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For　nobody　knows　what　opinion　any　individual　member　gave　in　any　case；

nor　even　that　he　who　delivers　the　opinion；　concurred　in　it　himself。

Be　the　opinion　therefore　ever　so　impeachable；　having　been　done　in　the

dark　it　can　be　proved　on　no　one。　　As　to　the　2d　guarantee；　personal

reputation；　it　is　shielded　compleatly。　　The　practice　is　certainly

convenient　for　the　lazy；　the　modest　&　the　incompetent。　　It　saves　them

the　trouble　of　developing　their　opinion　methodically　and　even　of

making　up　an　opinion　at　all。　　That　of　seriatim　argument　shews　whether

every　judge　has　taken　the　trouble　of　understanding　the　case；　of

investigating　it　minutely；　and　of　forming　an　opinion　for　himself；

instead　of　pinning　it　on　another's　sleeve。　　It　would　certainly　be

right　to　abandon　this　practice　in　order　to　give　to　our　citizens　one

and　all；　that　confidence　in　their　judges　which　must　be　so　desirable

to　the　judges　themselves；　and　so　important　to　the　cement　of　the

union。　　During　the　administration　of　Genl。　Washington；　and　while　E。

Randolph　was　Attorney　General；　he　was　required　by　Congress　to　digest

the　judiciary　laws　into　a　single　one；　with　such　amendments　as　might

be　thought　proper。　　He　prepared　a　section　requiring　the　Judges　to

give　their　opinions　seriatim；　in　writing；　to　be　recorded　in　a

distinct　volume。　　Other　business　prevented　this　bill　from　being　taken

up；　and　it　passed　off；　but　such　a　volume　would　have　been　the　best

possible　book　of　reports；　and　the　better；　as　unincumbered　with　the

hired　sophisms　and　perversions　of　Counsel。




　　　　　　　　What　do　you　think　of　the　state　of　parties　at　this　time？　　An

opinion　prevails　that　there　is　no　longer　any　distinction；　that　the

republicans　&　Federalists　are　compleatly　amalgamated　but　it　is　not

so。　　The　amalgamation　is　of　name　only；　not　of　principle。　　All　indeed

call　themselves　by　the　name　of　Republicans；　because　that　of

Federalists　was　extinguished　in　the　battle　of　New　Orleans。　　But　the

truth　is　that　finding　that　monarchy　is　a　desperate　wish　in　this

country；　they　rally　to　the　point　which　they　think　next　best；　a

consolidated　government。　　Their　aim　is　now　therefore　to　break　down

the　rights　reserved　by　the　constitution　to　the　states　as　a　bulwark

against　that　consolidation；　the　fear　of　which　produced　the　whole　of

the　opposition　to　the　constitution　at　it's　birth。　　Hence　new

Republicans　in　Congress；　preaching　the　doctrines　of　the　old

Federalists；　and　the　new　nick…names　of　Ultras　and　Radicals。　　But　I

trust　they　will　fail　under　the　new；　as　the　old　name；　and　that　the

friends　of　the　real　constitution　and　union　will　prevail　against

consolidation；　as　they　have　done　against　monarchism。　　I　scarcely　know

myself　which　is　most　to　be　deprecated；　a　consolidation；　or

dissolution　of　the　states。　　The　horrors　of　both　are　beyond　the　reach

of　human　foresight。




　　　　　　　　I　have　written　you　a　long　letter；　and　committed　to　you　thoughts

which　I　would　do　to　few　others。　　If　I　am　right；　you　will　approve

them；　if　wrong；　commiserate　them　as　the　dreams　of　a　Superannuate

about　things　from　which　he　is　to　derive　neither　good　nor　harm。　　But

you　will　still　receive　them　as　a　proof　of　my　confidence　in　the

rectitude　of　your　mind　and　principles；　of　which　I　pray　you　to　receive

entire　assurance　with　that　of　my　continued　and　great　friendship　and

respect。







　　　　　　　　RELIGION　AND　THE　UNIVERSITY




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Thomas　Cooper_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　November　2；　1822_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　October　the　18th　came　to　hand

yesterday。　　The　atmosphere　of　our　country　is　unquestionably　charged

with　a　threatening　cloud　of　fanaticism；　lighter　in　some　parts；　denser

in　others；　but　too　heavy　in　all。　　I　had　no　idea；　however；　that　in

Pennsylvania；　the　cradle　of　toleration　and　freedom　of　religion；　it

could　have　arisen　to　the　height　you　describe。　　This　must　be　owing　to

the　growth　of　Presbyterianism。　　The　blasphemy　and　absurdity　of　the

five　points　of　Calvin；　and　the　impossibility　of　defending　them；

render　their　advocates　impatient　of　reasoning；　irritable；　and　prone

to　denunciation。　　In　Boston；　however；　and　its　neighborhood；

Unitarianism　has　advanced　to　so　great　strength；　as　now　to　humble　this

haughtiest　of　all　religious　sects；　insomuch　that　they　condescend　to

interchange　with　them　and　the　other　sects；　the　civilities　of

preaching　freely　and　frequently　in　each　others'　meeting…houses。　　In

Rhode　Island；　on　the　other　hand；　no　sectarian　preacher　will　permit　an

Unitarian　to　pollute　his　desk。　　In　our　Richmond　there　is　much

fanaticism；　but　chiefly　among　the　women。　　They　have　their　night

meetings　and　praying　parties；　where；　attended　by　their　priests；　and

sometimes　by　a　hen…pecked　husband；　they　pour　forth　the　effusions　of

their　love　to　Jesus；　in　terms　as　amatory　and　carnal；　as　their　modesty

would　permit　them　to　use　to　a　mere　earthly　lover。　　In　our　village　of

Charlottesville；　there　is　a　good　degree　of　religion；　with　a　small

spice　only　of　fanaticism。　　We　have　four　sects；　but　without　either

church　or　meeting…house。　　The　court…house　is　the　common　temple；　one

Sunday　in　the　month　to　each。　　Here；　Episcopalian　and　Presbyterian；

Methodist　and　Baptist；　meet　together；　join　in　hymning　their　Maker；

listen　with　attention　and　devotion　to　each　others'　preachers；　and　all

mix　in　society　with　perfect　harmony。　　It　is　not　so　in　the　districts

where　Presbyterianism　prevails　undividedly。　　Their　ambition　and

tyranny　would　tolerate　no　rival　if　they　had　power。　　Systematical　in

grasping　at　an　ascendency　over　all　other　sects；　they　aim；　like　the

Jesuits；　at　engrossing　the　education　of　the　country；　are　hostile　to

every　institution　which　they　do　not　direct；　and　jealous　at　seeing

others　begin　to　attend　at　all　to　that　object。　　The　diffusion　of

instruction；　to　which　there　is　now　so　growing　an　attention；　will　be

the　remote　remedy　to　this　fever　of　fanaticism；　while　the　more

proximate　one　will　be　the　progress　of　Unitarianism。　　That　this　will；

ere　long；　be　the　religion　of　the　majority　from　north　to　south；　I　have

no　doubt。




　

　　　　　　　　In　our　university　you　know　there　is　no　Professorship　of

Divinity。　　A　handle　has　been　made　of　this；　to　disseminate　an　idea

that　this　is　an　institution；　not　merely　of　no　religion；　but　against

all　religion。　　Occasion　was　taken　at　the　last　meeting　of　the

Visitors；　to　bring　forward　an　idea　that　might　silence　this　calumny；

which　weighed　on　the　minds　of　some　honest　friends　to　the　institution。

In　our　annual　report　to　the　legislature；　after　stating　the

constitutional　reasons　against　a　public　establishment　of　any

religious　instruction；　we　suggest　the　expediency　of　encouraging　the

different　religious　sects　to　establish；　each　for　itself；　a

professorship　of　their　own　tenets；　on　the　confines　of　the　university；

so　near　as　that　their　students　may　attend　the　lectures　there；　and

have　the　free　use　of　our　library；　and　every　other　accommodation　we

can　give　them；　preserving；　however；　their　independence　of　us　and　of

each　other。　　This　fills　the　chasm　objected　to　ours；　as　a　defect　in　an

institution　professing　to　give　instruction　in　_all_　useful　sciences。

I　think　the　invitation　will　be　accepted；　by　some　sects　from　candid

intentions；　and　by　others　from　jealousy　and　rivalship。　　And　by

bringing　the　sects　together；　and　mixing　them　with　the　mass　of　other

students；　we　shall　soften　their　asperities；　liberalize　and　neutralize

their　prejudices；　and　make　the　general　religion　a　religion　of　peace；

reason；　and　morality。




　　　　　　　　The　time　of　opening　our　university　is　still　as　uncertain　as

ever。　　All　the　pavilions；　boarding　houses；　and　dormitories　are　done。

Nothing　is　now　wanting　but　the　central　building　for　a　library　and

other　general　purposes。　　For　this　we　have　no　funds；　and　the　last

legislature　refused　all　aid。　　We　have　better　hopes　of　the　next。　　But

all　is　uncertain。　　I　have　heard　with　regret　of　disturbances　on　the

part　of　the　students　in　your　seminary。　　The　article　of　discipline　is

the　most　difficult　in　American　education。　　Premature　ideas　of

independence；　too　little　repressed　by　parents；　beget　a　spirit　of

insubordination；　which　is　the　great　obstacle　to　science　with　us；　and

a　principal　cause　of　its　decay　since　the　revolution。　　I　look　to　it

with　dismay　in　our　institution；　as　a　breaker　ahead；　which　I　am　far

from　being　confident　we　shall　be　able　to　weather。　　The　advance　of

age；　and　tardy　pace　of　the　public　patronage；　may　probably　spare　me

the　pain　of　witnessing　consequences。




　　　　　　　　I　salute　you　with　constant　friendship　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　CALVIN　AND　COSMOLOGY




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Adams_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　April　11；　1823_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　The　wishes　expressed；　in　your　last　favor；　that　I

may　continue　in　life　and　health　until　I　become　a　Calvinist；　at　least

in　his　exclamation　of　‘_mon　Dieu！_　jusque　a　quand'！　would　make　me

immortal。　　I　can　never　join　Calvin　in　addressing　_his　god。_　He　was

indeed　an　Atheist；　which　I　can　never　be；　or　rather　his　religion　was

Daemonism。　　If　ever　man　worshipped　a　false　god；　he　did。　　The　being

described　in　his　5。　points　is　not　the　God　whom　you　and　I　acknolege

and　adore；　the　Creator　and　benevolent　governor　of　the　world；　but　a

daemon　of　malignant　spirit。　　It　would　be　more　pardonable　to　believe

in　no　god　at　all；　than　to　blaspheme　him　by　the　atrocious　attributes

of　Calvin。　　Indeed　I　think　that　every　Christian　sect　gives　a　great

handle　to　Atheism　by　their　general　dogma　that；　without　a　revelation；

there　would　not　be　sufficient　proof　of　the　being　of　a　god。　　Now　one

sixth　of　mankind　only　are　supposed　to　be　Christians：　the　other　five

sixths　then；　who　do　not　believe　in　the　Jewish　and　Christian

revelation；　are　without　a　knolege　of　the　existence　of　a　god！　　This

gives　compleatly　a　gain　de　cause　to　the　disciples　of　Ocellus；

Timaeus；　Spinosa；　Diderot　and　D'Holbach。　　The　argument　which　they

rest　on　as　triumphant　and　unanswerable　is　that；　in　every　hypothesis

of　Cosmogony　you　must　admit　an　eternal　pre…existence　of　something；

an