amnotforlinkingourselvesbynewtreatieswiththequarrelsofEurope；enteringthatfieldofslaughtertopreservetheirbalance，orjoiningintheconfederacyofkingstowaragainsttheprinciplesofliberty。Iamforfreedomofreligion，&againstallmaneuvrestobringaboutalegalascendancyofonesectoveranother：forfreedomofthepress，&againstallviolationsoftheconstitutiontosilencebyforce¬byreasonthecomplaintsorcriticisms，justorunjust，ofourcitizensagainsttheconductoftheiragents。AndI
　　amforencouragingtheprogressofscienceinallit’sbranches；andnotforraisingahueandcryagainstthesacrednameofphilosophy；
　　forawingthehumanmindbystoriesofraw-head&bloodybonestoadistrustofitsownvision，&toreposeimplicitlyonthatofothers；
　　togobackwardsinsteadofforwardstolookforimprovement；tobelievethatgovernment，religion，morality，&everyothersciencewereinthehighestperfectioninagesofthedarkestignorance，andthatnothingcaneverbedevisedmoreperfectthanwhatwasestablishedbyourforefathers。TotheseIwilladd，thatIwasasincerewell-wishertothesuccessoftheFrenchrevolution，andstillwishitmayendintheestablishmentofafree&well-orderedrepublic；butIhavenotbeeninsensibleundertheatrociousdepredationstheyhavecommittedonourcommerce。Thefirstobjectofmyheartismyowncountry。Inthatisembarkedmyfamily，myfortune，&myownexistence。Ihavenotonefarthingofinterest，noronefibreofattachmentoutofit，norasinglemotiveofpreferenceofanyonenationtoanother，butinproportionastheyaremoreorlessfriendlytous。ButthoughdeeplyfeelingtheinjuriesofFrance，Ididnotthinkwarthesurestmeansofredressingthem。Ididbelieve，thatamissionsincerelydisposedtopreservepeace，wouldobtainforusapeaceable&honorablesettlement&retribution；andIappealtoyoutosay，whetherthismightnothavebeenobtained，ifeitherofyourcolleagueshadbeenofthesamesentimentwithyourself。
　　These，myfriend，aremyprinciples；theyareunquestionablytheprinciplesofthegreatbodyofourfellowcitizens，andIknowthereisnotoneofthemwhichisnotyoursalso。Intruth，weneverdifferedbutononeground，thefundingsystem；andas，fromthemomentofit’sbeingadoptedbytheconstitutedauthorities，Ibecamereligiouslyprincipledinthesacreddischargeofittotheuttermostfarthing，weareunitednowevenonthatsinglegroundofdifference。
　　Iturnnowtoyourinquiries。Theenclosedpaperwillansweroneofthem。Butyoualsoaskforsuchpoliticalinformationasmaybepossessedbyme，&interestingtoyourselfinregardtoyourembassy。Asaproofofmyentireconfidenceinyou，Ishallgiveitfully&candidly。WhenPinckney，Marshall，andDana，werenominatedtosettleourdifferenceswithFrance，itwassuspectedbymany，fromwhatwasunderstoodoftheirdispositions，thattheirmissionwouldnotresultinasettlementofdifferences，butwouldproducecircumstancestendingtowidenthebreach，andtoprovokeourcitizenstoconsenttoawarwiththatnation，&unionwithEngland。
　　Dana’sresignation&yourappointmentgavethefirstgleamofhopeofapeaceableissuetothemission。Foritwasbelievedthatyouweresincerelydisposedtoaccommodation；&itwasnotlongafteryourarrivalthere，beforesymptomswereobservedofthatdifferenceofviewswhichhadbeensuspectedtoexist。Inthemeantime，however，theaspectofourgovernmenttowardstheFrenchrepublichadbecomesoardent，thatthepeopleofAmericagenerallytookthealarm。Tothesouthward，theirapprehensionswereearlyexcited。IntheEasternStatesalso，theyatlengthbegantobreakout。Meetingswereheldinmanyofyourtowns，&addressestothegovernmentagreedoninoppositiontowar。Theexamplewasspreadinglikeawildfire。
　　Othermeetingswerecalledinotherplaces，&ageneralconcurrenceofsentimentagainsttheapparentinclinationsofthegovernmentwasimminent；when，mostcriticallyforthegovernment，thedespatchesofOctr22，preparedbyyourcolleagueMarshall，withaviewtotheirbeingmadepublic，droppedintotheirlaps。ItwastrulyaGod-sendtothem，&theymadethemostofit。Manythousandsofcopieswereprinted&dispersedgratis，atthepublicexpence；&thezealotsforwarco-operatedsoheartily，thattherewereinstancesofsingleindividualswhoprinted&dispersed10。or12，000copiesattheirownexpence。Theodiousnessofthecorruptionsupposedinthosepapersexcitedageneral&highindignationamongthepeople。Unexperiencedinsuchmaneuvres，theydidnotpermitthemselveseventosuspectthattheturpitudeofprivateswindlersmightmingleitselfunobserved，&giveit’sownhuetothecommunicationsoftheFrenchgovernment，ofwhoseparticipationtherewasneitherproofnorprobability。Itserved，however，foratime，thepurposeintended。
　　Thepeople，inmanyplaces，gavealoosetotheexpressionsoftheirwarmindignation，&oftheirhonestpreferenceofwartodishonor。
　　Thefeverwaslong&successfullykeptup，andinthemeantime，warmeasuresasardentlycrowded。Still，however，asitwasknownthatyourcolleagueswerecomingaway，andyourselftostay，thoughdisclaimingaseparatepowertoconcludeatreaty，itwashopedbytheloversofpeace，thataprojectoftreatywouldhavebeenprepared，adreferendum，onprincipleswhichwouldhavesatisfiedourcitizens，&overawedanybiasofthegovernmenttowardsadifferentpolicy。ButtheexpeditionoftheSophia，and，aswassupposed，thesuggestionsofthepersonchargedwithyourdespatches，&hisprobablemisrepresentationsoftherealwishesoftheAmericanpeople，preventedthesehopes。Theyhadthenonlytolookforwardtoyourreturnforsuchinformation，eitherthroughtheExecutive，orfromyourself，asmightpresenttoourviewtheothersideofthemedal。ThedespatchesofOct22，97，hadpresentedoneface。Thatinformation，toacertaindegree，isnowreceived，&thepublicwillseefromyourcorrespondencewithTaleyrand，thatFrance，asyoutestify，”wassincereandanxioustoobtainareconciliation，notwishingustobreaktheBritishtreaty，butonlytogiveherequivalentstipulations；andingeneralwasdisposedtoaliberaltreaty。”Andtheywilljudgewhethermr。Pickering’sreportshewsaninflexibledeterminationtobelievenodeclarationstheFrenchgovernmentcanmake，noranyopinionwhichyou，judgingonthespot&
　　fromactualview，cangiveoftheirsincerity，andtomeettheirdesignsofpeacewithoperationsofwar。Thealien&seditionactshavealreadyoperatedintheSouthaspowerfulsedativesoftheX。Y。
　　Z。inflammation。Inyourquarter，whereviolationsofprincipleareeitherlessregardedormoreconcealed，thedirecttaxislikelytohavethesameeffect，&toexciteinquiriesintotheobjectoftheenormousexpences&taxeswearebringingon。Andyourinformationsupervening，thatwemighthavealiberalaccommodationifwewould，therecanbelittledoubtofthereproductionofthatgeneralmovement，bythedespatchesofOct。22。Andtho’smallchecks&
　　stops，likeLogan’spretendedembassy，maybethrowninthewayfromtimetotime，&mayalittleretardit’smotion，yetthetideisalreadyturned，andwillsweepbeforeitallthefeebleobstaclesofart。TheunquestionablerepublicanismoftheAmericanmindwillbreakthroughthemistunderwhichithasbeenclouded，andwillobligeit’sagentstoreformtheprinciples&practicesoftheiradministration。
　　Yousupposethatyouhavebeenabusedbybothparties。Asfarashascometomyknowledge，youaremisinformed。Ihaveneverseenorheardasentenceofblameutteredagainstyoubytherepublicans；
　　unlessweweresotoconstruetheirwishesthatyouhadmoreboldlyco-operatedinaprojectofatreaty，andwouldmoreexplicitlystate，whethertherewasinyourcolleagesthatflexibility，whichpersonsearnestafterpeacewouldhavepractised?Whether，onthecontrary，theirdemeanorwasnotcold，reserved，anddistant，atleast，ifnotbackward?Andwhether，iftheyhadyieldedtothoseinformalconferenceswhichTaleyrandseemstohavecourted，theliberalaccommodationyousupposemightnothavebeeneffected，evenwiththeiragency?Yourfellow-citizensthinktheyhavearighttofullinformation，inacaseofsuchgreatconcerntothem。Itistheirsweatwhichistoearnalltheexpencesofthewar，andtheirbloodwhichistoflowinexpiationofthecausesofit。Itmaybeinyourpowertosavethemfromthesemiseriesbyfullcommunicationsandunrestraineddetails，postponingmotivesofdelicacytothoseofduty。Itrestsforyoutocomeforwardindependently；totakeyourstandonthehighgroundofyourowncharacter；todisregardcalumny，andtobeborneaboveitontheshouldersofyourgratefulfellowcitizens；ortosinkintothehumbleoblivion，towhichtheFederalistsself-calledhavesecretlycondemnedyou；andeventobehappyiftheywillindulgeyouwithoblivion，whiletheyhavebeamedonyourcolleaguesmeridiansplendor。Pardonme，mydearSir，ifmyexpressionsarestrong。Myfeelingsaresomuchmoreso，thatitiswithdifficultyIreducethemeventothetoneIuse。Ifyoudoubtthedispositionstowardsyou，lookintothepapers，onbothsides，forthetoastswhichweregiventhroughouttheStatesonthe4thofJuly。Youwillthereseewhoseheartswerewithyou，andwhosewereulceratedagainstyou。Indeed，assoonasitwasknownthatyouhadconsentedtostayinParis，therewasnomeasureobservedintheexecrationsofthewarparty。Theyopenlywishedyoumightbeguillotined，orsenttoCayenne，oranythingelse。Andtheseexpressionswerefinallystifledfromaprincipleofpolicyonly，&
　　topreventyoufrombeingurgedtoajustificationofyourself。Fromthisprinciplealoneproceedthesilenceandcoldrespecttheyobservetowardsyou。Still，theycannotpreventattimestheflamesburstingfromundertheembers，asmr。Pickering’sletters，report，&
　　conversationstestify，aswellastheindecentexpressionsrespectingyou，indulgedbysomeoftheminthedebateonthesedespatches。
　　Thesesufficientlyshowthatyouarenevermoretobehonoredortrustedbythem，andthattheyawaittocrushyouforever，onlytilltheycandoitwithoutdangertothemselves。
　　WhenIsatdowntoansweryourletter，buttwocoursespresentedthemselves，eithertosaynothingoreverything；forhalfconfidencesarenotinmycharacter。Icouldnothesitatewhichwasduetoyou。Ihaveunbosomedmyselffully；&itwillcertainlybehighlygratifyingifIreceivelikeconfidencefromyou。ForevenifwedifferinprinciplemorethanIbelievewedo，you&Iknowtoowellthetextureofthehumanmind，&theslipperinessofhumanreason，toconsiderdifferencesofopinionotherwisethandifferencesofformorfeature。Integrityofviewsmorethantheirsoundness，isthebasisofesteem。Ishallfollowyourdirectioninconveyingthisbyaprivatehand；tho’Iknownotasyetwhenoneworthyofconfidencewilloccur。Andmytrustinyouleavesmewithoutafearthatthisletter，meantasaconfidentialcommunicationofmyimpressions，willevergooutofyourhand，orbesufferedinanywisetocommitmyname。Indeed，besidestheaccidentswhichmighthappentoitevenunderyourcare，consideringtheaccidentofdeathtowhichyouareliable，Ithinkitsafesttoprayyou，afterreadingitasoftenasyouplease，todestroyatleastthe2d&3dleaves。The1stcontainsprinciplesonly，whichIfearnottoavow；butthe2d&
　　3dcontainfactsstatedforyourinformation，andwhich，thoughsacredlyconformabletomyfirmbelief，yetwouldbegallingtosome，&exposemetoilliberalattacks。Ithereforerepeatmyprayertoburnthe2d&3dleaves。Anddidweeverexpecttoseetheday，when，breathingnothingbutsentimentsoflovetoourcountry&it’sfreedom&happiness，ourcorrespondencemustbeassecretasifwewerehatchingit’sdestruction！Adieu，myfriend，andacceptmysincere&affectionatesalutations。Ineednotaddmysignature。”THESPIRITOF1776”
　　_ToThomasLomax_
　　_Monticello，Mar。12，1799_
　　DEARSIR，——YourwelcomefavoroflastmonthcametomyhandsinPhiladelphia。Solongatimehaselapsedsincewehavebeenseparatedbyevents，thatitwaslikealetterfromthedead，andrecalledtomymemoryverydearrecollections。Mysubsequentjourneythroughlifehasofferednothingwhich，incomparisonwiththose，isnotcheerless&dreary。Itisarichcomfortsometimestolookbackonthem。
　　Itakethelibertyofenclosingalettertomr。Baylor，open，becauseIsolicityourperusalofit。Itwill，atthesametime，furnishtheapologyformynotansweringyoufromPhiladelphia。YouaskforanycommunicationImaybeabletomake，whichmayadministercomforttoyou。Icangivethatwhichissolid。Thespiritof1776
　　isnotdead。Ithasonlybeenslumbering。ThebodyoftheAmericanpeopleissubstantiallyrepublican。Buttheirvirtuousfeelingshavebeenplayedonbysomefactwithmorefiction；theyhavebeenthedupesofartfulman；oeuvres，&madeforamomenttobewillinginstrumentsinforgingchainsforthemselves。Buttime&truthhavedissipatedthedelusion，&openedtheireyes。TheyseenowthatFrancehassincerelywishedpeace，&theirseducershavewishedwar，aswellfortheloaves&fisheswhichariseoutofwarexpences，asforthechanceofchangingtheconstitution，whilethepeopleshouldhavetimetocontemplatenothingbuttheleviesofmenandmoney。