perils。Butweshallpreservethem；andourmassofweight&wealthonthegoodsideissogreat，astoleavenodangerthatforcewilleverbeattemptedagainstus。WehaveonlytoawakeandsnaptheLilliputiancordswithwhichtheyhavebeenentanglingusduringthefirstsleepwhichsucceededourlabors。Iwillforwardthetestimonialofthedeathofmrs。Mazzei，whichIcandothemoreincontrovertiblyassheisburiedinmygraveyard，andIpasshergravedaily。Theformalitiesoftheproofyourequire，willoccasiondelay。JohnPage&hissonMannarewell。ThefatherremarriedtoaladyfromN。York。BeverleyRandolphelasuaconsorteliving&
　　well。Theironlychildmarriedtothe2dofT。M。Randolph。Theeldestsonyouknowmarriedmyeldestdaughter，isanablelearned&
　　worthycharacter，butkeptdownbyillhealth。Theyhavetwochildren&stilllivewithme。Myyoungerdaughterwell。Colo。
　　Innisiswell，&atruerepublicanstillasareallthosebeforenamed。Colo。MonroeisourM。P。atParisamostworthypatriot&
　　honestman。Thesearethepersonsyouinquireafter。Ibegintofeeltheeffectsofage。Myhealthhassuddenlybrokedown，withsymptomswhichgivemetobelieveIshallnothavemuchtoencounterofthe_tediumvitae_。Whileitremains，however，myheartwillbewarminit’sfriendships，andamongthese，willalwaysfostertheaffectionwithwhichIam，dearSir，yourfriendandservant。
　　ANENTENTEWITHADAMS
　　_ToJamesMadison，withEnclosure_
　　_Jan。1，1797_
　　YoursofDec。19。hascomesafely。Theeventoftheelectionhasneverbeenamatterofdoubtinmymind。IknewthattheEasternstatesweredisciplinedintheschoolsoftheirtownmeetingstosacrificedifferencesofopiniontothegreatobjectofoperatinginphalanx，&thatthemorefree&moralagencypracticedintheotherstateswouldalwaysmakeupthesupplementoftheirweight。IndeedthevotecomesmuchneareranequalitythanIhadexpected。Iknowthedifficultyofobtainingbelieftoone’sdeclarationsofadisinclinationtohonors，&thatitisgreatestwiththosewhostillremainintheworld。Butnoargumentswerewantingtoreconcilemetoarelinquishmentofthefirstofficeoracquiescenceunderthesecond。Astothefirstitwasimpossiblethatamoresolidunwillingnesssettledonfullcalculation，couldhaveexistedinanyman’smind，shortofthedegreeofabsoluterefusal。TheonlyviewonwhichIwouldhavegoneintoitforawhilewastoputourvesselonherrepublicantackbeforesheshouldbethrowntoomuchtoleewardofhertrueprinciples。Astothesecond，itistheonlyofficeintheworldaboutwhichIamunabletodecideinmyownmindwhetherIhadratherhaveitornothaveit。Pridedoesnotenterintotheestimate；forIthinkwiththeRomansthatthegeneraloftodayshouldbeasoldiertomorrowifnecessary。Icanparticularlyhavenofeelingswhichwouldrevoltatasecondarypositiontomr。
　　Adams。Iamhisjuniorinlife，washisjuniorinCongress，hisjuniorinthediplomaticline，hisjuniorlatelyinthecivilgovernment。BeforethereceiptofyourletterIhadwrittentheenclosedonetohim。Ihadintendeditsometime，buthaddeferreditfromtimetotimeunderthediscouragementofadespairofmakinghimbelieveIcouldbesincereinit。ThepapersbythelastpostnotrenderingitnecessarytochangeanythingintheletterIencloseitopenforyourperusal，notonlythatyoumaypossesstheactualstateofdispositionsbetweenus，butthatifanythingshouldrenderthedeliveryofitineligibleinyouropinion，youmayreturnittome。Ifmr。Adamscanbeinducedtoadministerthegovernmentonit’strueprinciples，&torelinquishhisbiastoanEnglishconstitution，itistobeconsideredwhetheritwouldnotbeonthewholeforthepublicgoodtocometoagoodunderstandingwithhimastohisfutureelections。HeisperhapstheonlysurebarrieragainstHamilton’sgettingin。
　　SincemylastIhavereceivedapacketofbooks&pamphlets，thechoicenessofwhichtestifiesthattheycomefromyou。TheincidentsofHamilton’sinsurrectionisacuriousworkindeed。Theheroofitexhibitshimselfinalltheattitudesofadexterousbalancemaster。
　　ThePoliticalprogressisaworkofvalue&ofasingularcomplexion。Theeyeoftheauthorseemstobeanaturalachromatic，whichdivestseveryobjectoftheglareofcolour。Theprecedingworkunderthesametitlehadthesamemerit。Oneisdisgustedindeedwiththeulceratedstatewhichitpresentsofthehumanmind：
　　buttocureanulcerwemustgotoitsbottom：&nowriterhaseverdonethismoreradicallythanthisone。Thereflectionsintowhichheleadsonearenotflatteringtoourspecies。IntruthIdonotrecollectinalltheanimalkingdomasinglespeciesbutmanwhichiseternally&systematicallyengagedinthedestructionofitsownspecies。Whatiscalledcivilizationseemstohavenoothereffectonhimthantoteachhimtopursuetheprincipleofbellumomniuminomniaonalargerscale，&inplaceofthelittlecontestsoftribeagainsttribe，toengageallthequartersoftheearthinthesameworkofdestruction。Whenweaddtothisthatastotheotherspeciesofanimals，thelions&tigersaremerelambscomparedwithmanasadestroyer，wemustconcludethatitisinmanalonethatnaturehasbeenabletofindasufficientbarrieragainstthetoogreatmultiplicationofotheranimals&ofmanhimself，anequilibriatingpoweragainstthefecundityofgeneration。Mysituationpointsmyviewschieflytohiswarsinthephysicalworld：
　　yoursperhapsexhibithimasequallywarringinthemoralone。Weboth，Ibelieve，joininwishingtoseehimsoftened。Adieu。
　　ENCLOSURETOJOHNADAMS
　　_Monticello，Dec。28，1796_
　　DEARSIR——Thepublicandthepublicpapershavebeenmuchoccupiedlatelyinplacingusinapointofoppositiontoeachother。
　　Itrustwithconfidencethatlessofithasbeenfeltbyourselvespersonally。IntheretiredcantonwhereIam，Ilearnlittleofwhatispassing：pamphletsIseenever；papersbutafew；andthefewerthehappier。OurlatestintelligencefromPhiladelphiaatpresentisofthe16th。inst。buttho’atthatdateyourelectiontothefirstmagistracyseemsnottohavebeenknownasafact，yetwithmeithasneverbeendoubted。IknewitimpossibleyoushouldloseavoteNorthoftheDelaware，andevenifthatofPensylvaniashouldbeagainstyouinthemass，yetthatyouwouldgetenoughSouthofthattoplaceyoursuccessionoutofdanger。Ihaveneveronesinglemomentexpectedadifferentissue：andtho’IknowIshallnotbebelieved，yetitisnotthelesstruethatIhaveneverwishedit。
　　Myneighbors，asmycompurgators，couldaverthatfact，becausetheyseemyoccupationsandmyattachmenttothem。Indeeditispossiblethatyoumaybecheatedofyoursuccessionbyatrickworthythesubtletyofyourarch-friend[AlexanderHamilton]ofNewYork，whohasbeenabletomakeofyourrealfriendstoolstodefeattheirandyourjustwishes。Mostprobablyhewillbedisappointedastoyou；
　　andmyinclinationsplacemeoutofhisreach。Ileavetoothersthesublimedelightsofridinginthestorm，betterpleasedwithsoundsleepandawarmbirthbelow，withthesocietyofneighbors，friendsandfellowlaborersoftheearth，thanofspiesandsycophants。Noonethenwillcongratulateyouwithpurerdisinterestednessthanmyself。TheshareindeedwhichImayhavehadinthelatevote，I
　　shallstillvaluehighly，asanevidenceoftheshareIhaveintheesteemofmyfellowcitizens。Butwhile，inthispointofview，afewvoteslesswouldbelittlesensible，thedifferenceintheeffectofafewmorewouldbeverysensibleandoppressivetome。Ihavenoambitiontogovernmen。Itisapainfulandthanklessoffice。SincethedaytooonwhichyousignedthetreatyofParisourhorizonwasneversoovercast。Idevoutlywishyoumaybeabletoshunforusthiswarbywhichouragriculture，commerceandcreditwillbedestroyed。Ifyouare，theglorywillbeallyourown；andthatyouradministrationmaybefilledwithgloryandhappinesstoyourselfandadvantagetousisthesincerewishofonewhotho’，inthecourseofourvoyagethro’life，variouslittleincidentshavehappenedorbeencontrivedtoseparateus，retainsstillforyouthesolidesteemofthemomentswhenwewereworkingforourindependance，andsentimentsofrespectandaffectionateattachment。”PERFECTLYNEUTRALANDINDEPENDENT”
　　_ToElbridgeGerry_
　　_Philadelphia，May13，1797_
　　MYDEARFRIEND，——Yourfavorofthe4thinsttcametohandyesterday。Thatofthe4thofApr，withtheoneforMonroe，hasneverbeenreceived。Thefirst，ofMar27，didnotreachmetillApr21，whenIwaswithinafewdaysofsettingoutforthisplace，&I
　　putoffacknolegingittillIshouldcomehere。Ientirelycommendyourdispositionstowardsmr。Adams；knowinghisworthasintimatelyandesteemingitasmuchasanyone，andacknolegingthepreferenceofhisclaims，ifanyIcouldhavehad，tothehighofficeconferredonhim。Butintruth，Ihadneitherclaimsnorwishesonthesubject，thoIknowitwillbedifficulttoobtainbeliefofthis。
　　WhenIretiredfromthisplace&theofficeofSecyofstate，itwasinthefirmestcontemplationofnevermorereturninghere。Therehadindeedbeensuggestionsinthepublicpapers，thatIwaslookingtowardsasuccessiontothePresident’schair，butfeelingaconsciousnessoftheirfalsehood，andobservingthatthesuggestionscamefromhostilequarters，Iconsideredthemasintendedmerelytoexcitepublicodiumagainstme。Ineverinmylifeexchangedawordwithanyperson，onthesubject，tillIfoundmynamebroughtforwardgenerally，incompetitionwiththatofmr。Adams。ThosewithwhomI
　　thencommunicated，couldsay，ifitwerenecessary，whetherImetthecallwithdesire，orevenwithareadyacquiescence，andwhetherfromthemomentofmyfirstacquiescence，Ididnotdevoutlypraythattheverythingmighthappenwhichhashappened。Thesecondofficeofthisgovernmentishonorable&easy，thefirstisbutasplendidmisery。
　　Youexpressapprehensionsthatstratagemswillbeused，toproduceamisunderstandingbetweenthePresidentandmyself。Thonotawordhavingthistendencyhaseverbeenhazardedtomebyanyone，yetIconsiderasacertaintythatnothingwillbeleftuntriedtoalienatehimfromme。ThesemachinationswillproceedfromtheHamiltonsbywhomheissurrounded，andwhoareonlyalittlelesshostiletohimthantome。Itcannotbutdampthepleasureofcordiality，whenwesuspectthatitissuspected。Icannothelpfearing，thatitisimpossibleformr。Adamstobelievethatthestateofmymindiswhatitreallyis；thathemaythinkIviewhimasanobstacleinmyway。Ihavenosupernaturalpowertoimpresstruthonthemindofanother，norheanytodiscoverthattheestimatewhichhemayform，onajustviewofthehumanmindasgenerallyconstituted，maynotbejustinitsapplicationtoaspecialconstitution。Thismaybeasourceofprivateuneasinesstous；Ihonestlyconfessthatitissotomeatthistime。Butneitherofusarecapableoflettingithaveeffectonourpublicduties。
　　Thosewhomayendeavortoseparateus，areprobablyexcitedbythefearthatImighthaveinfluenceontheexecutivecouncils；butwhentheyshallknowthatIconsidermyofficeasconstitutionallyconfinedtolegislativefunctions，andthatIcouldnottakeanypartwhateverinexecutiveconsultations，evenwereitproposed，theirfearsmayperhapssubside，&theirobjectbefoundnotworthamachination。
　　Idosincerelywishwithyou，thatwecouldtakeourstandonagroundperfectlyneutral&independenttowardsallnations。Ithasbeenmyconstantobjectthropubliclife；andwithrespecttotheEnglish&French，particularly，Ihavetoooftenexpressedtotheformermywishes，&madetothempropositionsverbally&inwriting，officially&privately，toofficial&privatecharacters，forthemtodoubtofmyviews，iftheywouldbecontentwithequality。Ofthistheyareinpossessionofseveralwritten&formalproofs，inmyownhandwriting。Buttheyhavewishedamonopolyofcommerce&
　　influencewithus；andtheyhaveinfactobtainedit。Whenwetakenoticethattheirsistheworkshoptowhichwegoforallwewant；
　　thatwiththemcentreeitherimmediatelyorultimatelyallthelaborsofourhandsandlands；thattothembelongseitheropenlyorsecretlythegreatmassofournavigation；thateventhefactorageoftheiraffairshere，iskepttothemselvesbyfactitiouscitizenships；
　　thattheseforeign&falsecitizensnowconstitutethegreatbodyofwhatarecalledourmerchants，fillourseaports，areplantedineverylittletown&districtoftheinteriorcountry，swayeverythingintheformerplacesbytheirownvotes，&thoseoftheirdependants，inthelatter，bytheirinsinuations&theinfluenceoftheirledgers；thattheyareadvancingfasttoamonopolyofourbanks&