Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-01-15


had afforded 4 handle to alarmists, h,
should have estimated all these circum
stances at their proper !aue, and eve,
chosen the moment for recommending {,
Statesmen to allow more and more scope
to the expression Of popular feeling nay
even Tor laying down the maxim, that Ii
Tie rebellion now and then was a positive
Sood. Writing to Colonel EDWARD CAR
nINGroN, 10Th January, I1S7, he saws.
The tumults IN America, 1 expected.
would have produced in Europe. aid un-
favorable opinion of our politica state.
| But 1t has not Gu tho contrary. the
small effect of these tumults seems
| hayeigiven more confidence in the firm
ness of our Governments. The interposi
ton Of the people themselves on the side
Of Government has had great OBJECT on
the opinion here. am persuaded my
self, that the good sense ofthc people will
| always be found To be the best army
They may be led astray for a moment,
Il: will soon correct themselves. The
people are the only censors of their 60
veruors, and even their errors Will tend
to keep them to the true principles of their
institution. TO punish these errors too
severely, would be TO suppress the only
safeguard of the public liberty. The way
to prevent these irregular interpretations Of
the people, is to give them full iniorma-
ton of their affairs through the channel
Of the public papers, and to contrive tina.
| those papers should penetrate the whole
mass Of the people. The basis of our Go
vernments being the opinion of the people,
the very first object should be to keep that
right and were it left to me to decide
whether we should have a Governme mt
| without newspapers, or newspapers with
out Government, | should not hesitate a
moment TO prefer the latter. But should
mean that every man should receive those
papers, and be capable of reading them.
am convinced that those societies (as the
Indians which live without Government
enjoy in their general mass an infinitely
greater degree Of happiness than those
who live under the European Govern.
meu:s. Among the former, public opin-
ion is in the place of law, and restrains
morals as powerfully as laws ever did any
where. Among the latter, under pre-.
tence of governing, they have divided
| their nations into classes, wolves and
sheep. l do not exaggerate. This is a
true picture of Europe. Cherish, there
fore, the spirit of our people, and keep a
live their attention. Do not be too Sc
| we're upon their errors, but reclaim them
by enIightening them. If once they De-
come inattcntive TO the public affairs, you
and /, and Congress and Assemblies
Judges 81 Governors. shall all become
wolves 1t seems to be the law of our
general nature, in spite OF individual ex.
ceptions and experience declares that
is the only animal which devours his own
kind ; for ] can apply no mlder term to
the Governments Of Europe, and to the
general prey Of the rich on the poor"
In letter to Mr.. MADISON, his Sue
cessor in the PresidentsEip, dated Both
Jan, 1857, he says, )" Societies exist un-
der three forms, sufficiently distinguishes
ble-l. Without Governments, as among
our Indians. 2. Under Governments
wherein the will of every one has a Just
influence as is the case in England, in a
slight degree, and in our States in a great
one. 3. Under Governments Of force as
is the case in all other Monarchies, and in
most of the other Republics. To have an
idea OF the course ofexistence under these
last, they must be seen. II is Govern
meDt of wolves over sheep. 1t is pro.
bIem not clear in my mind that their first
condition is not the best But believe il
to be inconsistent with any great degree
Of population. The second state has a
great deal of good in it, The mass o.
mankind under that, enjoys a precious
degree ofliberty and happiness. 1t ha;
its evils too the principal OF which is the
turbulence TO which it is subject. Blu
weigh this against the expressions of Mon
archy, and it becomes nothing Nnhu pc
ricufoSdm HbCrtat.m quom quictam SerUi
tufem. Even this evil is productive o
good. 1t prevents the degeneracy of 60
vernment, and nourishes a general at
tention to the public affairs. hold it
, that little rebellion now and theI
, is a very good thing, and as necessary il
the political world as storms in the physi
, cal. Unsuccessful rebellioDs, indeed
I generally establish the encroachments o
the rights oil the people w,ich have pre-
. duced them. An observation Of thi
truth should render honest RePublica
r Governors so mild in their punishment {
h iebelIions, as not 10 discourage them TO
much. 1t is medicine necessary for tt
sound health Of government"
2 Mr.. JEFFERSON was not one who preached
= others what he did not practise himself NJ
! ADAMS, his predecessor, man whose no
= our ard purity no one has ever disputed, W
! unfortunately of an irritable temperament, a
II rather too warm an adnirer both Of The mea SUI
u Of the English Government, and tho petty, pc
1t vish and useless for any other purpose tn