Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-08-01
From tae Charlottesville .4apocute.


From ths Charlottesville .4dvocate.
Lxtract from The unpublished manuscripts of MIR.
Jefferson.
To DocToR WALTER JONES
-sfonticclo, Jan. 2d, III
Dear Sir deplorc with you the putrid state in
10 winch our newspapers have passed, and the
naiigni'y. the vulgsry, and mendacious shirt of
those who write for thcm aud enclose YOU a
recent sample, the production of New England
Judge, as proof Of the abyss Of degradation into
which we have fallen. These orders are rapidly
depraving the public taste, and essening its relish
for sound food. AS vehicles of information. and a
curb on our f,nctionaties, they have rendered
themselves useless, by !orfeiting all title TO belief
nat tins has, IN great degree, been produced by
'e violence ana maiisnity OF party spirit, 1 agree
with you; and have read with great pleasure the
paper you enclosed on the subject which
now return Ii Is, at the same time, a perfect
model OF the style of discussion which candor and
decency should observe, of the tone which renders
difference oil opinion even aniable, and succinc,
correct, and dispassionate history OF the osen and
progress OF party among u.s. 1t might be iucorpo-
rated, as it stands, and without changing a wcrd.
into the history oil the present epoch, and would
give To postcrity iairer view of the times than
they will probably derive from other sources In
reading 1t with great satisfaction there was but a
single passage where l wished little more de
veiopement oil >:ery sound and catholic idea,
single INTERPOLATION 10 rest 1t solidl: true bottom
1t Is near the end of the first page, where YOU
mako statement oil genuine Republican maK.ins;
saying, that the people ought to possess as much
political power as can possibly consist with the
Order and security OF society" Instead of this, |
would say, :. that the People being the oniv SAT.
depository Of power. should exercise, in person.
every function which their qualifications enable
them TO exercise, consistently with the order and
security OF society; that we find them equal
to the election of those who shall be invested with
their Executive and Legislative powers, and to
act themselves III the Judiciary, as Judges in aues
tons oil lac that the range Of their powers ought
20 be enlarged" etc. This gives both the reason
and exerpiicaton Of the maxim you express.
y" that they ought to possess much political
power" &c. see nothing TO correct either in
your facts or principles.
You say, that in taking General Washington OF,
.rour shoulders 10 bear him harmless through the
Sedcrai Coalition you encounter perilous topic.
do moi think so; "ou have given the genuine his
tory OF the course of his mind through the irwin
scenes III which il was engaged, and OF tho seduc
iions by which il was deceived, but not depraved
think knew General VI dshngton intimately and
thoroughly; and, were | called on to dclineate hi
character, it should be in terms like these:
His mind was great and powerful without be
ing oil the very first ORDER his penetration strong
though not so acute as that of Newton Bacon or
Locke; and, as far as he saw, no Judgment was
ever sounder. 1t was slow in operation, being
little aided by invention or imaginat;on but sure
in conclusion. Hence the common remark of his
officers, OF the advantage lac derived from councils
of war, where, hearing all suggestions, he select
ever planned bis battles more judiciously But. if
derapged during the course Of the action, if any
nember OF his plan was aisiocatcd by sudden cir.
cumstnnces, he was slow in re establishment The
consequence was, that he often failed in the field
aud rarely against enemy in station as a, Boston,
and York. He was incapable of fear maetinor
personal dangers with the calmest unconcerne
Perhaps the strongest feature in his character was
prudence, never acting until every circumstances
every consideration, was niaturely weighed: re
he ca &c a httf yI,.. l.
cded, going through with his purpose whatever
obstacles opposed His integrity was most pure
lis justice the most flexible have ever known.
no motives Of interest or consaDguinty of friend
ship or hatred, being able to bias his decision -
lie was, indeed, in every Of the word,
wise, good, and great His temper was
naturally irritable and hgh-ton bat reflection
and resolution had obtained firm and habituaI as
cendancy over 1t. If ever, however, il broke lis
hounds, he was most tremendous in his wrath. In
Bis expenses, he was honorable but exact; liberal
ia contributions TO whatever promised utility; but
lrowning and unyieldng on all visionary projects
and all unworthy calls Oh his charity. His heart
was not warm in ia aiiec tons but he exactly cal.
culated every mans value, and gave him a solid
esteem propOflioned 10 it. His person. you know
was fine, hia stature exactly what one would wish
ils department easy, erect, and noble; the best
iorserDan OF his sge, and the most graceful figure
that could be seen on horseback. Although in tho
circle Of his friends, where he might be unresery-
Oh with safety, be took d free share ia CONVERSE
tion, his colloqual talents were not above medoc.
Jity, possessing neither copiousnegs Of IDEAS nor
DueDcy Of words In public, when called on for
sudden opinion, he was unroady, short, and EN-
barfassed Yet he wrote readily, rather difusely,
"a a correct style This be had acquired by con.
seTsaiion with he world: Tor his education was
merely reading, writing, and common arithmetic,
to which he added surveying ct later day fiji,
cifne was employed In action, chiefly, reading liz.
tie, and that onlyin agriculture and English His
-cry. His correspondence becafne necessarily ex-
tensive, aud, with journaising his agricultural
lroce edings, occupied most Of his leisure hours
Within doors, On the whole, biz character Nas il,
~ mass, perfect 10 neiling bad IN few points in
different, and il My truly be said, that never Iii,
nature and fortune combine more perfectly TO make
man great, and 10 place him in the same constcI-
isuon with whatever worthless have meri,ed 20.
man an everlasting remembrance. FIR his vas "a