LETTERS

第100章

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第100章

LETTERS Thomas Jefferson

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LETTERS
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  Hereallisquiet。TheBritishwarhasleftusindebt;butthatisacheappriceforthegoodithasdoneus。Theestablishmentofthenecessarymanufacturesamongourselves,theproofthatourgovernmentissolid,canstandtheshockofwar,andissuperioreventocivilschism,arepreciousfactsforus;andofthesethestrongestproofswerefurnished,when,withfoureasternStatestiedtous,asdeadtolivingbodies,alldoubtwasremovedastotheachievementsofthewar,haditcontinued。Butitsbesteffecthasbeenthecompletesuppressionofparty。ThefederalistswhoweretrulyAmerican,andtheirgreatmasswasso,haveseparatedfromtheirbrethrenwhoweremereAnglomen,andarereceivedwithcordialityintotherepublicanranks。EvenConnecticut,asaState,andthelastoneexpectedtoyielditssteadyhabitswhichwereessentiallybigotedinpoliticsaswellasreligion,haschosenarepublicangovernor,andrepublicanlegislature。Massachusettsindeedstilllags;becausemostdeeplyinvolvedintheparricidecrimesandtreasonsofthewar。Buthergangreneiscontracting,thesoundfleshadvancingonit,andalltherewillbewell。ImentionedConnecticutasthemosthopelessofourStates。LittleDelawarehadescapedmyattention。ThatisessentiallyaQuakerState,thefragmentofareligioussectwhich,there,intheotherStates,inEngland,areahomogeneousmass,actingwithonemind,andthatdirectedbythemothersocietyinEngland。Dispersed,astheJews,theystillform,asthosedo,onenation,foreigntothelandtheylivein。TheyareProtestantJesuits,implicitlydevotedtothewilloftheirsuperior,andforgettingalldutiestotheircountryintheexecutionofthepolicyoftheirorder。WhenwarisproposedwithEngland,theyhavereligiousscruples;butwhenwithFrance,thesearelaidby,andtheybecomeclamorousforit。Theyare,however,silent,passive,andgivenoothertroublethanofwhippingthemalong。NoristheelectionofMonroeaninefficientcircumstanceinourfelicities。Fourandtwentyyears,whichhewillaccomplish,ofadministrationinrepublicanformsandprinciples,willsoconsecratethemintheeyesofthepeopleastosecurethemagainstthedangerofchange。Theevanitionofpartydissensionshasharmonizedintercourse,andsweetenedsocietybeyondimagination。Thewarthenhasdoneusallthisgood,andthefurtheroneofassuringtheworld,thatalthoughattachedtopeacefromasenseofitsblessings,wewillmeetwarwhenitismadenecessary。

  IwishIcouldgivebetterhopesofoursouthernbrethren。TheachievementoftheirindependenceofSpainisnolongeraquestion。

  Butitisaveryseriousone,whatwillthenbecomeofthem?

  Ignoranceandbigotry,likeotherinsanities,areincapableofself-government。Theywillfallundermilitarydespotism,andbecomethemurderoustoolsoftheambitionoftheirrespectiveBonapartes;

  andwhetherthiswillbefortheirgreaterhappiness,theruleofoneonlyhastaughtyoutojudge。Noone,Ihope,candoubtmywishtoseethemandallmankindexercisingself-government,andcapableofexercisingit。Butthequestionisnotwhatwewish,butwhatispracticable?Astheirsincerefriendandbrotherthen,Idobelievethebestthingforthem,wouldbeforthemselvestocometoanaccordwithSpain,undertheguaranteeofFrance,Russia,Holland,andtheUnitedStates,allowingtoSpainanominalsupremacy,withauthorityonlytokeepthepeaceamongthem,leavingthemotherwiseallthepowersofself-government,untiltheirexperienceinthem,theiremancipationfromtheirpriests,andadvancementininformation,shallpreparethemforcompleteindependence。IexcludeEnglandfromthisconfederacy,becauseherselfishprinciplesrenderherincapableofhonorablepatronageordisinterestedco-operation;unless,indeed,whatseemsnowprobable,arevolutionshouldrestoretoheranhonestgovernment,onewhichwillpermittheworldtoliveinpeace。

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