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reflections　were　not　permitted　to　lessen　mutual　esteem；　each　party

being　conscious　they　were　the　result　of　an　honest　conviction　in　the

other。　　Like　differences　of　opinion　existing　among　our　fellow

citizens　attached　them　to　the　one　or　the　other　of　us；　and　produced　a

rivalship　in　their　minds　which　did　not　exist　in　ours。　　We　never　stood

in　one　another's　way：　for　if　either　had　been　withdrawn　at　any　time；

his　favorers　would　not　have　gone　over　to　the　other；　but　would　have

sought　for　some　one　of　homogeneous　opinions。　　This　consideration　was

sufficient　to　keep　down　all　jealousy　between　us；　and　to　guard　our

friendship　from　any　disturbance　by　sentiments　of　rivalship：　and　I　can

say　with　truth　that　one　act　of　Mr。　Adams's　life；　and　one　only；　ever

gave　me　a　moment's　personal　displeasure。　　I　did　consider　his　last

appointments　to　office　as　personally　unkind。　　They　were　from　among　my

most　ardent　political　enemies；　from　whom　no　faithful　cooperation

could　ever　be　expected；　and　laid　me　under　the　embarrasment　of　acting

thro'　men　whose　views　were　to　defeat　mine；　or　to　encounter　the　odium

of　putting　others　in　their　places。　　It　seemed　but　common　justice　to

leave　a　successor　free　to　act　by　instruments　of　his　own　choice。　　If

my　respect　for　him　did　not　permit　me　to　ascribe　the　whole　blame　to

the　influence　of　others；　it　left　something　for　friendship　to　forgive；

and　after　brooding　over　it　for　some　little　time；　and　not　always

resisting　the　expression　of　it；　I　forgave　it　cordially；　and　returned

to　the　same　state　of　esteem　and　respect　for　him　which　had　so　long

subsisted。　　Having　come　into　life　a　little　later　than　Mr。　Adams；　his

career　has　preceded　mine；　as　mine　is　followed　by　some　other；　and　it

will　probably　be　closed　at　the　same　distance　after　him　which　time

originally　placed　between　us。　　I　maintain　for　him；　and　shall　carry

into　private　life　an　uniform　and　high　measure　of　respect　and　good

will；　and　for　yourself　a　sincere　attachment。　　I　have　thus；　my　dear

Madam；　opened　myself　to　you　without　reserve；　which　I　have　long　wished

an　opportunity　of　doing；　and；　without　knowing　how　it　will　be

recieved；　I　feel　relief　from　being　unbosomed。　　And　I　have　now　only　to

entreat　your　forgiveness　for　this　transition　from　a　subject　of

domestic　affliction　to　one　which　seems　of　a　different　aspect。　　But

tho　connected　with　political　events；　it　has　been　viewed　by　me　most

strongly　in　it's　unfortunate　bearings　on　my　private　friendships。　　The

injury　these　have　sustained　has　been　a　heavy　price　for　what　has　never

given　me　equal　pleasure。　　That　you　may　both　be　favored　with　health；

tranquility　and　long　life；　is　the　prayer　of　one　who　tenders　you　the

assurances　of　his　highest　consideration　and　esteem。







　　　　　　　　FREEDOM　OF　THE　PRESS




　　　　　　　　_To　Judge　John　Tyler_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　June　28；　1804_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　the　10th　instant　has　been　duly

received。　　Amidst　the　direct　falsehoods；　the　misrepresentations　of

truth；　the　calumnies　and　the　insults　resorted　to　by　a　faction　to

mislead　the　public　mind；　and　to　overwhelm　those　entrusted　with　its

interests；　our　support　is　to　be　found　in　the　approving　voice　of　our

conscience　and　country；　in　the　testimony　of　our　fellow　citizens；　that

their　confidence　is　not　shaken　by　these　artifices。　　When　to　the

plaudits　of　the　honest　multitude；　the　sober　approbation　of　the　sage

in　his　closet　is　added；　it　becomes　a　gratification　of　an　higher

order。　　It　is　the　sanction　of　wisdom　superadded　to　the　voice　of

affection。　　The　terms；　therefore；　in　which　you　are　so　good　as　to

express　your　satisfaction　with　the　course　of　the　present

administration　cannot　but　give　me　great　pleasure。　　I　may　err　in　my

measures；　but　never　shall　deflect　from　the　intention　to　fortify　the

public　liberty　by　every　possible　means；　and　to　put　it　out　of　the

power　of　the　few　to　riot　on　the　labors　of　the　many。　　No　experiment

can　be　more　interesting　than　that　we　are　now　trying；　and　which　we

trust　will　end　in　establishing　the　fact；　that　man　may　be　governed　by

reason　and　truth。　　Our　first　object　should　therefore　be；　to　leave

open　to　him　all　the　avenues　to　truth。The　most　effectual　hitherto

found；　is　the　freedom　of　the　press。　　It　is　therefore；　the　first　shut

up　by　those　who　fear　the　investigation　of　their　actions。　　The

firmness　with　which　the　people　have　withstood　the　late　abuses　of　the

press；　the　discernment　they　have　manifested　between　truth　and

falsehood；　show　that　they　may　safely　be　trusted　to　hear　everything

true　and　false；　and　to　form　a　correct　judgment　between　them。　　As

little　is　it　necessary　to　impose　on　their　senses；　or　dazzle　their

minds　by　pomp；　splendor；　or　forms。　　Instead　of　this　artificial；　how

much　surer　is　that　real　respect；　which　results　from　the　use　of　their

reason；　and　the　habit　of　bringing　everything　to　the　test　of　common

sense。




　　　　　　　　I　hold　it；　therefore；　certain；　that　to　open　the　doors　of　truth；

and　to　fortify　the　habit　of　testing　everything　by　reason；　are　the

most　effectual　manacles　we　can　rivet　on　the　hands　of　our　successors

to　prevent　their　manacling　the　people　with　their　own　consent。　　The

panic　into　which　they　were　artfully　thrown　in　1798；　the　frenzy　which

was　excited　in　them　by　their　enemies　against　their　apparent　readiness

to　abandon　all　the　principles　established　for　their　own　protection；

seemed　for　awhile　to　countenance　the　opinions　of　those　who　say　they

cannot　be　trusted　with　their　own　government。　　But　I　never　doubted

their　rallying；　and　they　did　rally　much　sooner　than　I　expected。　　On

the　whole；　that　experiment　on　their　credulity　has　confirmed　my

confidence　in　their　ultimate　good　sense　and　virtue。




　

　　　　　　　　I　lament　to　learn　that　a　like　misfortune　has　enabled　you　to

estimate　the　afflictions　of　a　father　on　the　loss　of　a　beloved　child。

However　terrible　the　possibility　of　such　another　accident；　it　is

still　a　blessing　for　you　of　inestimable　value　that　you　would　not　even

then　descend　childless　to　the　grave。　　Three　sons；　and　hopeful　ones

too；　are　a　rich　treasure。　　I　rejoice　when　I　hear　of　young　men　of

virtue　and　talents；　worthy　to　receive；　and　likely　to　preserve　the

splendid　inheritance　of　self…government；　which　we　have　acquired　and

shaped　for　them。




　　　　　　　　The　complement　of　midshipmen　for　the　Tripoline　squadron；　is

full；　and　I　hope　the　frigates　have　left　the　Capes　by　this　time。　　I

have；　however；　this　day；　signed　warrants　of　midshipmen　for　the　two

young　gentlemen　you　recommended。　　These　will　be　forwarded　by　the

Secretary　of　the　Navy。　　He　tells　me　that　their　first　services　will　be

to　be　performed　on　board　the　gun　boats。




　　　　　　　　Accept　my　friendly　salutations；　and　assurances　of　great　esteem

and　respect。







　　　　　　　　〃THE　OFFICE　OF　HANGMAN〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Larkin　Smith_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Nov。　26；　1804_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　Your　letter　of　the　10th　came　to　hand　yesterday　evening。

It　was　written　with　frankness　and　independance　and　will　be　answered

in　the　same　way。　　You　complain　that　I　did　not　answer　your　letters

applying　for　office。　　But　if　you　will　reflect　a　moment　you　may　judge

whether　this　ought　to　be　expected。　　To　the　successful　applicant　for

an　office　the　commission　is　the　answer。　　To　the　unsuccessful

multitude　am　I　to　go　with　every　one　into　the　reasons　for　not

appointing　him？　　Besides　that　this　correspondence　would　literally

engross　my　whole　time；　into　what　controversies　would　it　lead　me。

Sensible　of　this　dilemma；　from　the　moment　of　coming　into　office　I

laid　it　down　as　a　rule　to　leave　the　applicants　to　collect　their

answer　from　the　facts。　　To　entitle　myself　to　the　benefit　of　the　rule

in　any　case　it　must　be　observed　in　every　one：　and　I　never　have

departed　from　it　in　a　single　case；　not　even　for　my　bosom　friends。

You　observe　that　you　are；　or　probably　will　be　appointed　an　elector。

I　have　no　doubt　you　will　do　your　duty　with　a　conscientious　regard　to

the　public　good　&　to　that　only。　　Your　decision　in　favor　of　another

would　not　excite　in　my　mind　the　slightest　dissatisfaction　towards

you。　　On　the　contrary　I　should　honor　the　integrity　of　your　choice。

In　the　nominations　I　have　to　make；　do　the　same　justice　to　my　motives。

Had　you　hundreds　to　nominate；　instead　of　one；　be　assured　they　would

not　compose　for　you　a　bed　of　roses。　　You　would　find　yourself　in　most

cases　with　one　loaf　and　ten　wanting　bread。　　Nine　must　be

disappointed；　perhaps　become　secret；　if　not　open　enemies。　　The

transaction　of　the　great　interests　of　our　country　costs　us　little

trouble　or　difficulty。　　There　the　line　is　plain　to　men　of　some

experience。　　But　the　task　of　appointment　is　a　heavy　one　indeed。　　He

on　whom　it　falls　may　envy　the　lot　of　a　Sisyphus　or　Ixion。　　Their

agonies　were　of　the　body：　this　of　the　mind。　　Yet；　like　the　office　of

hangman　it　must　be　executed　by　some　one。　　It　has　been　assigned　to　me

and　made　my　duty。　　I　make　up　my　mind　to　it　therefore；　&　abandon　all

regard　to　consequences。　　Accept　my　salutations　&　assurances　of

respect。







　　　　　　　　BLUEPRINT　OF　THE　UNIVERSITY




　　　　　　　　_To　Littleton　Waller　Tazewell_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Jan。　5；　1805_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　December　24　never　came　to　my　hands

till　last　night。　　It's　importance　induces　me　to　hasten　the　answer。

No　one　can　be　more　rejoiced　at　the　information　that　the　legislature

of　Virginia　are　likely　at　length　to　institute　an　University　on　a

liberal　plan。　　Convinced　that　the　people　are　the　only　safe

depositories　of　their　own　liberty；　&　that　they　are　not　safe　unless

enlightened　to　a　certain　degree；　I　have　looked　on　our　present　state

of　liberty　as　a　short…lived　possession　unless　the　mass　of　the　people

could　be　informed　to　a　certain　degree。　　This　requires　two　grades　of

education。　　First　some　institution　where　science　in　all　it's　branches

is　taught；　and　in　the　highest　degree　to　which　the　human　mind　has

carried　it。　　This　would　prepare　a　few　subjects　in　every　State；　to

whom　nature　has　given　minds　of　the　first　order。　　Secondly　such　a