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！
river all its contents； of which he thought he could make no use。
Among these were the whole of the vocabularies。 Some leaves floated
ashore and were found in the mud； but these were very few； and so
defaced by the mud and water that no general use can ever be made of
them。 On the receipt of your letter I turned to them； and was very
happy to find； that the only morsel of an original vocabulary among
them； was Captain Lewis's of the Pani language； of which you say you
have not one word。 I therefore inclose it to you； as it is； and a
little fragment of some other； which I see is in his hand writing；
but no indication remains on it of what language it is。 It is a
specimen of the condition of the little which was recovered。 I am
the more concerned at this accident； as of the two hundred and fifty
words of my vocabularies； and the one hundred and thirty words of the
great Russian vocabularies of the languages of the other quarters of
the globe； severty…three were common to both； and would have
furnished materials for a comparison from which something might have
resulted。 Although I believe no general use can ever be made of the
wrecks of my loss； yet I will ask the return of the Pani vocabulary
when you are done with it。 Perhaps I may make another attempt to
collect； although I am too old to expect to make much progress in it。
I learn； with pleasure； your acquisition of the pamphlet on the
astronomy of the antient Mexicans。 If it be antient and genuine； or
modern and rational； it will be of real value。 It is one of the most
interesting countries of our hemisphere； and merits every attention。
I am thankful for your kind offer of sending the original
Spanish for my perusal。 But I think it a pity to trust it to the
accidents of the post； and whenever you publish the translation； I
shall be satisfied to read that which shall be given by your
translator； who is； I am sure； a greater adept in the language than I
am。
Accept the assurances of my great esteem and respect。
AMERICAN QUAKERISM
_To Samuel Kercheval_
_Monticello； January 19； 1810_
SIR； Yours of the 7th instant has been duly received； with
the pamphlet inclosed； for which I return you my thanks。 Nothing can
be more exactly and seriously true than what is there stated； that
but a short time elapsed after the death of the great reformer of the
Jewish religion； before his principles were departed from by those
who professed to be his special servants； and perverted into an
engine for enslaving mankind； and aggrandising their oppressors in
Church and State； that the purest system of morals ever before
preached to man； has been adulterated and sophisticated by artificial
constructions； into a mere contrivance to filch wealth and power to
themselves； that rational men not being able to swallow their impious
heresies； in order to force them down their throats； they raise the
hue and cry of infidelity； while themselves are the greatest
obstacles to the advancement of the real doctrines of Jesus； and do
in fact constitute the real Anti…Christ。
You expect that your book will have some effect on the
prejudices which the society of Friends entertain against the present
and late administrations。 In this I think you will be disappointed。
The Friends are men； formed with the same passions； and swayed by the
same natural principles and prejudices as others。 In cases where the
passions are neutral； men will display their respect for the
religious _professions_ of their sect。 But where their passions are
enlisted； these _professions_ are no obstacle。 You observe very
truly； that both the late and present administration conducted the
government on principles _professed_ by the Friends。 Our efforts to
preserve peace； our measures as to the Indians； as to slavery； as to
religious freedom； were all in consonance with their _professions_。
Yet I never expected we should get a vote from them； and in this I
was neither deceived nor disappointed。 There is no riddle in this；
to those who do not suffer themselves to be duped by the
_professions_ of religious sectaries。 The theory of American
Quakerism is a very obvious one。 The mother society is in England。
Its members are English by birth and residence； devoted to their own
country； as good citizens ought to be。 The Quakers of these States
are colonies or filiations from the mother society； to whom that
society sends its yearly lessons。 On these the filiated societies
model their opinions； their conduct； their passions and attachments。
A Quaker is； essentially； an Englishman； in whatever part of the
earth he is born or lives。 The outrages of Great Britain on our
navigation and commerce； have kept us in perpetual bickerings with
her。 The Quakers here have taken side against their own government；
not on their _profession_ of peace； for they saw that peace was our
object also； but from devotion to the views of the mother society。
In 1797 and 8； when an administration sought war with France； the
Quakers were the most clamorous for war。 Their principle of peace；
as a secondary one； yielded to the primary one of adherence to the
Friends in England； and what was patriotism in the original became
treason in the copy。 On that occasion； they obliged their good old
leader； Mr。 Pemberton； to erase his name from a petition to Congress；
against war； which had been delivered to a Representative of
Pennsylvania； a member of the late and present administration。 He
accordingly permitted the old gentleman to erase his name。 You must
not； therefore； expect that your book will have any more effect on
the society of Friends here； than on the English merchants settled
among us。 I apply this to the Friends in general； not universally。
I know individuals among them as good patriots as we have。
I thank you for the kind wishes and sentiments towards myself；
expressed in your letter； and sincerely wish to yourself the
blessings of health and happiness。
NEPOTISM AND THE REPUBLIC
_To John Garland Jefferson_
_Monticello； January 25； 1810_
DEAR SIR； Your favor of December 12th was long coming to
hand。 I am much concerned to learn that any disagreeable impression
was made on your mind； by the circumstances which are the subject of
your letter。 Permit me first to explain the principles which I had
laid down for my own observance。 In a government like ours； it is
the duty of the Chief Magistrate； in order to enable himself to do
all the good which his station requires； to endeavor； by all
honorable means； to unite in himself the confidence of the whole
people。 This alone； in any case where the energy of the nation is
required； can produce a union of the powers of the whole； and point
them in a single direction； as if all constituted but one body and
one mind； and this alone can render a weaker nation unconquerable by
a stronger one。 Towards acquiring the confidence of the people； the
very first measure is to satisfy them of his disinterestedness； and
that he is directing their affairs with a single eye to their good；
and not to build up fortunes for himself and family； and especially；
that the officers appointed to transact their business； are appointed
because they are the fittest men； not because they are his relations。
So prone are they to suspicion； that where a President appoints a
relation of his own； however worthy； they will believe that favor and
not merit was the motive。 I therefore laid it down as a law of
conduct for myself； never to give an appointment to a relation。 Had
I felt any hesitation in adopting this rule； examples were not
wanting to admonish me what to do and what to avoid。 Still； the
expression of your willingness to act in any office for which you
were qualified； could not be imputed to you as blame。 It would not
readily occur that a person qualified for office ought to be rejected
merely because he was related to the President； and the then more
recent examples favored the other opinion。 In this light I
considered the case as presenting itself to your mind； and that the
application might be perfectly justifiable on your part； while； for
reasons occurring to none perhaps； but the person in my situation；
the public interest might render it unadvisable。 Of this； however；
be assured that I consider the proposition as innocent on your part；
and that it never lessened my esteem for you； or the interest I felt
in your welfare。
My stay in Amelia was too short； （only twenty…four hours；） to
expect the pleasure of seeing you there。 It would be a happiness to
me any where； but especially here； from whence I am rarely absent。 I
am leading a life of considerable activity as a farmer； reading
little and writing less。 Something pursued with ardor is nece