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of　religion；　had　given　to　the　clergy　a　very　favorite　hope　of

obtaining　an　establishment　of　a　particular　form　of　Christianity　thro'

the　U。　S。；　and　as　every　sect　believes　its　own　form　the　true　one；

every　one　perhaps　hoped　for　his　own；　but　especially　the　Episcopalians

&　Congregationalists。　　The　returning　good　sense　of　our　country

threatens　abortion　to　their　hopes；　&　they　believe　that　any　portion　of

power　confided　to　me；　will　be　exerted　in　opposition　to　their　schemes。

And　they　believe　rightly；　for　I　have　sworn　upon　the　altar　of　god；

eternal　hostility　against　every　form　of　tyranny　over　the　mind　of　man。

But　this　is　all　they　have　to　fear　from　me：　&　enough　too　in　their

opinion；　&　this　is　the　cause　of　their　printing　lying　pamphlets

against　me；　forging　conversations　for　me　with　Mazzei；　Bishop　Madison；

&c。；　which　are　absolute　falsehoods　without　a　circumstance　of　truth　to

rest　on；　falsehoods；　too；　of　which　I　acquit　Mazzei　&　Bishop　Madison；

for　they　are　men　of　truth。




　　　　　　　　But　enough　of　this：　it　is　more　than　I　have　before　committed　to

paper　on　the　subject　of　all　the　lies　that　has　been　preached　and

printed　against　me。　　I　have　not　seen　the　work　of　Sonnoni　which　you

mention；　but　I　have　seen　another　work　on　Africa；　（Parke's；）　which　I

fear　will　throw　cold　water　on　the　hopes　of　the　friends　of　freedom。

You　will　hear　an　account　of　an　attempt　at　insurrection　in　this　state。

I　am　looking　with　anxiety　to　see　what　will　be　it's　effect　on　our

state。　　We　are　truly　to　be　pitied。　　I　fear　we　have　little　chance　to

see　you　at　the　Federal　city　or　in　Virginia；　and　as　little　at

Philadelphia。　　It　would　be　a　great　treat　to　receive　you　here。　　But

nothing　but　sickness　could　effect　that；　so　I　do　not　wish　it。　　For　I

wish　you　health　and　happiness；　and　think　of　you　with　affection。

Adieu。







　　　　　　　　〃PHILOSOPHICAL　VEDETTE〃　AT　A　DISTANCE




　　　　　　　　_To　William　Dunbar_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Jan。　12；　1801_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　July　14；　with　the　papers

accompanying　it；　came　safely　to　hand　about　the　last　of　October。　　That

containing　remarks　on　the　line　of　demarcation　I　perused　according　to

your　permission；　and　with　great　satisfaction；　and　then　enclosed　to　a

friend　in　Philadelphia；　to　be　forwarded　to　it's　address。　　The　papers

addressed　to　me；　I　took　the　liberty　of　communicating　to　the

Philosophical　society。　　That　on　the　language　by　signs　is　quite　new。

Soon　after　receiving　your　meteorological　diary；　I　received　one　of

Quebec；　and　was　struck　with　the　comparison　between　…　32　&　＋　19　3/4

the　lowest　depression　of　the　thermometer　at　Quebec　&　the　Natchez。　　I

have　often　wondered　that　any　human　being　should　live　in　a　cold

country　who　can　find　room　in　a　warm　one。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　that

cold　is　the　source　of　more　sufferance　to　all　animal　nature　than

hunger；　thirst；　sickness；　&　all　the　other　pains　of　life　&　of　death

itself　put　together。　　I　live　in　a　temperate　climate；　and　under

circumstances　which　do　not　expose　me　often　to　cold。　　Yet　when　I

recollect　on　one　hand　all　the　sufferings　I　have　had　from　cold；　&　on

the　other　all　my　other　pains；　the　former　preponderate　greatly。　　What

then　must　be　the　sum　of　that　evil　if　we　take　in　the　vast　proportion

of　men　who　are　obliged　to　be　out　in　all　weather；　by　land　&　by　sea；

all　the　families　of　beasts；　birds；　reptiles；　&　even　the　vegetable

kingdom！　for　that　too　has　life；　and　where　there　is　life　there　may　be

sensation。　　I　remark　a　rainbow　of　a　great　portion　of　the　circle

observed　by　you　when　on　the　line　of　demarcation。　　I　live　in　a

situation　which　has　given　me　an　opportunity　of　seeing　more　than　the

semicircle　often。　　I　am　on　a　hill　500　f。　perpendicularly　high。　　On

the　east　side　it　breaks　down　abruptly　to　the　base；　where　a　river

passes　through。　　A　rainbow；　therefore；　about　sunset；　plunges　one　of

it's　legs　down　to　the　river；　500　f。　below　the　level　of　the　eye　on　the

top　of　the　hill。　　I　have　twice　seen　bows　formed　by　the　moon。　　They

were　of　the　color　of　the　common　circle　round　the　moon；　and　were　very

near；　being　within　a　few　paces　of　me　in　both　instances。　　I　thank　you

for　the　little　vocabularies　of　Bedais；　Jankawis　and　Teghas。　　I　have

it　much　at　heart　to　make　as　extensive　a　collection　as　possible　of　the

Indian　tongues。　　I　have　at　present　about　30。　tolerably　full；　among

which　the　number　radically　different；　is　truly　wonderful。　　It　is

curious　to　consider　how　such　handfuls　of　men　came　by　different

languages；　&　how　they　have　preserved　them　so　distinct。　　I　at　first

thought　of　reducing　them　all　to　one　orthography；　but　I　soon　become

sensible　that　this　would　occasion　two　sources　of　error　instead　of

one。　　I　therefore　think　it　best　to　keep　them　in　the　form　of

orthography　in　which　they　were　taken；　only　noting　whether　that　were

English；　French；　German；　or　what。　　I　have　never　been　a　very　punctual

correspondent；　and　it　is　possible　that　new　duties　may　make　me　less

so。　　I　hope　I　shall　not　on　that　account　lose　the　benefit　of　your

communications。　　Philosophical　vedette　at　the　distance　of　one

thousand　miles；　and　on　the　verge　of　the　terra　incognita　of　our

continent；　is　precious　to　us　here。　　I　pray　you　to　accept　assurances

of　my　high　consideration　&　esteem；　and　friendly　salutations。







　　　　　　　　THE　REVOLUTION　OF　1800




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Dickinson_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　6；　1801_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　No　pleasure　can　exceed　that　which　I　received　from

reading　your　letter　of　the　21st　ult。　　It　was　like　the　joy　we　expect

in　the　mansions　of　the　blessed；　when　received　with　the　embraces　of

our　fathers；　we　shall　be　welcomed　with　their　blessing　as　having　done

our　part　not　unworthily　of　them。　　The　storm　through　which　we　have

passed；　has　been　tremendous　indeed。　　The　tough　sides　of　our　Argosie

have　been　thoroughly　tried。　　Her　strength　has　stood　the　waves　into

which　she　was　steered；　with　a　view　to　sink　her。　　We　shall　put　her　on

her　republican　tack；　&　she　will　now　show　by　the　beauty　of　her　motion

the　skill　of　her　builders。　　Figure　apart；　our　fellow　citizens　have

been　led　hood…winked　from　their　principles；　by　a　most　extraordinary

combination　of　circumstances。　　But　the　band　is　removed；　and　they　now

see　for　themselves。　　I　hope　to　see　shortly　a　perfect　consolidation；

to　effect　which；　nothing　shall　be　spared　on　my　part；　short　of　the

abandonment　of　the　principles　of　our　revolution。　　A　just　and　solid

republican　government　maintained　here；　will　be　a　standing　monument　&

example　for　the　aim　&　imitation　of　the　people　of　other　countries；　and

I　join　with　you　in　the　hope　and　belief　that　they　will　see；　from　our

example；　that　a　free　government　is　of　all　others　the　most　energetic；

that　the　inquiry　which　has　been　excited　among　the　mass　of　mankind　by

our　revolution　&　it's　consequences；　will　ameliorate　the　condition　of

man　over　a　great　portion　of　the　globe。　　What　a　satisfaction　have　we

in　the　contemplation　of　the　benevolent　effects　of　our　efforts；

compared　with　those　of　the　leaders　on　the　other　side；　who　have

discountenanced　all　advances　in　science　as　dangerous　innovations；

have　endeavored　to　render　philosophy　and　republicanism　terms　of

reproach；　to　persuade　us　that　man　cannot　be　governed　but　by　the　rod；

&c。　　I　shall　have　the　happiness　of　living　&　dying　in　the　contrary

hope。　　Accept　assurances　of　my　constant　&　sincere　respect　and

attachment；　and　my　affectionate　salutations。







　　　　　　　　SOMETHING　NEW　UNDER　THE　SUN




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Joseph　Priestley_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Mar。　21；　1801_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　learnt　some　time　ago　that　you　were　in

Philadelphia；　but　that　it　was　only　for　a　fortnight；　&　supposed　you

were　gone。　　It　was　not　till　yesterday　I　received　information　that　you

were　still　there；　had　been　very　ill；　but　were　on　the　recovery。　　I

sincerely　rejoice　that　you　are　so。　　Yours　is　one　of　the　few　lives

precious　to　mankind；　&　for　the　continuance　of　which　every　thinking

man　is　solicitous。　　Bigots　may　be　an　exception。　　What　an　effort；　my

dear　Sir；　of　bigotry　in　Politics　&　Religion　have　we　gone　through！

The　barbarians　really　flattered　themselves　they　should　be　able　to

bring　back　the　times　of　Vandalism；　when　ignorance　put　everything　into

the　hands　of　power　&　priestcraft。　　All　advances　in　science　were

proscribed　as　innovations。　　They　pretended　to　praise　and　encourage

education；　but　it　was　to　be　the　education　of　our　ancestors。　　We　were

to　look　backwards；　not　forwards；　for　improvement；　the　President

himself　declaring；　in　one　of　his　answers　to　addresses；　that　we　were

never　to　expect　to　go　beyond　them　in　real　science。　　This　was　the　real

ground　of　all　the　attacks　on　you。　　Those　who　live　by　mystery　&

_charlatanerie_；　fearing　you　would　render　them　useless　by　simplifying

the　Christian　philosophy；　　the　most　sublime　&　benevolent；　but　most

perverted　system　that　ever　shone　on　man；　　endeavored　to　crush　your

well…earnt　&　well…deserved　fame。　　But　it　was　the　Lilliputians　upon

Gulliver。　　Our　countrymen　have　recovered　from　the　alarm　into　which

art　&　industry　had　thrown