Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-07-17

teTs tor their support of Its views. ANY
letters coming from such eminent men
as MIR. ADAMS and Mr.. JEFFERSON,
must be increasing hat these are high
~ characteristic. We copy them from
the 4h number CT The Friend Of
Peace" work published under the aus
pces OF this Society.
North .f0leTican ReUiezv.
MR.. JEFFERSON'S ANSWER.
MONTICELLO, Jan. %, 1916.
Your letter, bearing date Octo-
Der IS, 1915, came only to hand the day be-
fore yesterday, whi-h is mentioned to ex-
plain the date of mine. have TO thank
you for the pamphlets accompanying il, to
wit, the Solemn Review, the Friend of
Peace or Special Interview, and the Friend
OF Peace, No. .. the first of these | had
received through another chaunel sorne
months ago. have not read the two last
steadily through, because where one asse nts
to the propositions as soon 5 announced. 1t
is loss of time to read the arguments in sup
port Of theEl.-These numbers discuss the
first branch Of the causes of war, that is to
say, wars undertaken for the Ioiat of no.
nor, which you apply analogue with tue
act Of duelling between individuals, and
reason with justice from the ore TO The 9TH
Ell. Undoubtedly this class of wars is, in
the general, what you state them to be,
Z" needless, unjust and inhuman, as well as
antichristian.'
The second branch of this subject, to
wit, wars undertaken on account of zvrong
done, and which may be lil1ened to the
act OF robbery i'll private life, I presume
viii be treated Of IN your future numbers.
l observe this class mentioned in the So
Tenn Review, p. 10. and the question ask.
ed, " Is it common for nation II OBTAIN
q redress of wrongs by war;" The an
swer to this question you viii CT Course
draw from history in the mean time, rea-
son VIII answer it on the grounds Of pro-
liability, that where the wrong has been
done by weaker nation, rhe stronger one
has generally been able to enforce redress.
but where by stronger nation, redress by
war has been neither obtained nor expect
ed by the weaker on the contrary, the
loss has been increased by the expences of
the war, in blood and treasure vet i. NAV
have obtained another object, equally Sc
curing itself from future wrong. 1t NAV
have retaliated on the aggressor losses OF
blood and treasure, far beyond the value to
him, of the wrong he had committe and
thus have made the advantage OF that too
dear purchase to leave him IN a disDo.
sltion to rensv the wrong in future in
this way, the loss of the war may have Sc
cured the weaker nation from loss of future
wrong. The case you state Of two boxers,
both OF whom get terrible bruising" IS
opposite TO this he, of the two who Commit
ted the aggression on the other, although
victor in the scuill., yet probably finds his
aggression not worth the bruiSng it has
cost him. Toexplain this by numbers. it
Is alleged, that Great Britain took from us.
before the late war, near 1000 vessels, and
That, daring the war, We took from her
AGO tn It before the war, she seized, and
made slaves Of COCO of our Citizens, and
that IN the late war we killed more tnan
oCOO OF her subjects, and caused her to cx-
pend such sum as amounted to 4 or 5000
suineas head for every slave she made.
She might have purchased the vessels she
took, Tor less than the value of those she
lost, and have used the 6OOO of her men
Killed, for the purposes to which she an
Piled ours, have saved her or 5000 gui-
meas head and obtained a character of
justice, which is valuable TO a nation as
to an individual. These cons deratiops.
therefore, leave her without inducement 70
p!uEder properly, and take .nen in future
deny the truth of these allegations. norris
their truth material to the question they
are possible, and therefore prcsent a cas-.
which viii claim your consideration, in
dis uss!on Of the general question whe--
ther any degree Of injury can render re-
course t. war expesient Still less do 7
propose to draw to myself any part IN this
discussion. Age, and its effects both on b..
dy and mind, has weaned my attentions
from public subjects, and left me unequal
to the labours OF CORE pondence, beyond
the limits Of my personal concerns. re-
tire, therefor, from the question. with a
sincere wish, that your Writings may have
effect in lesseniag this greatest Of human c.
Wis, & that you may retain life and health,
to enj the contemplation of this happy
spectacle; and prayyou to be assured Of
my greatest respect.
I'll. JEFFERSON.