Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-09-27

that, TO free them from disorder, they must be
rendered less interesting by necessity oil
change. Nor foreign power, nor domestic par
ty, will waste their blood and money TO elect a
person who must GO out at the end OF short
period The power of removing every fourth
year by the vote Of the People, is power which
they will not exercise; and if they were dlspos-
ell to exercise it, they would not be permitted.
The king of Poland is removable every dayby
the diet, bull they never remove him, nor wouid
Russia, the emperor, SC. permit them to- 90 IT,
Smaller objections are the appeal on matters OF
fact as we'll as law; and the binding all persons
Legislative, executive, and judiciary, by oath to
maintain that constitution. | do not pretend
to decide what would be the best method OF pro-
curing the establishment of the manifold good
things in tits constitution, and of getting rid
Of the bad; whether by adopting it in hopes OF
! future amendment; or, after it shall have been
duly weighed and canvassed by the People, at
ter seeing the parts they generally dislike, and
those they generally approve, to say to them,
we see now what you wish; you are willing to
give to your Federal Government such and such
powers: but you wish, at the same time, to have
such and such fundamental rights secured to
you, and certain sources Of convulsion taken a.
way; be it so-send together your deputies a
! gain, let them establish your fundamental rights
by sacrosanet declaration, and let them pass
the parts of the constitution you have APPROX
ed These will give powers to your Federal
Government sufficient for your happiness
This is what might be said, and would proba-
bly, produce speedy, more perfect, and more
permanent form Of government. AT all events,
hope YOU will not be discouraged from max
ing other trials, if the present one should fail
we are never permitted to despair Of the COM
monWealth.
81 have thus told you freely what like and
what dislike, merely as matter of curiosity: for
know it is not in my power to offer matter Of
information to your Judgment, which has been
formed after hearing and weighing every thing
which the wisdom Of man could offer on those
subjects. l own am not friend to very
energetic Government; it is always oppressive;
it places the Governors indeed more at their
ease, at the expense Of the People. The late re-
belion in Massachusetts has given more alarm
than think it should have done. Calculate
thai one rebellion in thirteen States, in the
course Of eleven years. is but one for each State
in century and half. No country should be
so long without one, nor will any degree Of
surrections In England, where the hand OF
power is heavier than with US, there are seldom
half dozen years without an instruction. In
France, where it is still heavier, but less despo-
tic, as Montesquieu supPoses, than In some
other countries, and where there are always two
or three hundred thousand men ready to crush
Instructions, there have been three in the
course Of the three years have been here, in
every one of which, greater numbers were enga-
ged than in Massachusetts, and great deal
more blood was split In Turkey, where the
sole nod of the despot is death, instructions
are the events of every day. Compare again
the ferocious depradations Of their insurgents
with the order, the moderation, and the almost
self-extinguishmen of ours, and say, finally,
whether peace is best preserved by giving en-
ergy to the Government, or information to the
People. This last is the most certain and the
most legitimate engine OF Government Edu-
cate and inform the whole mass OF the People,
enable them to see that 1t is their interest TO
preserve peace and order, and they will preserve
it; and ii requires no very high degree OF edu-
cation to convince them OF this they are the
only sure reliance for the preservation of our
liberty After all, it is my principle that the
will Of the majority should prevail If they APP
prove the proposed constitution in all its parts,
shall concur in it cheerfully, in tie hopes they
will amend it whenever they shall find it works
wrong. This reliance cannot deceive us, as
long as we remain virtuous; and think we
shall be that, as long as agriculture is our prin
cipal object, which will be the case while there
remain vacant lands in any part of America
When we get piled upon one another in large
cities, as in Europe, we shall become corrupt
as in Europe, and so to eating one anotheras
they do there. have tired you by this time
With dispositions which you have already heard
repeated by others a thousand and a thousand
times, and therefore shall only add assurance of
the esteem and attachment, with which have
the honor to be, dear sir" sc.
MIR. JEFFERsON'S CORRESPONDENCE.
The following letter from MIR. Jefferson, was
addressed to Dr. Stuart, of New York, and con-
tains opinions on very important sub ect-.
one that at the present moment, occupies
large share of public attention, and doubtless
some good may arise from their publicity
Monticello, May 10, 1917.
Dear Sir-Your favor, April 25th, is duly re-
ceived. am very sensible of the partially
with which you are so good as to review the
course have held in public life; and have also