No: men, high minded men;
Men, who their duties know;
But know their rights; and knowing, dare maintain.
These constitute a State."
In the General Government, the House of Representatives is mainly republican; the Senate scarcely so at all, as not elected by the people directly, and so long secured even against those who do elect them; the Executive more republican than the Senate, from its shorter term, its election by the people, in practice, (for they vote for A only on an assurance that he will vote for B,) and because, in practice also, a principle of rotation seems to be in a course of establishment; the judiciary independent of the nation, their coercion by impeachment being found nugatory.
If, then, the control of the people over the organs of their government be the measure of its republicanism, and I confess I know no other measure, it must be agreed that our governments have much less of republicanism than ought to have been expected; in other words, that the people have less regular control over their agents, than their rights and their interests require. And this I ascribe, not to any want of republican dispositions in those who formed these constitutions, but to a submission of true principle to European authorities, to speculators on government, whose fears of the people have been inspired by the populace of their own great cities, and were unjustly entertained against the independent, the happy, and therefore orderly citizens of the United States. Much I apprehend that the golden moment is past for reforming these heresies. The functionaries of public power rarely strengthen in their dispositions to abridge it, and an unorganized call for timely amendment is not likely to prevail against an organized opposition to it. We are always told that things are going on well: why change them? "Chi sta bene, non si muove," said the Italian, "let him who stands well, stand still." This is true; and I verily believe they would go on well with us under an absolute monarch, while our present character remains, of order, industry and love of peace, and restrained, as he would be, by the proper spirit of the people. But it is while it remains such, we should provide against the consequences of its deterioration. And let us rest in the hope that it will yet be done, and spare ourselves the pain of evils which may never happen.
On this view of the import of the term republic, instead of saying, as has been said, "that it may mean anything or nothing," we may say with truth and meaning, that governments are more or less republican, as they have more or less of the element of popular election and control in their composition; and believing, as I do, that the mass of the citizens is the safest depository of their own rights, and especially, that the evils flowing from the duperies of the people, are less injurious than those from the egoism of their agents, I am a friend to that composition of government which has in it the most of this ingredient. And I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.
I salute you with constant friendship and respect.
INDEX TO VOL. VI.
- Adams, John—His friendly relations with Jefferson restored, [30], [31], [36], [125].
- His political principles, [152], [162], [166], [208], [357], [473], [500].
- Terrorism excited against him, [155].
- His religious opinions, [150], [159], [168], [171], [172], [174], [204], [208], [251], [264], [325], [357], [473], [545], [599], [601].
- Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries compared, [501], [545].
- The French Encyclopedists, [555].
- Different systems of philosophy, [556].
- His views on aristocracy, [160], [222], [254], [360].
- Albemarle, County of—Its climate, soil, and natural advantages, [431].
- Almanacs—Improvements in, suggested, [29].
- Aristocracy—Views on, [160], [222], [254], [360].
- Astronomy—Astronomical observations, [27], [28].
- Bank, National—Views of the one proposed in 1813, [228].
- Banks—Evil of the system of, [295], [300], [381], [434], [498], [515].
- Bollandists, The—Their collection, [475], [489].
- Bonaparte—Views of his character and career, [283], [352], [358].
- Canada—Attack on, [130].
- Capitol—Burnt by English, [383].
- Carr, Mr.—His character, [529].
- Charities—Principle on which should be dispensed, [44].
- Chemistry—The science of, [73].
- Chesapeake Bay—Defence of mouth of, [111], [123], [134], [561].
- Columbus—Portrait of, [343], [373].
- Committees of Correspondence—Origin of, [527].
- Congress—Power of States to prescribe new qualifications for members of, [309].
- Contracts—Law impairing obligation of, [461].
- Currency—Relative merits of paper and metallic currency, [231].
- Debt, Public—Evils of, [239].
- Eclipse, Solar—[16], [28].
- Economy, Political—New work on, [261].
- Edinburgh Review—Merits of, [345].
- Education—Views on, [355], [362], [510], [517].
- Eloquence—Specimens of, [346].
- Embargo, The—[48], [50].
- England—Her maritime encroachments, [5].
- Europe—Condition of, [114], [497], [503].
- Exports—Why exempted from taxation, [483].
- Federalists—Their opposition to the war, [63].
- Finance—Views on, by Mr. Jefferson, [136], [194].
- France—French revolution, [41], [162], [227], [421].
- Generations—Right of one to bind another, [138], [196].
- Glebes—Monies arising from sale of, [389].
- Government—Principles of, [45].
- Grammar—Views on, [184].
- Granger, Gideon—Relative to certain charges against, [329].
- Grief—Its uses, [601].
- Grimm, Baron—His character, [576].
- Gun-Boats—[133].
- Hartford Convention—[425].
- Hemp-Breaker—New invention, [506].
- Henry—His mission to eastern States, [50].
- Henry, Patrick—Early reminiscences of, [364], [368], [369].
- History, Natural—Systems of classification, [319].
- Hull's Defeat—[101], [103].
- Impressment—[420], [426], [428], [467].
- Indians—The Wabash prophet, [49].
- Jefferson, Thomas—His bodily decay, [4], [519].
- His devotion to agriculture, [6].
- Efforts to extort money from, [9], [10].
- His declining faculties, [107], [403].
- His relations with Mr. Adams, [125].
- Complains of publication of his letters, [282].
- His views of merchants, priests, and lawyers, [334].
- Made member of Agronomic Society of Bavaria, [363].
- Tenders his library to Congress, [384], [387].
- Resigns Presidency of Philosophical Society, [396], [397].
- His feelings towards England, [449].
- Estimate of his public services, [455].
- Calumnies against, [465].
- His estimate of life, [575].
- Judiciary—Limits between powers of State and federal, [494].
- Cannot bind legislature or executive by its decisions, [462].
- Kings—Character of European Kings, [271].
- La Fayette—His journal of his campaign in Virginia, [426].
- Language—Introduction of new words in, [185], [572].
- Law, Common—Christianity no part of common law, [303], [311].
- Lewis and Clarke—Publication of their journal delayed, [270].
- Journal of their western expedition, [595].
- Lincoln, Levi—Declines seat on bench of Supreme Court, [8].
- Manufactures—Domestic, in U. States, [36], [69], [94], [472].
- Medicine—Science of, [33], [105].
- Ministers—Should not preach on politics, [445].
- Monroe, James—Made Secretary of War, [410].
- Morality—Its basis, [348].
- Moral Sense—The existence of, [349].
- Mountains—Method of measuring the height of, [492], [510].
- Mulatto—Who mulattos under our laws, [437].
- Napier, Lord—His theorem, [335].
- Navy—Success of, [122], [211].
- Orders in Council—Repeal of, [78], [117].
- Orleans, New—Case of the Batture, [42].
- Battle of, [420].
- Orthography—Improvements in, [190].
- Pacific Ocean—American settlements on shore of, [55], [248].
- Parties in United States—[95], [96].
- Original division of, [143].
- Patents—When should be granted, [175], [181], [295], [297], [372].
- Perpetual Motion—[83].
- Philips, Josiah—His case, [439].
- Philosophy—The true, [531].
- Plato—His writings, [354], [360].
- Poisons—[164].
- Portraits—Of Columbus and Americus Vespucius, [343], [373].
- Of Jefferson, [344].
- Press—Corruption of, [285].
- Censorship of, intolerable, [340].
- President—Should be elected for four years, [213].
- Privateering—Success of, [409].
- Religion—Views of J. Adams on, [150], [159], [168], [171], [172], [174], [204], [208], [251], [264], [325], [357], [473], [545], [599], [601].
- Revolution—History of American, [489], [492].
- Rittenhouse, Dr.—His character, [324].
- Rivanna River—Navigation of, [514], [541].
- Rivers—Right to navigate, [541].
- Saints—Lives of, [479].
- Say, M.—Contemplates emigrating to U. States, [405].
- Science, Political—[160].
- Slavery—How to be abolished, [456].
- South American Provinces—Independence of, recognized, [550].
- Spain—Her new constitution, [341].
- Steam-Engines—[504].
- Surveying—New method of platting, [338].
- Taxation—Principles of, [573].
- Terrorism—The era of, [155].
- Texas—Included in the Louisiana purchase, [551].
- Theological Societies—Should not be incorporated, [533].
- Tracy, Destutt—His works, [109].
- Prospectus of his works, [568].
- Treaties—With European nations, [453].
- Power of Senate over, [557].
- University of Virginia—Establishment of, [193], [371].
- United States—Social condition of, compared with that of England, [376].
- Virginia—Relative powers of Governor and Council, [38].
- War—With England inevitable, [51], [57], [91], [215].
- Efforts to avoid, [215].
- Declared against England, [67], [215].
- Causes for which declared, [398], [481], [452], [470].
- Benefits resulting from, [444], [452].
- Popularity of, and means of maintaining, [70], [391], [394].
- Progress and History of, [76], [81], [100], [128], [211], [275], [307], [385], [408], [418], [423], [438].
- Opposition to, in N. England, [79], [213].
- Defection of Massachusetts, [402], [414], [451].
- Hull's surrender, [80], [83].
- Financial arrangements to meet expenses of, [137], [391], [395], [406], [408], [419].
- Prospects of termination of, [353].
- Purposes for which waged, [391], [394], [403], [452].
- Internal effects produced by, [399].
- Peace declared, [420], [426], [428], [438], [450].
- Successful termination of, [453], [466].
- Upon what principles war is justifiable, [539].
- Washington, Gen.—His political principles, [97].
- Washington City—Attack on, by English, [424].
- Weights and Measures—Standard of, [11], [17], [26].
- Wilkinson, Gen.—His relations with Mr. Jefferson, [34].