Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-05-28
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To CURTIUS.



ticaI bodness oil your decisions To repeat
the same censures at the present, would be
unnecessary AMI disagreeable; and this reply
20 your second letter to Mr.. JcHcrsoa, Will
consequently be brief and rapid; tor Ind
there no new ideas to excuse IN some mea-
SUI the inyectiye OF your style, or to demand
opposition or combination see much abuse,
acconpaniedb by spacious reasoning, anti much
amplihcation, without order orlllustfatlon.-
You have indeed extended the space occupied
by your writings IN the columns os the news
paper; but you have only performed what
any other might have done--sprcad your ma
terialss over a wider surface at the expencc of
depth and and solidity. The same declama-
tory assertions, without proof, reason and
probability, that dishgured yonr first essay,
are here repeated In a lengthy strain; and
thar is taken for granted what no being but
yourself would assent to, and what probabili-
ry and common observation would reject as
absurd and ridiculous, you lay down as unde-
niable and incontrovertibie.
When an individual assumes to himself
the privilege of debating and deciding for
others, we are entitled to demand his ereden-
tials, his rigat AMI the proofs, on which rest
privilege of thinking, Judging and deciding
for ourselves, we are not bound To believe,
when an arbitrary tone and downright ihse-
di,eit would claim confidence and Difference to
the truth fits assertions. We demand rea-
500 aad PROBABILITY, or proofs known and in
oIggatSe. IT tten, Dir, Whaty have al.
1sTIsseei ia ycaf Two several dissertations, on
tle vices anu viiiaiaous designs of Our eyecu-
i've, be t!eYoid IF probability, irreconcileable
10 sound reason, ana unsarranted by common
observation Of men and manners, those affir-
nations must Justly be considered as the pro-
auctions of character either depota Y de-
void OF the common light of the mind Uestow-
ed BY nature, indiscrimiaateIy supon her Off
spring, or wiifully and knowingly wrong, cx-
cited by party opposition, or spurned on by
selfintetest Nature, Sir, instlucts even the
naeanest az her children, that crimes OF
higher grade are neither so often nor so fa-
-.ilely committed, as those of inferior enormi-
w, and less destructive tendency. She teach
es them also, that the evidence and demon
s,rative testimony TO be brought forth, should
be proportionable to the magnitude or the ac-
cusation; and she has implanted IN their ma
lures disposition to be more or less satisfied
With its truth, according as the necessary
proofs are plain or deficient But You, Sir,
pes winch you have allcdged, and Which VIII
&c examined In this answer, coincide not with
the suggestions of the common sense OF man
Kind, bet violate every dictate of reason.--s
Were your charges all OF such nature, as
that in your first letter. wherein you inyeigh
against Mr.. Jefferson, as apng the manners
ofthe French people, we should not seek Tor
their reasonablencss or unreasonableness. they
would be silently suffered to sink 10 their de-
served nothingness, or only noticed with con-
temptuous disapprobatien. But your other
ACCUSATIONS are of political nature, involving
the character of chief magistrate in his ma
siseerial capacity In the successive gradati-
on of crimes, those which AFFECT the welfare
and existence of community, hold the next
station, in enormity, to those against nature
aud religion and, Sir. how wantoniy and IT.
nationally have you acted, unprepared and I'M
furnished with proof, IN thus loading MIR. Jef-
ferson with the obloquy OF crimes, unrsason-
able, improbable and incredible.
In my former address to you on the con-
tents of your first letter, have already ami
mady ertcd on the folly and malciousness of
i1nputing to bad motives, what, with greater
appearance of truth and probability, could be
supposed to proceed from good. Such, how
ever, was your conduct IN the hrst of your
productions, nor has that course been relin-
snished by youin the last. The same invidi-
Gus acriincny peryades yosr style, imputes to
design what was the effect OF accident, to
bad intentions, what with greater probability
resulted from GOOD, and to a conspiracy a.
e-Siast the existence and happiness OF his
country those acts of Mr.. ]. which discern
ment would have ascribed to an anxiety for
its prosperity, or charity to mistaken politics.