Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-05
RICHMoMp, FEB 5.
re Me Editors 81 the Enquirer.


The following letter from Mr.. Jefferson to the
late DIR. Morse, (now for the first time given TO the
world9 is offered to us for publication, by cores
pendent, who conceyes that the remarks which it
contains, although intended fora Society, now no
more, are applicable, ana with great, if not great
or, force 70 the Colonization Society.
4 short history of this letter, accompanied by
some observations relating TO the Colonization So
ciety, will be communicated in few days.
(copr1
MoNTTCELLo. MARCH 6. 1922.
SIR: have duly received your letter of Febru-
airy 18th, and have now TO express my sense of the
honorable station, proposed to my eX-brethren and
myself, in the Constitution OF the Society, for the
civilization and improvement of the Indian tribes
The object too expressed, that of the associa-
ton, IS one which / hare eper had much at heart,
ana never on.:ted an occasion of promoting, while
L have been in situations 20 do it with effect. And
nothing, even now, in the calm of age and retire
ment, would excite in me more lively interest
than an approvable plan of raising that respectable
and unfortunate people from the state of physical
and moral AFFECTION, TO which they have been re-
duced, by circumstances foreign TO them. That
the plan, proposed, is entitled to unmixcd ap-
probation, am not prepared to say After mature
consideration and with all the partiaes. which its
Proiessed object would righifully claim from me-
shall not undertake to draw the line of demarca-
ton 6et'ceen private associations Of Iaudable
rietcS and lu'impoSing numbers, and those lrhose
magnitude may riUaii=e the march Of regular
Government. Yet sUcb line docs e9ist |
have seen the days-they were those which pre-
coded the revolution, tchcR eUen THIS last md
PeTit0uS engine became necessary. Bat then
toeTe days tCtichliO man rO1d GCiSh to see q Sc
c07d iae. That tccS the case, tchere the regular
authorities Of The Gorernment had combined
against the rights Of the people, and no means
| ~ correction remained to them, but to organize
collateral p0lceT, tchich, tcith their suppcrt.
miShf rescue and sec'Te their uiOiated rights
But such is not the case with our Government
! We need hazard no collateral pOiOeY arllich by
change Of its original oie,cS, and assumption of
others ace k10IC not hOio rirtitouS on hour mis-
ctiecouS, tcoltld be ready organised and in fore
St.D'clent 10 shake the established foundations of
society, and endGngeT ats peace and the y,yincpes
on tclici IL IS based. Is not the machine now
proposed of this gigantic stature: 1t is to consist of
the Ex-Presidents of the United States the Vice
Presidents, the Heads OF all the Executive De-
| partments, the Members of the Supreme Judici-
ary, the Governors of the several States and Ter
ritories, ali the Members of both Houses of Con-
| gress, all the General Officers of the ARMY the
Commissioners OF the Navy, all Presidents and
Professors OF Colleges and Theological Seminaries
all the Clergy of the United States the Presidents
and Secretaries of all associations having relation
! TO Indians, all Commanding Officers within or near
Indian Territories, all Indian Superintendent and
! Agents; all these eX-odicio and as many private
individuals will pay a certain price for member
! ship. Observe, too, that the Clergy will consti-
tute" MISUNDERSTANDING of this association and
by the law OF the majority, may command the
twentieth part, composed of ali the hirh autbori-
ties of the United States civil and military These
may be outvoted by the nineteenth parts with I'M
| comfortable power, both TO purpose and process
| Can thiS formidable array be rerieioed icithOut
diSlHGYY 1t will be said. that in this assopiation
will be all the confidential officers of the Govern
ment the choice Of the people themselves No
man on earth has more implicit confidence than
myself in the integrity and discretion of this cho-
sen band of servants; but is confidence. or ,iisrr
] DriD ple If
tuition? II tciH comprehend, indeed all the 6t1ic-
/ tiOn0ries Of the Government, bit seeded from
their constitutional stations guardians of the
nation, and GctiRS, not by the lars of their stu
ton, but by those qf voluntary sociefy haring
no limit Ia their purposes, 6ut the same 9riH
acbich constitutes their existence. II igIl be- the
authorities Of The people anil all influential char
GcteTS among them, dTT0Ved on OHc side 0y,4 on
II is a fearful array. 1t viii be said that these
are imaginary fears know they are so at pre-
sent. i know it is as impossible for these AGENTS
OF choice and unbOunded confidence TO b9rbor
Constitution, as for gravity to change its direction
and gravid bodies TO mount upwards. The fears
are, indeed, imaginary, but the example is renl-
Under its authority a precedent future associa-
tons viii arise with objects with which we should
shudder NJ ths time. The Society of Jacobns in
another country, was instituted on principles and
views as virtuous as ever kindlcd the hearts OF
Patriots. n IcGs the Dltre gafr0t;sDl of their
limits of the nation, ond rendered their B0trer
tciGti1 it bOu8dcss: and tgnS their p0,cer trfich
! degeReTdteG their principles and practices to
such ep0Tnlties as HcUer 6efOre could hare been
| imagined; yet these were men and we and our
descendants will be no more. The present is a
case, where, if ever we to guard against our
selves: not against ourselves we are but as we
may be, for who imagine what we NAV
I become under circumstances not now Imaginable
The object, too, OF this institution seems to require
so hazardous an example, as little rs ans one
] which could be proposed. The Govcrnnent is, at
This time, going on with the process OF ciyilizing
| the Indians, on plan probably as promising as
any Of us IS able 60 devise, and with resources
more competent than we could expectt 10 command
by voluntary taxation. Is II that MeneD ch1rGc-
ters called into asS0ci0fidn UiH those Of the Go
ueTnmeHt loiscr than these; is il that plan
originated by meeting Of private individuals. is
better than that prepared by The concentrated wis
dom OF the nation, OF men not scif-ChOsen, but
clothed with the full confidence Of the pcople2 Il
u That there is no oGnger that ncC 0tfhOsifv
marching Independently alongside the GOUeyH-
ment igl MeS0me line and 10 the same object giqv
not produce collision, may not HicGrt and ob-
stTuct the operations Of the Government or 1cycsf
the object entirely from their baRds2 Might we
not well appoiu; Committee for each Depart
ment Of the Government TO counsel and direct its
head separately, volunteer ourselves to counsel
and direct the whole in mass; and might we not
do it well FOR eir foreign, thei fiscal and thcr
military, as for their indian affairs2 and hots mann
societies, auxiliary to the GOrcrHment, may IRE
net c1pect To sce spTing up in imitation If this
ofering TO associate themselves IN this anil that
/ Of its functions? In word, why not take the
/ Government ont Of its constitutional hands $50
ciate them, indeed, with US, 60 preserve sem
blance that the acts theirs. but ensurng them