Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-06-18
THE GAZETTE.
AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS.

.ONDAY MORNING, JUNE IS. 1860.
/ HcLSD!L.

Macaulay to him concerning American In
situations, and shows that the sentiments
advancediI. thet letter were Macaulay's de-
iiberate opinions, and that he Mr.. K. yio-
lated no confidence in publishing the letter.
Re Their says:
Several eminent literary gentlemen urged
the publication Of his letter soon after 1t was
received by ne. They believed it contained
an expression Of its authors political opln-
ions not 10 be found in his published WI
tints, which would deeply interest his world
wide circle Of readers; and they argued that
all the circumstances went to show that Lord
,IacauIay himself could feel no aversion to
its publication, Indeed, one wcl-known
literary gentleman-a not unfamiliar ac-
quein,an;e OF lis Lordship-entertained no
GouDt lat the letter was intended for that
express plrpose | did not feel certain that
athe. Of these conclusions was correct.
hnav thct immediate publication would sub
iect II. author 10 attacks which he might
r2larG fs annoyances. thought that Il
Ero2e. delicacy required me if | erred in
he matter. to err on the safe side. there
Gore positively declined TO allow the latter
to be read beyond q limited circle OF friends,
sonS TO it must 90 before the public.
After ,lacaulay'S death, the suggestions
in regard 10 publication were renewed. No
pe.ty annoyauces could now reach him who
sleeps welP' in Westminster Abbey. |
asked myself If it vas probable or possible
,hatth singularly bold and frank man had,
in The full maturity of his powers and his
fame. uttered deliberate opinions on topics
Of public concern, which he would be I'M
willing to have submitted to the inspection
and the judgment of postcrity, and my
conclusion was that the adoption Of such Il
hypothesis would be ali insult to his memo
~. On this conclusion | acted. And | am
willing to submit the propriety OF my con
duct not alone TO ''triers of the yicinagc,' but
to The countrymen Of Lord Macaulay.
will now place beyond cavil the fact that
the opinions in regard 70 the institutions Of
the United States expressed in his letter to
Lie, OF My %, 1857, were deliberate ones.
Or the 18th Of January, 1857, Lord Ma
caulay wrote to me;
Il shall look forward with curiosity to
the appearance of your Life Of Jefferson. |
cannot say that he is one Of my heroes; but
it's very probable that you may convince
me that | have formed an erroneous esti-
mate Of his character There
can, apprehend, be no doubt that your in
situations have during the whole Of the nine
teenta century, been constantly becoming
more .jetlarsonian and less Neutrality-suspicious.
In MY reply to this letter | said, in sub
stance, that while well understood the dit
ference between British Wing and an
American Democrat, was surprised to find
that heart large enough to feel sympathy
I,,.If h., 4
in it for Thomas Jefferson. His answer was
his letter of May %, 1857. 1t will be re-
remembered that in this he closes his for
midablc array Of objections to our institu-
tons, and his gloomy prophecies in regard
to their future by saying: Thinking thus,
u coErSe cannot reckon jefferson among
the bencfactors Of mankina.' In the be-
ginning of the same letter the idea is as dis
tinctly thrown out 10y implication, that the
attack on American institutions to follow, IS
made for the purpose OF sustaining or SHOW
ing the reaS0nablcneSs of his previUu>y cX-
pressed untayorablc estimate OF jefferson.
1t clearly appears then that the views he
entertained of our institutions when his last
letter was written We're entertained By him
when his preceding one was written, or else
that in the intervening four or five months
he had entirely changed his grounds for not
chasing Jefferson as one OF ms heroes -
Tor notrecNoning nm among Tie pchc!ac-
tors OF mankind.
More than year elapsed before | answer
81 the last IN date OF tue ahovc-nameG letters:
Ills reply was immediate, ana 1t was dated
October ,, 1919. In tins he said
lin that letter You expressed, Wiihout the
smallest dlSconrteSy, very decided dissent
from some "pA'oH% "ht" A"rr t""J A@"
.H1mly. am perfectly aware
OF the immense progress which your country
has made and IS ma HinS IN population ana
wealth. know that the laborer with you
has large wages abundant 1ood' ana the
means OF giving some education 10 ms emu
dre1. 3nt see no reason Tor Attr'but'hT
those things To the policy ot Jefferson. see
no reason obeIeye that your progress would
have been less ra?ld-thaV your l"bornG pee
ole would haze been worse ted, or taught, Ii
your Government had been conducted GA
the principles Of Washington and Hamilton.
Nay, you will, am sIre, acknowledge that
the progress you are now making Is only Il
continuation Of the progress which you nave
been making ever since the middle Of The
t7th century, and that the blessings which