habit　of　silence；　especially　in　politics。　　In　the

fevered　state　of　our　country；　no　good　can　ever　result　from　any

attempt　to　set　one　of　these　fiery　zealots　to　rights　either　in　fact　or

principle。　　They　are　determined　as　to　the　facts　they　will　believe；

and　the　opinions　on　which　they　will　act。　　Get　by　them；　therefore　as

you　would　by　an　angry　bull：　it　is　not　for　a　man　of　sense　to　dispute

the　road　with　such　an　animal。　　You　will　be　more　exposed　than　others

to　have　these　animals　shaking　their　horns　at　you；　because　of　the

relation　in　which　you　stand　with　me　and　to　hate　me　as　a　chief　in　the

antagonist　party　your　presence　will　be　to　them　what　the　vomit…grass

is　to　the　sick　dog　a　nostrum　for　producing　an　ejaculation。　　Look　upon

them　exactly　with　that　eye；　and　pity　them　as　objects　to　whom　you　can

administer　only　occasional　ease。　　My　character　is　not　within　their

power。　　It　is　in　the　hands　of　my　fellow　citizens　at　large；　and　will

be　consigned　to　honor　or　infamy　by　the　verdict　of　the　republican　mass

of　our　country；　according　to　what　themselves　will　have　seen；　not　what

their　enemies　and　mine　shall　have　said。　　Never　therefore　consider

these　puppies　in　politics　as　requiring　any　notice　from　you；　and

always　shew　that　you　are　not　afraid　to　leave　my　character　to　the

umpirage　of　public　opinion。　　Look　steadily　to　the　pursuits　which　have

carried　you　to　Philadelphia；　be　very　select　in　the　society　you　attach

yourself　to；　avoid　taverns；　drinkers；　smoakers；　and　idlers　and

dissipated　persons　generally；　for　it　is　with　such　that　broils　and

contentions　arise；　and　you　will　find　your　path　more　easy　and

tranquil。　　The　limits　of　my　paper　warn　me　that　it　is　time　for　me　to

close　with　my　affectionate　Adieux。




　　　　　　　　P。　S。　Present　me　affectionately　to　Mr。　Ogilvie；　and　in　doing

the　same　to　Mr。　Peale　tell　him　I　am　writing　with　his　polygraph　and

shall　send　him　mine　the　first　moment　I　have　leisure　enough　to　pack

it。







　　　　　　　　SOWING　THE　UPLAND　RICE




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Benjamin　Waterhouse_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　December　1；　1808_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　In　answer　to　the　inquiries　of　the　benevolent　Dr。　De

Carro　on　the　subject　of　the　upland　or　mountain　rice；　Oryza　Mutica；　I

will　state　to　you　what　I　know　of　it。　　I　first　became　informed　of　the

existence　of　a　rice　which　would　grow　in　uplands　without　any　more

water　than　the　common　rains；　by　reading　a　book　of　Mr。　De　Porpre；　who

had　been　Governor　of　the　Isle　of　France；　who　mentions　it　as　growing

there　and　all　along　the　coast　of　Africa　successfully；　and　as　having

been　introduced　from　Cochin…China。　　I　was　at　that　time　（1784…89）　in

France；　and　there　happening　to　be　there　a　Prince　of　Cochin…China；　on

his　travels；　and　then　returning　home；　I　obtained　his　promise　to　send

me　some。　　I　never　received　it　however；　and　mention　it　only　as　it　may

have　been　sent；　and　furnished　the　ground　for　the　inquiries　of　Dr。　De

Carro；　respecting　my　receiving　it　from　China。　　When　at　Havre　on　my

return　from　France；　I　found　there　Captain　Nathaniel　Cutting；　who　was

the　ensuing　spring　to　go　on　a　voyage　along　the　coast　of　Africa。　　I

engaged　him　to　inquire　for　this；　he　was　there　just　after　the　harvest；

procured　and　sent　me　a　thirty…gallon　cask　of　it。　　It　arrived　in　time

the　ensuing　spring　to　be　sown。　　I　divided　it　between　the　Agricultural

Society　of　Charleston　and　some　private　gentlemen　of　Georgia；

recommending　it　to　their　care；　in　the　hope　which　had　induced　me　to

endeavor　to　obtain　it；　that　if　it　answered　as　well　as　the　swamp　rice；

it　might　rid　them　of　that　source　of　their　summer　diseases。　　Nothing

came　of　the　trials　in　South　Carolina；　but　being　carried　into　the

upper　hilly　parts　of　Georgia；　it　succeeded　there　perfectly；　has

spread　over　the　country；　and　is　now　commonly　cultivated；　still；

however；　for　family　use　chiefly；　as　they　cannot　make　it　for　sale　in

competition　with　the　rice　of　the　swamps。　　The　former　part　of　these

details　is　written　from　memory；　the　papers　being　at　Monticello　which

would　enable　me　to　particularize　exactly　the　dates　of　times　and

places。　　The　latter　part　is　from　the　late　Mr。　　Baldwin；　one　of　those

whom　I　engaged　in　the　distribution　of　the　seed　in　Georgia；　and　who　in

his　annual　attendance　on　Congress；　gave　me　from　time　to　time　the

history　of　its　progress。　　It　has　got　from　Georgia　into　Kentucky；

where　it　is　cultivated　by　many　individuals　for　family　use。　　I

cultivated　it　two　or　three　years　at　Monticello；　and　had　good　crops；

as　did　my　neighbors；　but　not　having　conveniences　for　husking　it；　we

declined　it。　　I　tried　some　of　it　in　a　pot；　while　I　lived　in

Philadelphia；　and　gave　seed　to　Mr。　Bartram。　　It　produced　luxuriant

plants　with　us　both；　but　no　seed；　nor　do　I　believe　it　will　ripen　in

the　United　States　as　far　north　as　Philadelphia。　　Business　and　an

indisposition　of　some　days　must　apologize　for　this　delay　in　answering

your　letter　of　October　24th；　which　I　did　not　receive　till　the　6th　of

November。　　And　permit　me　here　to　add　my　salutations　and　assurances　of

esteem　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　〃LAST　TRIAL　FOR　PEACE〃




　　　　　　　　_To　James　Monroe_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　January　28；　1809_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　the　18th　was　received　in　due　time；

and　the　answer　has　been　delayed　as　well　by　a　pressure　of　business；　as

by　the　expectation　of　your　absence　from　Richmond。




　　　　　　　　The　idea　of　sending　a　special　mission　to　France　or　England　is

not　entertained　at　all　here。　　After　so　little　attention　to　us　from

the　former；　and　so　insulting　an　answer　from　Canning；　such　a　mark　of

respect　as　an　extraordinary　mission；　would　be　a　degradation　against

which　all　minds　revolt　here。　　The　idea　was　hazarded　in　the　House　of

Representatives　a　few　days　ago；　by　a　member；　and　an　approbation

expressed　by　another；　but　rejected　indignantly　by　every　other　person

who　spoke；　and　very　generally　in　conversation　by　all　others；　and　I　am

satisfied　such　a　proposition　would　get　no　vote　in　the　Senate。　　The

course　the　Legislature　means　to　pursue；　may　be　inferred　from　the　act

now　passed　for　a　meeting　in　May；　and　a　proposition　before　them　for

repealing　the　embargo　in　June；　and　then　resuming　and　maintaining　by

force　our　right　of　navigation。　　There　will　be　considerable　opposition

to　this　last　proposition；　not　only　from　the　federalists；　old　and　new；

who　oppose　everything；　but　from　sound　members　of　the　majority。　　Yet

it　is　believed　it　will　obtain　a　good　majority；　and　that　it　is　the

only　proposition　which　can　be　devised　that　could　obtain　a　majority　of

any　kind。　　Final　propositions　will；　therefore；　be　soon　despatched　to

both　the　belligerents　through　the　resident　ministers；　so　that　their

answers　will　be　received　before　the　meeting　in　May；　and　will　decide

what　is　to　be　done。　　This　last　trial　for　peace　is　not　thought

desperate。　　If；　as　is　expected；　Bonaparte　should　be　successful　in

Spain；　however　every　virtuous　and　liberal　sentiment　revolts　at　it；　it

may　induce　both　powers　to　be　more　accommodating　with　us。　　England

will　see　here　the　only　asylum　for　her　commerce　and　manufactures；

worth　more　to　her　than　her　orders　of　council。　　And　Bonaparte；　having

Spain　at　his　feet；　will　look　immediately　to　the　Spanish　colonies；　and

think　our　neutrality　cheaply　purchased　by　a　repeal　of　the　illegal

parts　of　his　decrees；　with　perhaps　the　Floridas　thrown　into　the

bargain。　　Should　a　change　in　the　aspect　of　affairs　in　Europe　produce

this　disposition　in　both　powers；　our　peace　and　prosperity　may　be

revived　and　long　continue。　　Otherwise；　we　must　again　take　the　tented

field；　as　we　did　in　1776　under　more　inauspicious　circumstances。




　　　　　　　　There　never　has　been　a　situation　of　the　world　before；　in　which

such　endeavors　as　we　have　made　would　not　have　secured　our　peace。　　It

is　probable　there　never　will　be　such　another。　　If　we　go　to　war　now；　I

fear　we　may　renounce　forever　the　hope　of　seeing　an　end　of　our

national　debt。　　If　we　can　keep　at　peace　eight　years　longer；　our

income；　liberated　from　debt；　will　be　adequate　to　any　war；　without　new

taxes　or　loans；　and　our　position　and　increasing　strength　put　us　_hors

d'insulte_　from　any　nation。　　I　am　now　so　near　the　moment　of　retiring；

that　I　take　no　part　in　affairs　beyond　the　expression　of　an　opinion。

I　think　it　fair　that　my　successor　should　now　originate　those　measures

of　which　he　will　be　charged　with　the　execution　and　responsibility；

and　that　it　is　my　duty　to　clothe　them　with　the　forms　of　authority。

Five　weeks　more　will　relieve　me　from　a　drudgery　to　which　I　am　no

longer　equal；　and　restore　me　to　a　sce