DEARSIR，——NopleasurecanexceedthatwhichIreceivedfromreadingyourletterofthe21stult。Itwaslikethejoyweexpectinthemansionsoftheblessed，whenreceivedwiththeembracesofourfathers，weshallbewelcomedwiththeirblessingashavingdoneourpartnotunworthilyofthem。Thestormthroughwhichwehavepassed，hasbeentremendousindeed。ThetoughsidesofourArgosiehavebeenthoroughlytried。Herstrengthhasstoodthewavesintowhichshewassteered，withaviewtosinkher。Weshallputheronherrepublicantack，&shewillnowshowbythebeautyofhermotiontheskillofherbuilders。Figureapart，ourfellowcitizenshavebeenledhood-winkedfromtheirprinciples，byamostextraordinarycombinationofcircumstances。Butthebandisremoved，andtheynowseeforthemselves。Ihopetoseeshortlyaperfectconsolidation，toeffectwhich，nothingshallbesparedonmypart，shortoftheabandonmentoftheprinciplesofourrevolution。Ajustandsolidrepublicangovernmentmaintainedhere，willbeastandingmonument&
　　examplefortheaim&imitationofthepeopleofothercountries；andIjoinwithyouinthehopeandbeliefthattheywillsee，fromourexample，thatafreegovernmentisofallothersthemostenergetic；
　　thattheinquirywhichhasbeenexcitedamongthemassofmankindbyourrevolution&it’sconsequences，willamelioratetheconditionofmanoveragreatportionoftheglobe。Whatasatisfactionhaveweinthecontemplationofthebenevolenteffectsofourefforts，comparedwiththoseoftheleadersontheotherside，whohavediscountenancedalladvancesinscienceasdangerousinnovations，haveendeavoredtorenderphilosophyandrepublicanismtermsofreproach，topersuadeusthatmancannotbegovernedbutbytherod，&c。Ishallhavethehappinessofliving&dyinginthecontraryhope。Acceptassurancesofmyconstant&sincererespectandattachment，andmyaffectionatesalutations。
　　SOMETHINGNEWUNDERTHESUN
　　_ToDr。JosephPriestley_
　　_Washington，Mar。21，1801_
　　DEARSIR，——IlearntsometimeagothatyouwereinPhiladelphia，butthatitwasonlyforafortnight；&supposedyouweregone。ItwasnottillyesterdayIreceivedinformationthatyouwerestillthere，hadbeenveryill，butwereontherecovery。I
　　sincerelyrejoicethatyouareso。Yoursisoneofthefewlivesprecioustomankind，&forthecontinuanceofwhicheverythinkingmanissolicitous。Bigotsmaybeanexception。Whataneffort，mydearSir，ofbigotryinPolitics&Religionhavewegonethrough！
　　ThebarbariansreallyflatteredthemselvestheyshouldbeabletobringbackthetimesofVandalism，whenignoranceputeverythingintothehandsofpower&priestcraft。Alladvancesinsciencewereproscribedasinnovations。Theypretendedtopraiseandencourageeducation，butitwastobetheeducationofourancestors。Weweretolookbackwards，notforwards，forimprovement；thePresidenthimselfdeclaring，inoneofhisanswerstoaddresses，thatwewerenevertoexpecttogobeyondtheminrealscience。Thiswastherealgroundofalltheattacksonyou。Thosewholivebymystery&
　　_charlatanerie_，fearingyouwouldrenderthemuselessbysimplifyingtheChristianphilosophy，——themostsublime&benevolent，butmostpervertedsystemthatevershoneonman，——endeavoredtocrushyourwell-earnt&well-deservedfame。ButitwastheLilliputiansuponGulliver。Ourcountrymenhaverecoveredfromthealarmintowhichart&industryhadthrownthem；science&honestyarereplacedontheirhighground；andyou，mydearSir，astheirgreatapostle，areonit’spinnacle。Itiswithheartfeltsatisfactionthat，inthefirstmomentsofmypublicaction，Icanhailyouwithwelcometoourland，tendertoyouthehomageofit’srespect&esteem，coveryouundertheprotectionofthoselawswhichweremadeforthewiseandgoodlikeyou，anddisdainthelegitimacyofthatlibelonlegislation，whichundertheformofalaw，wasforsometimeplacedamongthem。
　　Asthestormisnowsubsiding，andthehorizonbecomingserene，itispleasanttoconsiderthephenomenonwithattention。Wecannolongersaythereisnothingnewunderthesun。Forthiswholechapterinthehistoryofmanisnew。ThegreatextentofourRepublicisnew。Itssparsehabitationisnew。Themightywaveofpublicopinionwhichhasrolledoveritisnew。Butthemostpleasingnoveltyis，it’ssoquicklysubsidingoversuchanextentofsurfacetoit’struelevelagain。Theorder&goodsensedisplayedinthisrecoveryfromdelusion，andinthemomentouscrisiswhichlatelyarose，reallybespeakastrengthofcharacterinournationwhichaugurswellforthedurationofourRepublic；&Iammuchbettersatisfiednowofit’sstabilitythanIwasbeforeitwastried。Ihavebeen，aboveallthings，solacedbytheprospectwhichopenedonus，intheeventofanon-electionofaPresident；inwhichcase，thefederalgovernmentwouldhavebeeninthesituationofaclockorwatchrundown。Therewasnoideaofforce，norofanyoccasionforit。Aconvention，invitedbytheRepublicanmembersofCongress，withthevirtualPresident&VicePresident，wouldhavebeenonthegroundin8。weeks，wouldhaverepairedtheConstitutionwhereitwasdefective，&wounditupagain。Thispeaceable&
　　legitimateresource，towhichweareinthehabitofimplicitobedience，supersedingallappealtoforce，andbeingalwayswithinourreach，showsapreciousprincipleofself-preservationinourcomposition，tillachangeofcircumstancesshalltakeplace，whichisnotwithinprospectatanydefiniteperiod。
　　ButIhavegotintoalongdisquisitiononpolitics，whenI
　　onlymeanttoexpressmysympathyinthestateofyourhealth，andtotenderyoualltheaffectionsofpublic&privatehospitality。I
　　shouldbeveryhappyindeedtoseeyouhere。Ileavethisaboutthe30thinst。，toreturnaboutthetwenty-fifthofApril。IfyoudonotleavePhiladelphiabeforethat，alittleexcursionhitherwouldhelpyourhealth。IshouldbemuchgratifiedwiththepossessionofaguestIsomuchesteem，andshouldclaimarighttolodgeyou，shouldyoumakesuchanexcursion。
　　WISDOMANDPATRIOTISM
　　_ToMosesRobinson_
　　_Washington，March23，1801_
　　DEARSIR，——Ihavetoacknowledgethereceiptofyourfavorofthe3rdinstant，andtothankyouforthefriendlyexpressionsitcontains。IentertainrealhopethatthewholebodyofyourfellowcitizensmanyofwhomhadbeencarriedawaybytheX。Y。Z。
　　businesswillshortlybeconsolidatedinthesamesentiments。Whentheyexaminetherealprinciplesofbothparties，Ithinktheywillfindlittletodifferabout。Iknow，indeed，thattherearesomeoftheirleaderswhohavesocommittedthemselves，thatpride，ifnootherpassion，willpreventtheircoalescing。Wemustbeeasywiththem。TheeasternStateswillbethelasttocomeover，onaccountofthedominionoftheclergy，whohadgotasmellofunionbetweenChurchandState，andbegantoindulgereverieswhichcanneverberealisedinthepresentstateofscience。If，indeed，theycouldhaveprevailedonustoviewalladvancesinscienceasdangerousinnovations，andtolookbacktotheopinionsandpracticesofourforefathers，insteadoflookingforward，forimprovement，apromisinggroundworkwouldhavebeenlaid。ButIaminhopestheirgoodsensewilldictatetothem，thatsincethemountainwillnotcometothem，theyhadbettergotothemountain：thattheywillfindtheirinterestinacquiescinginthelibertyandscienceoftheircountry，andthattheChristianreligion，whendivestedoftheragsinwhichtheyhaveenvelopedit，andbroughttotheoriginalpurityandsimplicityofitsbenevolentinstitutor，isareligionofallothersmostfriendlytoliberty，science，andthefreestexpansionofthehumanmind。
　　Isincerelywishwithyou，wecouldseeourgovernmentsosecuredastodependlessonthecharacterofthepersoninwhosehandsitistrusted。Badmenwillsometimesgetin，andwithsuchanimmensepatronage，maymakegreatprogressincorruptingthepublicmindandprinciples。Thisisasubjectwithwhichwisdomandpatriotismshouldbeoccupied。
　　Iprayyoutoacceptassurancesofmyhighrespectandesteem。
　　RECONCILIATIONANDREFORM
　　_ToElbridgeGerry_
　　_Washington，Mar。29，1801_
　　MYDEARSIR，——YourtwolettersofJan。15andFeb。24，camesafelytohand，andIthankyouforthehistoryofatransactionwhichwilleverbeinterestinginouraffairs。IthasbeenverypreciselyasIhadimagined。Ithought，onyourreturn，thatifyouhadcomeforwardboldly，andappealedtothepublicbyafullstatement，itwouldhavehadagreateffectinyourfavorpersonally，&thatoftherepublicancausethenoppressedalmostuntodeath。ButIjudgedfromatactofthesouthernpulse。Isuspectthatofthenorthwasdifferentanddecidedyourconduct；andperhapsithasbeenaswell。Iftherevolutionofsentimenthasbeenlater，ithasperhapsbeennotlesssure。Atlengthitisarrived。Whatwiththenaturalcurrentofopinionwhichhasbeensettingovertousfor18。
　　months，andtheimmenseimpetuswhichwasgivenitfromthe11thtothe17thofFeb。，wemaynowsaythattheU。S。fromN。Y。southwardly，areasunanimousintheprinciplesof’76，astheywerein’76。Theonlydifferenceis，thattheleaderswhoremainbehindaremorenumerous&bolderthantheapostlesoftoryismin’76。Thereasonis，thatwearenowjustlymoretolerantthanwecouldsafelyhavebeenthen，circumstancedaswewere。YourpartoftheUniontho’asabsolutelyrepublicanasours，haddrunkdeeperofthedelusion，&isthereforeslowerinrecoveringfromit。Theaegisofgovernment，&
　　thetemplesofreligion&ofjustice，haveallbeenprostitutedtheretotollusbacktothetimeswhenweburntwitches。Butyourpeoplewillriseagain。TheywillawakelikeSampsonfromhissleep，&
　　carryawaythegates&postsofthecity。You，myfriend，aredestinedtorallythemagainundertheirformerbanner，andwhencalledtothepost，exerciseitwithfirmness&withinflexibleadherencetoyourownprinciples。Thepeoplewillsupportyou，notwithstandingthehowlingsoftheravenouscrewfromwhosejawstheyareescaping。Itwillbeagreatblessingtoourcountryifwecanoncemorerestoreharmonyandsocialloveamongitscitizens。I
　　confess，astomyself，itisalmostthefirstobjectofmyheart，andonetowhichIwouldsacrificeeverythingbutprinciple。WiththepeopleIhavehopesofeffectingit。ButtheirCoryphaeiareincurables。Iexpectlittlefromthem。
　　Iwasnotdeludedbytheeulogiumsofthepublicpapersinthefirstmomentsofchange。Iftheycouldhavecontinuedtogetalltheloaves&fishes，thatis，ifIwouldhavegoneovertothem，theywouldcontinuetoeulogise。ButIwellknewthatthemomentthatsuchremovalsshouldtakeplace，asthejusticeoftheprecedingadministrationoughttohaveexecuted，theirhueandcrywouldbesetup，andtheywouldtaketheiroldstand。Ishalldisregardthatalso。Mr。Adams’lastappointments，whenheknewhewasnamingcounsellors&aidsforme¬forhimself，Isetasideasfarasdependsonme。Officerswhohavebeenguiltyofgrossabusesofoffice，suchasmarshalspackingjuries，&c。，Ishallnowremove，asmypredecessoroughtinjusticetohavedone。Theinstanceswillbefew，andgovernedbystrictrule，¬partypassion。Therightofopinionshallsuffernoinvasionfromme。Thosewhohaveactedwellhavenothingtofear，howevertheymayhavedifferedfrommeinopinion：thosewhohavedoneill，however，havenothingtohope；norshallIfailtodojusticelestitshouldbeascribedtothatdifferenceofopinion。Acoalitionofsentimentsisnotfortheinterestofprinters。They，liketheclergy，livebythezealtheycankindle，andtheschismstheycancreate。Itiscontestofopinioninpoliticsaswellasreligionwhichmakesustakegreatinterestinthem，andbestowourmoneyliberallyonthosewhofurnishalimenttoourappetite。ThemildandsimpleprinciplesoftheChristianphilosophywouldproducetoomuchcalm，toomuchregularityofgood，toextractfromit’sdisciplesasupportforanumerouspriesthood，weretheynottosophisticateit，ramifyit，splititintohairs，andtwistit’stextstilltheycoverthedivinemoralityofit’sauthorwithmysteries，andrequireapriesthoodtoexplainthem。TheQuakersseemtohavediscoveredthis。Theyhavenopriests，thereforenoschisms。Theyjudgeofthetextbythedictatesofcommonsense&commonmorality。Sotheprinterscanneverleaveusinastateofperfectrestandunionofopinion。Theywouldbenolongeruseful，andwouldhavetogototheplough。Inthefirstmomentsofquietudewhichhavesucceededtheelection，theyseemtohavearousedtheirlyingfacultiesbeyondtheirordinarystate，tore-agitatethepublicmind。Whatappointmentstoofficehavetheydetailedwhichhadneverbeenthoughtof，merelytofoundatextfortheircalumniatingcommentaries。However，thesteadycharacterofourcountrymenisarocktowhichwemaysafelymoor；
　　andnotwithstandingtheeffortsofthepaperstodisseminateearlydiscontents，Iexpectthatajust，dispassionateandsteadyconduct，willatlengthrallytoapropersystemthegreatbodyofourcountry。Unequivocalinprinciple，reasonableinmanner，weshallbeableIhopetodoagreatdealofgoodtothecauseoffreedom&
　　harmony。Ishallbehappytohearfromyouoften，toknowyourownsentiments&thoseofothersonthecourseofthings，andtoconcurwithyouineffortsforthecommongood。Yourlettersthroughthepostwillnowcomesafely。PresentmybestrespectstoMrs。Gerry，&
　　acceptyourselfassurancesofmyconstantesteemandhighconsideration。”FREESHIPSMAKEFREEGOODS”
　　_TotheU。S。MinistertoFrance_
　　ROBERTR。LIVINGSTON
　　_Monticello，Sep。9，1801_
　　DEARSIR，——Youwillreceive，probablybythispost，fromtheSecretaryofState，hisfinalinstructionsforyourmissiontoFrance。Wehavenotthoughtitnecessarytosayanythinginthemonthegreatquestionofthemaritimelawofnations，whichatpresentagitatesEurope；thatistosay，whetherfreeshipsshallmakefreegoods；becausewedonotmeantotakeanysideinitduringthewar。