Thesubsequentsignaturesofmemberswhowerenotthenpresent，andsomeofthemnotyetinoffice，iseasilyexplained，ifweobservewhotheywere；towit，thattheywereofNewYorkandPennsylvania。NewYorkdidnotsigntillthe15th，becauseitwasnottillthe9th，fivedaysafterthegeneralsignature，thattheirconventionauthorizedthemtodoso。TheconventionofPennsylvania，learningthatithadbeensignedbyaminorityonlyoftheirdelegates，namedanewdelegationonthe20th，leavingoutMr。
　　Dickinson，whohadrefusedtosign，WillingandHumphreyswhohadwithdrawn，reappointingthethreememberswhohadsigned，Morriswhohadnotbeenpresent，andfivenewones，towit，Rush，Clymer，Smith，TaylorandRoss；andMorrisandthefivenewmemberswerepermittedtosign，becauseitmanifestedtheassentoftheirfulldelegation，andtheexpresswilloftheirconvention，whichmighthavebeendoubtedontheformersignatureofaminorityonly。WhythesignatureofThorntonofNewHampshirewaspermittedsolateasthe4thofNovember，Icannotnowsay；butundoubtedlyforsomeparticularreasonwhichweshouldfindtohavebeengood，haditbeenexpressed。Theseweretheonlypost-signers，andyousee，Sir，thatthereweresolidreasonsforreceivingthoseofNewYorkandPennsylvania，andthatthiscircumstanceinnowiseaffectsthefaithofthisdeclaratorycharterofourrightsandoftherightsofman。
　　Withaviewtocorrecterrorsoffactbeforetheybecomeinveteratebyrepetition，IhavestatedwhatIfindessentiallymaterialinmypapers；butwiththatbrevitywhichthelaborofwritingconstrainsmetouse。
　　Onthefourthparticulararticlesofinquiryinyourletter，respectingyourgrandfather，thevenerableSamuelAdams，neithermemorynormemorandumsenablemetogiveanyinformation。Icansaythathewastrulyagreatman，wiseincouncil，fertileinresources，immovableinhispurposes，andhad，Ithink，agreatersharethananyothermember，inadvisinganddirectingourmeasures，inthenorthernwarespecially。Asaspeakerhecouldnotbecomparedwithhislivingcolleagueandnamesake，whosedeepconceptions，nervousstyle，andundauntedfirmness，madehimtrulyourbulwarkindebate。ButMr。SamuelAdams，althoughnotoffluentelocution，wassorigorouslylogical，soclearinhisviews，abundantingoodsense，andmasteralwaysofhissubject，thathecommandedthemostprofoundattentionwheneverheroseinanassemblybywhichthefrothofdeclamationwasheardwiththemostsovereigncontempt。Isincerelyrejoicethattherecordofhisworthistobeundertakenbyonesomuchdisposedasyouwillbetohandhimdownfairlytothatposterityforwhoselibertyandhappinesshewassozealousalaborer。
　　Withsentimentsofsincerevenerationforhismemory，acceptyourselfthistributetoitwiththeassurancesofmygreatrespect。
　　P。S。August6th，1822，sincethedateofthisletter，towit，thisday，August6th，’22，IreceivedthenewpublicationofthesecretJournalsofCongress，whereinisstatedaresolution，July19th，1776，thatthedeclarationpassedonthe4thbefairlyengrossedonparchment，andwhenengrossed，besignedbyeverymember；andanotherofAugust2d，thatbeingengrossedandcomparedatthetable，wassignedbythemembers。Thatistosaythecopyengrossedonparchmentfordurabilitywassignedbythemembersafterbeingcomparedatthetablewiththeoriginalone，signedonpaperasbeforestated。IaddthisP。S。tothecopyofmylettertoMr。Wells，topreventconfoundingthesignatureoftheoriginalwiththatofthecopyengrossedonparchment。
　　THEVALUEOFCLASSICALLEARNING
　　_ToJohnBrazier_
　　_PoplarForest，August24，1819_
　　SIR，——TheacknowledgmentofyourfavorofJuly15th，andthanksfortheReviewwhichitcoveredofMr。Pickering’sMemoirontheModernGreek，havebeendelayedbyavisittoanoccasionalbutdistantresidencefromMonticello，andtoanattackhereofrheumatismwhichisjustnowmoderating。Ihadbeenmuchpleasedwiththememoir，andwasmuchalsowithyourreviewofit。Ihavelittlehopeindeedoftherecoveryoftheancientpronunciationofthatfinestofhumanlanguages，butstillIrejoiceattheattentionthesubjectseemstoexcitewithyou，becauseitisanevidencethatourcountrybeginstohaveatasteforsomethingmorethanmerelyasmuchGreekaswillpassacandidateforclericalordination。
　　Youaskmyopinionontheextenttowhichclassicallearningshouldbecarriedinourcountry。Asicklyconditionpermitsmetothink，andarheumatichandtowritetoobrieflyonthislitigatedquestion。TheutilitieswederivefromtheremainsoftheGreekandLatinlanguagesare，first，asmodelsofpuretasteinwriting。Tothesewearecertainlyindebtedforthenationalandchastestyleofmoderncompositionwhichsomuchdistinguishesthenationstowhomtheselanguagesaefamiliar。Withoutthesemodelsweshouldprobablyhavecontinuedtheinflatedstyleofournorthernancestors，orthehyperbolicalandvagueoneoftheeast。Second。Amongthevaluesofclassicallearning，IestimatetheluxuryofreadingtheGreekandRomanauthorsinallthebeautiesoftheiroriginals。Andwhyshouldnotthisinnocentandelegantluxurytakeitspreeminentstandaheadofallthoseaddressedmerelytothesenses?Ithinkmyselfmoreindebtedtomyfatherforthisthanforalltheotherluxurieshiscaresandaffectionshaveplacedwithinmyreach；andmorenowthanwhenyounger，andmoresusceptibleofdelightsfromothersources。
　　Whenthedecaysofagehaveenfeebledtheusefulenergiesofthemind，theclassicpagesfillupthevacuumof_ennui_，andbecomesweetcomposerstothatrestofthegraveintowhichweareallsoonerorlatertodescend。Third。Athirdvalueisinthestoresofrealsciencedepositedandtransmittedusintheselanguages，to-wit：inhistory，ethics，arithmetic，geometry，astronomy，naturalhistory，&c。
　　Buttowhomarethesethingsuseful?Certainlynottoallmen。
　　Thereareconditionsoflifetowhichtheymustbeforeverestranged，andthereareepochsoflifetoo，afterwhichtheendeavortoattainthemwouldbeagreatmisemploymentoftime。Theiracquisitionshouldbetheoccupationofourearlyyearsonly，whenthememoryissusceptibleofdeepandlastingimpressions，andreasonandjudgmentnotyetstrongenoughforabstractspeculations。Tothemoralisttheyarevaluable，becausetheyfurnishethicalwritingshighlyandjustlyesteemed：althoughinmyownopinion，themodernsarefaradvancedbeyondtheminthislineofscience，thedivinefindsintheGreeklanguageatranslationofhisprimarycode，ofmoreimportancetohimthantheoriginalbecausebetterunderstood；and，inthesamelanguage，thenewercode，withthedoctrinesoftheearliestfathers，wholivedandwrotebeforethesimplepreceptsofthefounderofthismostbenignandpureofallsystemsofmoralitybecamefritteredintosubtletiesandmysteries，andhiddenunderjargonsincomprehensibletothehumanmind。Totheseoriginalsourceshemustnow，therefore，return，torecoverthevirginpurityofhisreligion。ThelawyerfindsintheLatinlanguagethesystemofcivillawmostconformablewiththeprinciplesofjusticeofanywhichhaseveryetbeenestablishedamongmen，andfromwhichmuchhasbeenincorporatedintoourown。Thephysicianasgoodacodeofhisartashasbeengivenustothisday。Theoriesandsystemsofmedicine，indeed，havebeeninperpetualchangefromthedaysofthegoodHippocratestothedaysofthegoodRush，butwhichofthemisthetrueone?thepresent，tobesure，aslongasitisthepresent，buttoyielditsplaceinturntothenextnovelty，whichisthentobecomethetruesystem，andistomarkthevastadvanceofmedicinesincethedaysofHippocrates。
　　Oursituationiscertainlybenefitedbythediscoveryofsomenewandveryvaluablemedicines；andsubstitutingthoseforsomeofhiswiththetreasureoffacts，andofsoundobservationsrecordedbyhimmixedtobesurewithanilitiesofhisdayandweshallhavenearlythepresentsumofthehealingart。Thestatesmanwillfindintheselanguageshistory，politics，mathematics，ethics，eloquence，loveofcountry，towhichhemustaddthesciencesofhisownday，forwhichofthemshouldbeunknowntohim?Andallthesciencesmustrecurtotheclassicallanguagesfortheetymon，andsoundunderstandingoftheirfundamentalterms。ForthemerchantIshouldnotsaythatthelanguagesareanecessary。Ethics，mathematics，geography，politicaleconomy，history，seemtoconstitutetheimmediatefoundationsofhiscalling。Theagriculturistneedsethics，mathematics，chemistryandnaturalphilosophy。Themechanicthesame。Tothemthelanguagesarebutornamentandcomfort。Iknowitisoftensaidtherehavebeenshiningexamplesofmenofgreatabilitiesinallthebusinessesoflife，withoutanyothersciencethanwhattheyhadgatheredfromconversationsandintercoursewiththeworld。ButwhocansaywhatthesemenwouldnothavebeenhadtheystartedinthescienceontheshouldersofaDemosthenesorCicero，ofaLockeorBacon，oraNewton?Tosumthewhole，therefore，itmaytrulybesaidthattheclassicallanguagesareasolidbasisformost，andanornamenttoallthesciences。
　　Iamwarnedbymyachingfingerstoclosethishastysketch，andtoplaceheremylastandfondestwishesfortheadvancementofourcountryintheusefulsciencesandarts，andmyassurancesofrespectandesteemfortheRevieweroftheMemoironmodernGreek。
　　LIMITSTOJUDICIALREVIEW
　　_ToJudgeSpencerRoane_
　　_PoplarForest，September6，1819_
　　DEARSIR，——IhadreadintheEnquirer，andwithgreatapprobation，thepiecessignedHampden，andhavereadthemagainwithredoubledapprobation，inthecopiesyouhavebeensokindastosendme。Isubscribetoeverytittleofthem。Theycontainthetrueprinciplesoftherevolutionof1800，forthatwasasrealarevolutionintheprinciplesofourgovernmentasthatof1776wasinitsform；noteffectedindeedbythesword，asthat，butbytherationalandpeaceableinstrumentofreform，thesuffrageofthepeople。Thenationdeclareditswillbydismissingfunctionariesofoneprinciple，andelectingthoseofanother，inthetwobranches，executiveandlegisltaive，submittedtotheirelection。Overthejudiciarydepartment，theconstitutionhaddeprivedthemoftheircontrol。That，therefore，hascontinuedthereprobatedsystem，andalthoughnewmatterhasbeenoccasionallyincorporatedintotheold，yettheleavenoftheoldmassseemstoassimilatetoitselfthenew，andaftertwentyyears’confirmationofthefederalsystembythevoiceofthenation，declaredthroughthemediumofelections，wefindthejudiciaryoneveryoccasion，stilldrivingusintoconsolidation。
　　Indenyingtherighttheyusurpofexclusivelyexplainingtheconstitution，Igofurtherthanyoudo，ifIunderstandrightlyyourquotationfromtheFederalist，ofanopinionthat”thejudiciaryisthelastresortinrelation_totheotherdepartments_ofthegovernment，butnotinrelationtotherightsofthepartiestothecompactunderwhichthejudiciaryisderived。”Ifthisopinionbesound，thenindeedisourconstitutionacomplete_felodese_。Forintendingtoestablishthreedepartments，co-ordinateandindependent，thattheymightcheckandbalanceoneanother，ithasgiven，accordingtothisopinion，tooneofthemalone，therighttoprescriberulesforthegovernmentoftheothers，andtothatonetoo，whichisunelectedby，andindependentofthenation。Forexperiencehasalreadyshownthattheimpeachmentithasprovidedisnotevenascare-crow；thatsuchopinionsastheoneyoucombat，sentcautiouslyout，asyouobservealso，bydetachment，notbelongingtothecaseoften，butsoughtforoutofit，asiftorallythepublicopinionbeforehandtotheirviews，andtoindicatethelinetheyaretowalkin，havebeensoquietlypassedoverasnevertohaveexcitedanimadversion，eveninaspeechofanyoneofthebodyentrustedwithimpeachment。Theconstitution，onthishypothesis，isamerethingofwaxinthehandsofthejudiciary，whichtheymaytwistandshapeintoanyformtheyplease。Itshouldberemembered，asanaxiomofeternaltruthinpolitics，thatwhateverpowerinanygovernmentisindependent，isabsolutealso；intheoryonly，atfirst，whilethespiritofthepeopleisup，butinpractice，asfastasthatrelaxes。
　　Independencecanbetrustednowherebutwiththepeopleinmass。
　　Theyareinherentlyindependentofallbutmorallaw。Myconstructionoftheconstitutionisverydifferentfromthatyouquote。Itisthateachdepartmentistrulyindependentoftheothers，andhasanequalrighttodecideforitselfwhatisthemeaningoftheconstitutioninthecasessubmittedtoitsaction；andespecially，whereitistoactultimatelyandwithoutappeal。Iwillexplainmyselfbyexamples，which，havingoccurredwhileIwasinoffice，arebetterknowntome，andtheprincipleswhichgovernedthem。
　　Alegislaturehadpassedtheseditionlaw。Thefederalcourtshadsubjectedcertainindividualstoitspenaltiesoffineandimprisonment。Oncomingintooffice，Ireleasedtheseindividualsbythepowerofpardoncommittedtoexecutivediscretion，whichcouldneverbemoreproperlyexercisedthanwherecitizensweresufferingwithouttheauthorityoflaw，or，whichwasequivalent，underalawunauthorizedbytheconstitution，andthereforenull。InthecaseofMarburyandMadison，thefederaljudgesdeclaredthatcommissions，signedandsealedbythePresident，werevalid，althoughnotdelivered。Ideemeddeliveryessentialtocompleteadeed，which，aslongasitremainsinthehandsoftheparty，isasyetnodeed，itisin_posse_only，butnotin_esse_，andIwithhelddeliveryofthecommissions。TheycannotissueamandamustothePresidentorlegislature，ortoanyoftheirofficers*。WhentheBritishtreatyof——arrived，withoutanyprovisionagainsttheimpressmentofourseamen，Ideterminednottoratifyit。TheSenatethoughtIshouldasktheiradvice。Ithoughtthatwouldbeamockeryofthem，whenIwaspredeterminedagainstfollowingit，shouldtheyadviseitsratification。Theconstitutionhadmadetheiradvicenecessarytoconfirmatreaty，butnottorejectit。Thishasbeenblamedbysome；butIhaveneverdoubteditssoundness。Inthecasesoftwopersons，_antenati_，underexactlysimilarcircumstances，thefederalcourthaddeterminedthatoneofthemDuanewasnotacitizen；theHouseofRepresentativesneverthelessdeterminedthattheotherSmith，ofSouthCarolinawasacitizen，andadmittedhimtohisseatintheirbody。Duanewasarepublican，andSmithafederalist，andthesedecisionsweremadeduringthefederalascendancy。
　　*Theconstitutioncontrollingthecommonlawinthisparticular。
　　Theseareexamplesofmyposition，thateachofthethreedepartmentshasequallytherighttodecideforitselfwhatisitsdutyundertheconstitution，withoutanyregardtowhattheothersmayhavedecidedforthemselvesunderasimilarquestion。Butyouintimateawishthatmyopinionshouldbeknownonthissubject。No，dearSir，Iwithdrawfromallcontestofopinion，andresigneverythingcheerfullytothegenerationnowinplace。Theyarewiserthanwewere，andtheirsuccessorswillbewiserthanthey，fromtheprogressiveadvanceofscience。Tranquillityisthe_summumbonum_