IntheplansketchedintheNotesonVirginia，noparticularplaceofasylumwasspecified；becauseitwasthoughtpossible，thatintherevolutionarystateofAmerica，thencommenced，eventsmightopentoussomeonewithinpracticabledistance。Thishasnowhappened。St。Domingohasbecomeindependent，andwithapopulationofthatcoloronly；andifthepublicpapersaretobecredited，theirChiefofferstopaytheirpassage，toreceivethemasfreecitizens，andtoprovidethememployment。Thisleaves，then，forthegeneralconfederacy，noexpensebutofnurturewiththemotherafewyears，andwouldcall，ofcourse，foraverymoderateappropriationofthevacantlands。Supposethewholeannualincreasetobeofsixtythousandeffectivebirths，fiftyvessels，offourhundredtonsburtheneach，constantlyemployedinthatshortrun，wouldcarryofftheincreaseofeveryyear，andtheoldstockwoulddieoffintheordinarycourseofnature，lesseningfromthecommencementuntilitsfinaldisappearance。Inthiswaynoviolationofprivaterightisproposed。Voluntarysurrenderswouldprobablycomeinasfastasthemeanstobeprovidedfortheircarewouldbecompetenttoit。
LookingatmyownStateonly，andIpresumenottospeakfortheothers，Iverilybelievethatthissurrenderofpropertywouldnotamounttomore，annually，thanhalfourpresentdirecttaxes，tobecontinuedfullyabouttwentyortwenty-fiveyears，andthengraduallydiminishingforasmanymoreuntiltheirfinalextinction；andeventhishalftaxwouldnotbepaidincash，butbythedeliveryofanobjectwhichtheyhaveneveryetknownorcountedaspartoftheirproperty；andthosenotpossessingtheobjectwillbecalledonfornothing。Idonotgointoallthedetailsoftheburthensandbenefitsofthisoperation。Andwhocouldestimateitsblessedeffects?Ileavethistothosewhowilllivetoseetheiraccomplishment，andtoenjoyabeatitudeforbiddentomyage。ButI
leaveitwiththisadmonition，toriseandbedoing。Amillionandahalfarewithintheircontrol；butsixmillions，whichamajorityofthosenowlivingwillseethemattain，andonemillionofthesefightingmen，willsay，”wewillnotgo。”
Iamawarethatthissubjectinvolvessomeconstitutionalscruples。Butaliberalconstruction，justifiedbytheobject，maygofar，andanamendmentoftheconstitution，thewholelengthnecessary。Theseparationofinfantsfromtheirmothers，too，wouldproducesomescruplesofhumanity。Butthiswouldbestrainingatagnat，andswallowingacamel。
Iammuchpleasedtoseethatyouhavetakenupthesubjectofthedutyonimportedbooks。Ihopeacrusadewillbekeptupagainstit，untilthoseinpowershallbecomesensibleofthisstainonourlegislation，andshallwipeitfromtheircode，andfromtheremembranceofman，ifpossible。
Isaluteyouwithassurancesofhighrespectandesteem。
PROFESSORSFROMABROAD
_ToDugaldStewart_
_MonticelloinVirginia，Apr。26，1824_
DEARSIR，——Itisnow35yearssinceIhadthegreatpleasureofbecomingacquaintedwithyouinParis，andsincewesawtogetherLouisXVI。ledintriumphbyhispeoplethro’thestreetsofhiscapital；theseyearstoohavebeenlikeagesintheeventstheyhaveengenderedwithoutseemingatalltohavebetteredthecondnofsufferingman。Yethismindhasbeenopeningandadvancing，asentimentofhiswrongshasbeenspreading，anditwillendintheultimateestablishmentofhisrights。Toeffectthisnothingiswantingbutageneralconcurrenceofwill，andsomefortunateaccidentwillproducethat。AtasubsequentperiodyouweresokindastorecallmetoyourrecollectiononthepublicnofyourinvaluablebookonthePhilosophyoftheHumanMind，acopyofwhichyousentme，andIhavebeenhappytoseeitbecomethetextbookofmostofourcolleges&academies，andpassthro’severalreimpressionsintheU。S。Anoccurrenceofacharacterdeartousbothleadsagaintoarenewalofourrecollectionsandassociatesusinanoccasionofstillrenderingsomeservicetothoseweareabouttoleave。TheStateofVirga，ofwhichIamanativeandresident，isestablishinganuniversityonascaleasextensiveandliberalascircumstancespermitorcallfor。Wehavebeen4or5yearsinpreparingourbuildings，whicharenowreadytorecievetheirtenants。Weproceed，therefore，totheengagingprofessors，andanxioustorecievenonebutofthehighestgradeofscienceintheirrespectivelines，wefindwemusthaverecoursetoEurope，wherealonethatgradeistobefound，andtoGr。Br。ofpreference，asthelandofourownlanguage，morals，manners，andhabits。Tomaketheselectionwesendaspecialagent，M’rFrancisW。Gilmer，whowillhavethehonorofdeliveringyouthisletter。Heiswelleducatedhimselfinmostofthebranchesofscience，ofcorrectmoralsandhabits，anenlargedmind，andadiscretionmeritingentireconfidence。FromtheuniversitiesofOxfordandCambridge，whereweexpecthewillfindpersonsdulyqualifiedintheparticularbranchesinwhichtheseseminariesarerespectivelyeminent，hewillpassontoEdinburg，distinguishedforit’sschoolofMedicineaswellasofothersciences，butwhenarrivedtherehewillbeaperfectstranger，andwouldhavetogropehiswayindarknessanduncertainty；youcanlightenhispath，andtobeseechyoutodosoistheobjectofthisletter。Yourknolegeofpersonsandcharacterstherecanguardhimagainstbeingmisledandleadhimtotheconsummationofourwishes。
Wedonotexpecttoengagethehighcharacterstherewhoareattheheadoftheirschools，establishedinoffices，honors，&emolumentswhichcanbebetterednowhere。Butweknowthereisalwaysajuniorsetofaspirants，treadingontheirheels，readytotaketheirplaces，andaswell&sometimesbetterqualifiedthantheyare。
Thesepersons，unsettledasyet，surroundedbycompetitorsofequalclaims，andperhapsgreatercreditandinterest，maybewillingtoacceptimmediatelyacomfortablecertaintyhereinplaceofuncertainhopesthere，andalingeringdelayofeventhese。Fromthisdescriptionofpersonswemayhopetoprocurecharactersofthefirstorderofscience。Buthowtodistinguishthem?Forwearetoldthatwerethemissionofouragentonceknown，hewouldbeoverwhelmedwithapplicants，unworthyaswellasworthy，yetallsupportedonrecommendnsandcertificatesequallyexaggerated，andbynamessorespectableastoconfoundalldiscrimination。Yetthisdiscriminationisallimportanttous。Anunluckyselectionatfirstwouldblastallourprospects。Letmebeseechyou，then，goodSir，toleadMr。Gilmerbythehandinhisresearches，toinstructhimastothecompetentcharacters，&guardhimagainstthosenotso。
Besidesthefirstdegreeofeminenceinscience，aprofessorwithusmustbeofsoberandcorrectmorals&habits，havingthetalentofcommunicatinghisknolegewithfacility，andofanaccomodatingandpeaceabletemper。Thelatterisallimportantfortheharmonyoftheinstitution。ForminuterparticularsIwillreferyoutoMr。Gilmer，whopossessesafullknolegeofeverything&ourfullconfidenceineverything。Hetakeswithhimplansofourestablm’t，whichwillshewthecomfortableaccommodnsprovidedfortheprofessors，whetherwithorwithoutfamilies；andbytheexpensivenessandextentofthescaletheywillseeitisnotanephemeralthingtowhichtheyareinvited。
Aknolegeofyourcharacter&disposnstodogooddispenseswithallapologyforthetroubleIgiveyou。WhilethecharacterandsuccessofthisinstitN，involvingthefuturehopesandhappinessofmycountry，willjustifytheanxietiesIfeelinthechoiceofit’sprofessors，IamsuretheobjectwillexciteinyourbreastsuchsympathiesofkinddisposN，aswillgiveusthebenefitsweaskofyourcounsels&attentions。And，withmyacknolegementsforthese，acceptassurancesofconstantandsincereattamt，esteem&respect。
SAXONS，CONSTITUTIONS，ANDACASEOFPIOUSFRAUD
_ToMajorJohnCartwright_
_Monticello，June5，1824_
DEARANDVENERABLESIR，——IammuchindebtedforyourkindletterofFebruarythe29th，andforyourvaluablevolumeontheEnglishconstitution。Ihavereadthiswithpleasureandmuchapprobation，andthinkithasdeducedtheconstitutionoftheEnglishnationfromitsrightfulroot，theAnglo-Saxon。Itisreallywonderful，thatsomanyableandlearnedmenshouldhavefailedintheirattemptstodefineitwithcorrectness。Nowonderthen，thatPaine，whothoughtmorethanheread，shouldhavecreditedthegreatauthoritieswhohavedeclared，thatthewillofparliamentistheconstitutionofEngland。SoMarbois，beforetheFrenchrevolution，observedtome，thattheAlmanacRoyalwastheconstitutionofFrance。YourderivationofitfromtheAnglo-Saxons，seemstobemadeonlegitimateprinciples。HavingdrivenouttheformerinhabitantsofthatpartoftheislandcalledEngland，theybecameaboriginesastoyou，andyourlinealancestors。Theydoubtlesshadaconstitution；andalthoughtheyhavenotleftitinawrittenformula，totheprecisetextofwhichyoumayalwaysappeal，yettheyhaveleftfragmentsoftheirhistoryandlaws，fromwhichitmaybeinferredwithconsiderablecertainty。Whatevertheirhistoryandlawsshewtohavebeenpractisedwithapprobation，wemaypresumewaspermittedbytheirconstitution；whateverwasnotsopractised，wasnotpermitted。AndalthoughthisconstitutionwasviolatedandsetatnaughtbyNormanforce，yetforcecannotchangeright。A
perpetualclaimwaskeptupbythenation，bytheirperpetualdemandofarestorationoftheirSaxonlaws；whichshewstheywereneverrelinquishedbythewillofthenation。Inthepullingsandhaulingsfortheseantientrights，betweenthenation，anditskingsoftheracesofPlantagenets，TudorsandStuarts，therewassometimesgain，andsometimesloss，untilthefinalre-conquestoftheirrightsfromtheStuarts。Thedestitutionandexpulsionofthisracebrokethethreadofpretendedinheritance，extinguishedallregalusurpations，andthenationre-enteredintoallitsrights；andalthoughintheirbillofrightstheyspecificallyreclaimedsomeonly，yettheomissionoftheotherswasnorenunciationoftherighttoassumetheirexercisealso，wheneveroccasionshouldoccur。ThenewKingreceivednorightsorpowers，butthoseexpresslygrantedtohim。Ithaseverappearedtome，thatthedifferencebetweenthewhigandthetoryofEnglandis，thatthewhigdeduceshisrightsfromtheAnglo-Saxonsource，andthetoryfromtheNorman。AndHume，thegreatapostleoftoryism，says，insomanywords，noteAAtochapter42，that，inthereignoftheStuarts，`itwasthepeoplewhoencroacheduponthesovereign，notthesovereignwhoattempted，asispretended，tousurpuponthepeople。’ThissupposestheNormanusurpationstoberightsinhissuccessors。Andagain，C，159，`thecommonsestablishedaprinciple，whichisnobleinitself，andseemsspecious，butisbeliedbyallhistoryandexperience，_thatthepeoplearetheoriginofalljustpower_。’Andwhereelsewillthisdegeneratesonofscience，thistraitortohisfellowmen，findtheoriginofjustpowers，ifnotinthemajorityofthesociety?Willitbeintheminority?Orinanindividualofthatminority?
OurRevolutioncommencedonmorefavorableground。Itpresentedusanalbumonwhichwewerefreetowritewhatwepleased。
Wehadnooccasiontosearchintomustyrecords，tohuntuproyalparchments，ortoinvestigatethelawsandinstitutionsofasemi-barbarousancestry。Weappealedtothoseofnature，andfoundthemengravedonourhearts。Yetwedidnotavailourselvesofalltheadvantagesofourposition。Wehadneverbeenpermittedtoexerciseself-government。Whenforcedtoassumeit，wewerenovicesinitsscience。Itsprinciplesandformshadenteredlittleintoourformereducation。Weestablishedhoweversome，althoughnotallitsimportantprinciples。TheconstitutionsofmostofourStatesassert，thatallpowerisinherentinthepeople；thattheymayexerciseitbythemselves，inallcasestowhichtheythinkthemselvescompetent，asinelectingtheirfunctionariesexecutiveandlegislative，anddecidingbyajuryofthemselves，inalljudiciarycasesinwhichanyfactisinvolved，ortheymayactbyrepresentatives，freelyandequallychosen；thatitistheirrightanddutytobeatalltimesarmed；thattheyareentitledtofreedomofperson，freedomofreligion，freedomofproperty，andfreedomofthepress。Inthestructureofourlegislatures，wethinkexperiencehasprovedthebenefitofsubjectingquestionstotwoseparatebodiesofdeliberants；butinconstitutingthese，naturalrighthasbeenmistaken，somemakingoneofthesebodies，andsomeboth，therepresentativesofpropertyinsteadofpersons；whereasthedoubledeliberationmightbeaswellobtainedwithoutanyviolationoftrueprinciple，eitherbyrequiringagreaterageinoneofthebodies，orbyelectingapropernumberofrepresentativesofpersons，dividingthembylotsintotwochambers，andrenewingthedivisionatfrequentintervals，inordertobreakupallcabals。Virginia，ofwhichIammyselfanativeandresident，wasnotonlythefirstoftheStates，but，IbelieveImaysay，thefirstofthenationsoftheearth，whichassembleditswisemenpeaceablytogethertoformafundamentalconstitution，tocommitittowriting，andplaceitamongtheirarchives，whereeveryoneshouldbefreetoappealtoitstext。Butthisactwasveryimperfect。TheotherStates，astheyproceededsuccessivelytothesamework，madesuccessiveimprovements；andseveralofthem，stillfurthercorrectedbyexperience，have，byconventions，stillfurtheramendedtheirfirstforms。MyownStatehasgoneonsofarwithits_premiereebauche_；butitisnowproposingtocallaconventionforamendment。Amongotherimprovements，Ihopetheywilladoptthesubdivisionofourcountiesintowards。Theformermaybeestimatedatanaverageoftwenty-fourmilessquare；thelattershouldbeaboutsixmilessquareeach，andwouldanswertothehundredsofyourSaxonAlfred。Ineachofthesemightbe，1。Anelementaryschool。2。Acompanyofmilitia，withitsofficers。3。Ajusticeofthepeaceandconstable。4。Eachwardshouldtakecareoftheirownpoor。5。Theirownroads。6。Theirownpolice。7。Electwithinthemselvesoneormorejurorstoattendthecourtsofjustice。And8。GiveinattheirFolk-house，theirvotesforallfunctionariesreservedtotheirelection。Eachwardwouldthusbeasmallrepublicwithinitself，andeverymanintheStatewouldthusbecomeanactingmemberofthecommongovernment，transactinginpersonagreatportionofitsrightsandduties，subordinateindeed，yetimportant，andentirelywithinhiscompetence。Thewitofmancannotdeviseamoresolidbasisforafree，durableandwelladministeredrepublic。
WithrespecttoourStateandfederalgovernments，Idonotthinktheirrelationscorrectlyunderstoodbyforeigners。Theygenerallysupposetheformersubordinatetothelatter。Butthisisnotthecase。Theyareco-ordinatedepartmentsofonesimpleandintegralwhole。TotheStategovernmentsarereservedalllegislationandadministration，inaffairswhichconcerntheirowncitizensonly，andtothefederalgovernmentisgivenwhateverconcernsforeigners，orthecitizensofotherStates；thesefunctionsalonebeingmadefederal。Theoneisthedomestic，theothertheforeignbranchofthesamegovernment；neitherhavingcontrolovertheother，butwithinitsowndepartment。Thereareoneortwoexceptionsonlytothispartitionofpower。But，youmayask，ifthetwodepartmentsshouldclaimeachthesamesubjectofpower，whereisthecommonumpiretodecideultimatelybetweenthem?Incasesoflittleimportanceorurgency，theprudenceofbothpartieswillkeepthemalooffromthequestionableground：butifitcanneitherbeavoidednorcompromised，aconventionoftheStatesmustbecalled，toascribethedoubtfulpowertothatdepartmentwhichtheymaythinkbest。Youwillperceivebythesedetails，thatwehavenotyetsofarperfectedourconstitutionsastoventuretomakethemunchangeable。Butstill，intheirpresentstate，weconsiderthemnototherwisechangeablethanbytheauthorityofthepeople，onaspecialelectionofrepresentativesforthatpurposeexpressly：theyareuntilthenthe_lexlegum_。