Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-10-05
tURLisHED DAILY BY
NUEL SNOW y,
TUESDAY. OCTOBER 5, 1850.
Lepsr from Thomas Je6iTsson to John .admns.

IRtef from Ih0TpnS JWeTSoH 10 Jo"N sfetah"S'
"A friend has oblisinsly selected for US the toll
ewing letter Of Thomas Jefferson, written seven
years since. The letter will be read with much
f~nterest at this time, and the passages we have ital-
riseh will no do,Mt leave on the mind Of the rea-
der a lasting impression Of the depth Of intellect
and accuracy of observatRn which were the char
acteristics of their ilu.trious author.
"MoNrcELLo, September 1. 1928.
dear Sir-Your letter of August the 18th was
rrceiyed IN due time, and with the welcome o.
every thing which comes from YOU. With its
apinions ON the difficulties Of revolutions from
aespotism 10 freedom, l very much concur. The
generation which commences a revolution, very
varely completes it. iiabituated from their in-
fancy TO passive Submission of body and mind to
their Kings and Priests, they are not qualified,
when called on. to think aud provide for theuT-
selves; and their incXperience, their ignorance
and bisotry. make them Instruments often IN the
hands Of the Bonapartes and lturbldes, to defeat
their own rights and purposes. Inns IS the pre-
sent situation of Europe and Spanish America
But it is not desperate. The light which has been
shed on mankind by the art of printing, has emf.
nently changed the condition of the world. As
vet, the light has dawned Oh the middling classes
only of the mcn in Europe. The Kings and the
.rao5ie, Of equal ignorance, have not vet received
Its RAYS. but il continues 10 spread. and While
printing is preserved, 1t can no more r"cede than
the sun return on its course. A first attempt to
recover the right of seif-government may fail; so
NAV a second, u third, &c. But as a Younger and
more instructed race comes on, the sentiment be-
comes more and more i~ntuitiVe. aud Il fourth, a
hfth, Or some subsequent one Of the e yer renewed
attempts will ultimately succeed. In France,
die first effort was defeated BY Robespierre, the
second by Bonaparte, the third BY Louis XVIII.
and his allies; another is yet 10 coRae. and all En-
-ope- Russia e~reepteL, has caught the spirii; and
al tcil al aia representative gooer'naent. more or
less peGsc'. This Is now we'll understood to be
Q necessary check on kings, whom they vW pro-
5aJly Xin& IL none pTudeaf 10 change 0ad tame,
.aai 10 ~erssnniaa,e. To attain ali this, rirerS Of
slood musi fo,o and years of desolation pass over;
yet the object is tcorih rivers OF blood aud years
Of desolation. For what inheritance so valuable
can man leave to his posteritys The spirit ofthe
Spa,tiarst, and his deadly ard eternal haze 10 a
Fseachmaa, gice me much confidence that he wiH
rsoer submit, but finally defeat this atrOc.ous VI
o@la,ion Of the laws Of God and man, under which
he is suffering; and the wisdom and frnnc&s of
tue Cortes afford reasonable hope, that thai nation
ooK scH!s iopa ia ~aiemperate representative go
oernnleaf, 1Oih an e~cecu'ire property SubOrditaf-
ed 10 that, Portugal, Eaiy. Prussia, Germany.
Greece, wW i6H)l9 sui. You and | shall look
down from another world on these glorious achiev-
mcnts Of man. which. will add II to the JOYS even Of
Heaven. tn. JEFFEhSoS."