The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-01-15


LETTER rRoM THOMAS JEFFERSON 70 JAMES
rHe MoNRoE. .hf
MoNTICRLLo, October %, 1923.
To rHs PRESIDENT;
Dear lSr-The question presented by the
letters you have sent me is the most mo-
mentous which has ever been offered 70 my
contemplation since that of independence.
That made us a nation, this sets the COM
pass and points the course which we arc 20
steer through the ocean of time opening
upon u.s. And never could we embark upon
IL under circumstances more auspicious.
Our first and fundamental maxim should
be, never to entanglc ourselves in tho broils
of Europe. Our second, neUcr 20 siGer
Europe 10 iRtermeddle Nth Cis-Atldntie df-
fairs. America, North and South, has & set
of interests distinct from those of Europe,
and peculiarly her own. She should there
fore have a system of her own, separate and
apart from that Of Europe.
While the last Is laboring to become the
domicile of despotisnl, our endeavor should
surely be to make our hemisphere that of
freedom. One nation, most of all, could
disturb us In this pursuit; she now offers
to lead, aid, and accompany us in IL. by
acccding to her proposition, we detach her
from the band of despots, bring her mighty
weight into the scale of free government,
and emancipate continent at one stroke,
which might otherwise linger long In
doubt and difficulty. Great Britain ia the
nation which can do US the most harm of
any one or all on earth; aud with her on
our side, we need not fear the whole world.
With her, then. we should most sedulously
cherish a cordial friendship; and nothing
would tend more to knit our affections than
to be fighting once more, side by SIDE, In
the same cause. Not that ! would pur-
chase even her amlty at the price of taking
part In her wars.
But The lodr IN tohich the present prOpOSi
tioa might engage aS, should that be It's con-
sequence, is not her todr, but ours. It's object
Is 10 introduce and establish the american
syStem of keeping out Of our land all foreign
pOioers, Of heUer permitting those Of Europe
TO iatermeddle ,oith tie affairs Of our Rdtfon
Ii is to maintain our own principle, not TO
depart from it. And il, to facilitate this,
we can effect a division in the body Of the
European powers and draw over to our
side It's most powerful member, surely we
should do it. But am clearly Of Mr.. Can
ning's opinion that IL will prevent, instead
of provoking war. With Great Britain
withdrawn from their scale, and shifted
into that of our two continents all Europe
combined would not undertake such war.
For how would they propose to get at
either enemy without superior fleets? Nor
is the occasion to be Sighted which this
proposition offers. OF declaring our protest
against the dtr0cious UiOldtfONs Of the rights
Of nations, by The Interference Of any one in
The Internal affairs Of another, so tiagitiously
began by Bonaparte, and now continued by
the equally lawless Alliance calling itself
Holy. N r'.tfH
But we have first to ask ourselves a ques-
tion. Do we wish to acquire to our own
cOnfederacy any one or more of the SPAN
ish provinoesl | candidly confess that
have ever looked on Cuba as the most In
teresting addition which could ever be
made to our system Of States The con-
troll which, with Florida point, this island
would give us over the Gulf of Mexico,
and the countries and isthmus bordering
on II, as well as all those whose waters
flow into it, would fill up the measure of
our political well-being. Yet, as am sem
sible that this can never be obtained, even
with her own consent, but by war, and its
Independence, which Is our second interest
land especially Its Independence of Eng
land), can be secured without it, have no
hesitation in abandoning my first wish to
future chances, and accepting its inde-
pendence, with peace and the friendship of
England rather than its association at the
expense of the war and her enInity.
| could honestly, therefore, join in the
declaration proposed, that we aim not at
the acquisition of any of those possessions,
that we will not stand in the way OF any
amicable arrangement between them and
the mother country; but that we will OPP
pose, with all our means, the forcible in
deposition Of any other power as auxiliary,
supendary, or under any other form or
preteNt. and most especially their transfer
to any power by conquest cession, or acqui-
sition in any other way. should think IL,
therefore, advisable that the Executive
should encourage the British Government
to continuance in the dispositions ex-
pressed in these letters, by an assurance Of
his concurrence with them so far as his au-
thority goes and that, as it may lead to
act of Congress, the case shall be laid before
them for consideration at their first meet7
ing, and uIIler the reasonable aspect IN
which it is seen by himself.
! have been so long weaned from politi-
cal subjects, and have so long ceased to
take any interest in them, that am sensi-
bic am not qualified to offer opinions on
them worthy Of any attention. But The
question moo proposed Involves consequences
so lasting, and effects so deeisi0eQf our future
deStiRies, as 10 rekindle all the interest hdUe
heretofore JeIt on such occasions, and to In
duce me to the hazard of opinions which
will prove only my wish TO contribute still
my mite toward any thing that may be use
ful to our country. Aud in the hope that
you accept 1t for what IL is worth, | give
you the assurance of my constant and af-
fcctionate friendship and respect.
I'D .. .o.I TIL. JEFFERSON.
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