Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1801-02-23

with Juice
"lI1sutieeie Sept. a, 1890.
asIR,
"YOUR favor of AuguR 70. has been duly
received, and is entitled TO my thankfulnefs for
the perfonal considerations you are pleafed to
express in il. How far the meaiure propoied
might have the expected effect, you can belt
Judge ; however, IN the great exercifa of right
in which the Citizens Of America are about to
att, have, on mature confederation, feen, thar
it IS my duty to be Pahive. The interelts
which they have at fake are entitled to their
whole attention, usbisded by perfonal efeem
or local confiderationi and am far from the
prelumption Of confdering myfelf equal to the
Gzgfaf duties of the frR magitracy of this
country. That there Mould be differences of
opinion auloug our fellow-citizens, is TO
be expected always. Men who think freely,
and have the right of expecting their thoughts,
will differ. Il is true that thefe differences
have Of late been artifeiaAy increaied but they
are now again iubGding 70 their natural level,
and viii foon come right, if 20 acts Of violence
intervene. The great queiton which divides
our ciiizens is, whether it is lafeh that pre-
ponderance of power ihould be lodged with the
aa,narcbieuI or the republican branch d our gOvern
1nsn, Temporary panics may produce advo-
Gates for the former opinion, even in this coun-
try but the opinion will be as ihort lived as
the panic, with the great MATS Of our fellow
citizens. There is one circumttance which will
always bring them to rights; prePonderance
of the Executive over the Legislative branch
cannot be maintained but in immenle patron
age, BY multiplying Offices, making them very
lucrative, by armies, navies, &c which may en-
liR on the 6de of the patron all tho1e whom
he can iptereR, and all their families and con-
neaions bur thefe exPences mutt be paid by
the labonring citizen he cannot long cootnue'
therefore, the advocate of opinions, which, 70
fay only the leait Of them, doom the labourIng
eilizen 10 toll and fweat, for u!sleis pageants.
81 fhould be unfaithful to my own feelings
were | not TO Eay, thar it has been the greate;t
of all human consultations 10 Ine, TO be confldcr
ed By the republican portion OF my fellow citi
zens, as the fafe depoftory Of their rights. The
hr1 with of my heart is, to fee them 10 guarded
as 10 be fate in aRy hands, and not to depend
on the perfonal difpofiten Of the dePoGtory I:
and hope this to be practicable as long as the
people retain the iprlt Of freedom. When that
j l5R. all experience has lhewn, that no forms
can keep them free againa their own will
But. that corrupt fate of mind NUT be very
diaant il a country where, for ages to come
rnocoupied foil will Gill offer itielf TO tho(=
who with to reap for themfelves, what them
ielves have Gown.
Our chief obiea at prefent fhould be, to re
concile the divilions which have been artificial
" excited, and to reRore fociety to It's wonted
harmony. Whenever this fhall be DONE it
will be found, that there are very few real OF.
ponents to government elective at ihort inter-
walls.
"Accept aauraucss of the relpea of Sir, your
very humble fervant.
THOMAS. JEFFERSON"