Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-06-14
AMERUCAN INSTITUTIONS.
LORD MAoAULAY's LETTER ToTHE BIoGRAPHEl
OF JEFFERSON.
LETTER FROM Ron. HENRY s. RANDALL.

/ To the Editor of me Netg York IimeS.
am informed that among the comments OF the Flu
gsh press on Lord Macauays recently published letter
to me-al of which escaped my notice amidst my en-
gagemens the Charleston Convention-are some which
intimate doubts whether that letter contained iair ex
preston of its authors opinions in regard the issttu
/ lions of the United States. slip has recently been
forwarded 10 me- cut from the New York Times believe,
which gives 4 letter copied from some unnamed English
newspaper, the writer OF which Mr.. William Parker
Snow AYERS that IN conversations with himself IN 1880,
Lord Macaulay uttered Sentiments somewhat different
from those written 10 me, aud that conversations held
seven wears later with him disclosed change in his
views. But the portion of Mr.. Shows communication
which more particularly wish TO call attention is as
follows:
THE STYLE of the letter to Mr. Randall is partly such
as belongs to Lord Macauay aud partly not. Hence l
infer that it may have been written hastily under that
illness from which he recovering just about the time
/ il is dated"
The above remarks viii probably derive degree of
Importance in the public eve from the fact that in the
editorial preface TO the letter Mr. Snow is stated to have
been a former secretary Of Lord Macaulay. And am
told that another iormer secretary othe deceased his
toran has very confidently assumed that he could
have uttered such views and in such form, If he had
supposed there the least chance of their being made
| public.
Both of these assumptions imply that have inten-
tiOnlly uniutentionally done an injustice TO Lord
Macauay in permitting the publication of his letter.
The letter itself exhibits no marks OF haste or Illness
The penmanshp indicates unusual care The punctua-
ton is complete Two three slight verbal corrections
are iuer,ued which shown by the different hue Of
the ink have been made after the body OF the letter
was written The sentiments expressed are, in spite OF
Mr. Shows recollections the deliberate of the wr
ter have tile means TO show, and will show before
| closing this letter.
The inuendo that must have violated his confidence
not being founded on any known fact is simply mpu
dent When Lord Macauay poured out his burning
structures American Institutions he addressing an
entire personal and whom he knew to be
an American citizen His letter contained no injunction
Of secreSy, expressed implied There had been moth
ing IN the previous correspondence to render such an n-
junction unnecessary if he considered secrecy desirable
had not even asked his opinions OF our institutions be
threw them out argumentatyey, ostensbly to tortty
or explain an adverse position taken in previous letter
| to me.
Several eminent literary gentlemen urged the publca-
ton OF his letter after received by me- They
believed it contained expression of its authors po-
cal opinions not 10 be found in his published writings
\ which would deeply interest his worldwide circle Of
readers aud they argued that all the circumstances went
20 show that Lord MAcauay himself could feel 10 aver
sion TO its publication. Indeed, weknOwn literary
geutleman-a not unfamiliar acquaintance o. His Lord
Shp-euterained no doubt that the letter intended
for that express purpose did feel certain that eth
er of these conclusions correct knew that imme
date publication would subject the author to attacks
which he might regard annoyances thought that
proper decacy required me- if erred in the matter, to
err on the safe side therefore positively declined to
allow the letter TO be read beyond limited circle of
friends who distinctly apprised that on illusions to
] i, must 20 before the public
After Lord Macaudys death, the suggestions in re-
gard TO publication renewed. No petty aunOyances
could now reach him who sleeps well IN Westminster
Abbey. asked myself if it was probable or possible that
this suguarly bold and frank man had in the iul ma
urty OF his powers and lis fame, uttered deliberate
opinions on topics Of public concern which he would be
unwilling to have submitted the inspection and the
Judgment of poserity; and my conclusion was that the
adoption Of such hypothesis would be an insult TO his
memory. On this conclusion ! acted. And am vii
ling to submit the propriety OF my conduct not alone to
ers Of the yciuage, but to the countrymen OF Lord
| Mlcaulay.
will now place beyond cayi the fact that the opin-
ions in regard the institutions of the Uuited STATES,
expressed in his letter to me OF May %, 1851 de-
/ berate ones.
On the 18th of January, 1857, Lord Macaulay wrote
/ TO me:
81 shall look forward with curiosity to the appearance
Of your Life of Jefferson. cannot say that he is
of my heroes but it is very probable that YOU may
vince me that have formed an estimate Of
his character. There can appreheud,
be no doubt that your institutions have, during the
whole OF the nineteenth century been constantly be-
/ coming more Jeffersonian and less Washingtonan'
I'm nv reply to tins letter said in substance, that
while well understood the difference between British
Wing and an American Democrat surprised find
shat heart large enough to feel sympathy for Give aud
Hastings had in il for Thomas Jefferson.
HIS answer his letter OF May % 1851 Ii will be
remembered that in this he closes his formidable array
of objections Institutions and his gloomy prophe
ciss in regard TO their future, by saying: Thinking
thus Of course cannot reckon Jefferson among the ben
efactors Of mankind in the beginning of the same let
ter the idea il distinctly thrown out by implication,
that the attack American institutions 10 follow is
made for the purpose Of sustaining showing the
sonableness OF his previously expressed uuvobe ost:-
mate Of jefferson. Il clearly appears then, that the
views he entertained OF institutions when his last let
t.r was written entertained by him when his prece
ding one written else that in the intervening four
or FIVE months he had entirely changed his grounds for
not CHASING Jefferson zone OF his heroeS-ior not
/ reckoning him among the beueiactors Of mankind
| More than year elapsed before | answered the last
In date Of the abovenamed letters. His reply i'm
mediate and Il dated October Q, 1858. In this he
said
"n that letter YOU expressed without the smallest dis.
COURTESY a very decided dissent from some opinions
/ rdicL haze long ksid firmly. am per
ecy aware of the immense progress which your coun-
try has made aud is making in population aud wealth.
| / know that the laborer with YOU has large wages,
abundant food and the means OF giving some educa-
ton 10 his children. But | reason for attribu-
/ ting those things to the policy Of Jefferson. see
reason TO believe that your progress would have been
less rapid-thst your lahoring people would have been
worse fed taught, if your Government had been con-
Quoted on the principles of Washington and Hamilton.
Nav you will an sure acknowledge that the progress
/ YOU making il only continuation OF the pro
press which you have been making since the mid
die of the tn century and that the blessings which you
now enjoy enjoyed by your iorefalhers who
LOYAL subjects of the kings of England. The contrast
between the sbOrers OF New York and the abOrers Of
Europe is not stronger than il when New ork
was governed by nObemen and gentlemen commission
cd under the English great seal And there this
moment dependencies 81 he English crown in which
all the phenomena which yOu attribute 10 purely De-
mocratic Institutions may be in the highest
/ perfection. The Colony OF Victoria in Australia
planted only twenty years ago. The population is now,
suppose near million. The revenue is enormous
| " million sterling and raised without any murmuring.
The wages of labor higher than they with
| ycu Immense sums expended on education. And
this is province governed by the delegate Of heredit-
ary sovereign It, therefore, to quite clear that
the facts which you cite TO prove the excellence of purely
democratic institutions ought be ascrbed not to those
institutions bat TO which operated in America long
before your Declaration of Independence and which
still operating in many parts OF the British Empire. GU
will perceive therefore, that do not propose, you
thought sacrifice the Interests of the present genera
ton those OF remote generations. 1t would indeed,
be absurd in nation to part with institutions 70 whchit
is indebted for immense present property from ap
preheuSiOn that after the lapse ola century those us
buttons may be found TO produce mischief But do not
admit that the prosperity which your country enjoys arises
from those parts of your polty which may be called in
especial Jegsonan. Those parts of your poty
already produce bad effects and will, unless am greatly
mistaken produce fatal effects If they shall last till
North America has hundred inhabitants the square
mile
As Lord Macauay in his letter heretofore published,
made aluson "odous stories about Mr. Jeferson's
private life" it is perhaps than just to him to
say that in letter to me dated January s. 1852 he sub
Stantisly that he reposcs further confidence
in those sOries but his remarks the subject