Onourwestern&southernfrontiers，Spainholdsanimmensecountry，theoccupancyofwhich，however，isintheIndiannatives，exceptafewinsulatedspotspossessedbySpanishsubjects。Itisveryquestionable，indeed，whethertheIndianswouldsell?whetherSpainwouldbewillingtoreceivethesepeople?andnearlycertainthatshewouldnotalienatethesovereignty。Thesamequestiontoourselveswouldrecurherealso，asdidinthefirstcase：shouldwebewillingtohavesuchacolonyincontactwithus?Howeverourpresentinterestsmayrestrainuswithinourownlimits，itisimpossiblenottolookforwardtodistanttimes，whenourrapidmultiplicationwillexpanditselfbeyondthoselimits，&coverthewholenorthern，ifnotthesoutherncontinent，withapeoplespeakingthesamelanguage，governedinsimilarforms，&bysimilarlaws；norcanwecontemplatewithsatisfactioneitherblotormixtureonthatsurface。Spain，France，andPortugalholdpossessionsonthesoutherncontinent，astowhichIamnotwellenoughinformedtosayhowfartheymightmeetourviews。Buteitherthereorinthenortherncontinent，shouldtheconstitutedauthoritiesofVirginiafixtheirattention，ofpreference，Iwillhavethedispositionsofthosepowerssoundedinthefirstinstance。
　　TheWestIndiesofferamoreprobable&practicableretreatforthem。Inhabitedalreadybyapeopleoftheirownrace&color；
　　climatescongenialwiththeirnaturalconstitution；insulatedfromtheotherdescriptionsofmen；natureseemstohaveformedtheseislandstobecomethereceptacleoftheblackstransplantedintothishemisphere。WhetherwecouldobtainfromtheEuropeansovereignsofthoseislandsleavetosendthitherthepersonsunderconsideration，Icannotsay；butIthinkitmoreprobablethantheformerpropositions，becauseoftheirbeingalreadyinhabitedmoreorlessbythesamerace。ThemostpromisingportionofthemistheislandofSt。Domingo，wheretheblacksareestablishedintoasovereignty_defacto_，&haveorganizedthemselvesunderregularlaws&
　　government。Ishouldconjecturethattheirpresentrulermightbewilling，onmanyconsiderations，toreceiveeventhatdescriptionwhichwouldbeexiledforactsdeemedcriminalbyus，butmeritorious，perhaps，byhim。Thepossibilitythattheseexilesmightstimulate&conductvindicativeorpredatorydescentsonourcoasts，&facilitateconcertwiththeirbrethrenremaininghere，lookstoastateofthingsbetweenthatisland&usnotprobableonacontemplationofourrelativestrength，andofthedisproportiondailygrowing；anditisoverweighedbythehumanityofthemeasuresproposed，&theadvantagesofdisembarrassingourselvesofsuchdangerouscharacters。Africawouldofferalast&undoubtedresort，ifallothersmoredesirableshouldfailus。WhenevertheLegislatureofVirginiashallhavebroughtit’smindtoapoint，sothatImayknowexactlywhattoproposetoforeignauthorities，I
　　willexecutetheirwisheswithfidelity&zeal。Ihope，however，theywillpardonmeforsuggestingasinglequestionfortheirownconsideration。Whenwecontemplatethevarietyofcountries&ofsovereignstowardswhichwemaydirectourviews，thevastrevolutions&changesofcircumstanceswhicharenowinacourseofprogression，thepossibilitiesthatarrangementsnowtobemade，withaviewtoanyparticularplan，may，atnogreatdistanceoftime，betotallyderangedbyachangeofsovereignty，ofgovernment，orofothercircumstances，itwillbefortheLegislaturetoconsiderwhether，aftertheyshallhavemadeallthosegeneralprovisionswhichmaybefixedbylegislativeauthority，itwouldbereposingtoomuchconfidenceintheirExecutivetoleavetheplaceofrelegationtobedecidedonby_them_。Theycouldaccommodatetheirarrangementstotheactualstateofthings，inwhichcountriesorpowersmaybefoundtoexistattheday；andmaypreventtheeffectofthelawfrombeingdefeatedbyinterveningchanges。This，however，isforthemtodecide。Ourdutywillbetorespecttheirdecision。
　　LIMITSOFTHEPRACTICABLE
　　_ToP。S。DupontdeNemours_
　　_Washington，Jan。18，1802_
　　DEARSIR，——ItisrareIcanindulgemyselfintheluxuryofphilosophy。Yourlettersgivemeafewofthosedeliciousmoments。
　　Placedasyouareinagreatcommercialtown，withlittleopportunityofdiscoveringthedispositionsofthecountryportionsofourcitizens，Idonotwonderatyourdoubtswhethertheywillgenerallyandsincerelyconcurinthesentimentsandmeasuresdevelopedinmymessageofthe7thJany。Butfrom40。yearsofintimateconversationwiththeagriculturalinhabitantsofmycountry，Icanpronouncethemasdifferentfromthoseofthecities，asthoseofanytwonationsknown。Thesentimentsoftheformercaninnodegreebeinferredfromthoseofthelatter。Youhavespokenaprofoundtruthinthesewords，”Ilyadanslesetatsunisunbonsenssilencieux，unespritdejusticefroide，quilorsqu’ilestquestiond’emettreun_vote_
　　commelesbavardagesdeceuxquifontleshabiles。”Aplaincountryfarmerhaswrittenlatelyapamphletonourpublicaffairs。Histestimonyofthesenseofthecountryisthebestwhichcanbeproducedofthejustnessofyourobservation。Hiswordsare”Thetongueofmanisnothiswholebody。So，inthiscase，thenoisypartofthecommunitywasnotallthebodypolitic。Duringthecareeroffuryandcontentionin1800thesedate，gravepartofthepeoplewerestill；hearingall，andjudgingforthemselves，whatmethodtotake，whentheconstitutionaltimeofactionshouldcome，theexerciseoftherightofsuffrage。”Themajorityofthepresentlegislatureareinunisonwiththeagriculturalpartofourcitizens，andyouwillseethatthereisnothinginthemessage，towhichtheydonotaccord。Somethingsmayperhapsbeleftundonefrommotivesofcompromiseforatime，andnottoalarmbytoosuddenareformation，butwithaviewtoberesumedatanothertime。Iamperfectlysatisfiedtheeffectoftheproceedingsofthissessionofcongresswillbetoconsolidatethegreatbodyofwellmeaningcitizenstogether，whetherfederalorrepublican，heretoforecalled。
　　Idonotmeantoincluderoyalistsorpriests。Theiroppositionisimmovable。Buttheywillbevoxetpretereanihil，leaderswithoutfollowers。Iamsatisfiedthatwithinoneyearfromthistimewereanelectiontotakeplacebetweentwocandidatesmerelyrepublicanandfederal，wherenopersonaloppositionexistedagainsteither，thefederalcandidatewouldnotgetthevoteofasingleelectorintheU。S。Imusthereagainappealtothetestimonyofmyfarmer，whosays”Thegreatbodyofthepeopleareoneinsentiment。Ifthefederalpartyandtherepublicanparty，shouldeachofthemchooseaconventiontoframeaconstitutionofgovernmentoracodeoflaws，therewouldbenoradicaldifferenceintheresultsofthetwoconventions。”Thisismosttrue。Thebodyofourpeople，tho’
　　dividedforashorttimebyanartificialpanic，andcalledbydifferentnames，haveeverhadthesameobjectinview，towit，themaintenanceofafederal，republicangovernment，andhaveneverceasedtobeallfederalists，allrepublicans：stillexceptingthenoisybandofroyalistsinhabitingcitieschiefly，andpriestsbothofcityandcountry。WhenIsaythatinanelectionbetweenarepublicanandfederalcandidate，freefrompersonalobjection，theformerwouldprobablygeteveryvote，Imustnotbeunderstoodasplacingmyselfinthatview。Itwasmydestinytocometothegovernmentwhenithadforseveralyearsbeencommittedtoaparticularpoliticalsect，totheabsoluteandentireexclusionofthosewhowereinsentimentwiththebodyofthenation。Ifoundthecountryentirelyintheenemieshands。Itwasnecessarytodislodgesomeofthem。OutofmanythousandsofofficersintheU。S。9。onlyhavebeenremovedforpoliticalprinciple，and12。fordelinquincieschieflypecuniary。Thewholeherdhavesquealedout，asifalltheirthroatswerecut。Theseactsofjusticefewastheyhavebeen，haveraisedgreatpersonalobjectionstome，ofwhichanewcharacterwouldbe[_faded_]。Whenthisgovernmentwasfirstestablished，itwaspossibletohavekeptitgoingontrueprinciples，butthecontracted，English，half-letteredideasofHamilton，destroyedthathopeinthebud。Wecanpayoffhisdebtin15。years；butwecannevergetridofhisfinancialsystem。ItmortifiesmetobestrengtheningprincipleswhichIdeemradicallyvicious，butthisviceisentailedonusbythefirsterror。InotherpartsofourgovernmentIhopeweshallbeablebydegreestointroducesoundprinciplesandmakethemhabitual。Whatispracticablemustoftencontroulwhatispuretheory；andthehabitsofthegoverneddetermineinagreatdegreewhatispracticable。Hencethesameoriginalprinciples，modifiedinpracticeaccordingtothedifferenthabitsofdifferentnations，presentgovernmentsofverydifferentaspects。Thesameprinciplesreducedtoformsofpracticeaccommodatedtoourhabits，andputintoformsaccommodatedtothehabitsoftheFrenchnationwouldpresentgovernmentsveryunlikeeachother。Ihavenodoubtbutthatagreatman，thoroughlyknowingthehabitsofFrance，mightsoaccommodatetothemtheprinciplesoffreegovernmentastoenablethemtolivefree。Butinthehandsofthosewhohavenotthiscoupd’oeil，manyunsuccessfulexperimentsI
　　fearareyettobetriedbeforetheywillsettledowninfreedomandtranquility。Iapplaudthereforeyourdeterminationtoremainhere，tho’foryourselfandtheadultsofyourfamilythedissimilitudeofourmannersandthedifferenceoftonguewillbesourcesofrealunhappiness。YetlesssothanthehorrorsanddangerswhichFrancewouldpresenttoyou，andastothoseofyourfamilystillininfancy，theywillbeformedtothecircumstancesofthecountry，andwill，Idoubtnot，behappierherethantheycouldhavebeeninEuropeunderanycircumstances。BesogoodastomakemyrespectfulsalutationsacceptabletoMade。Dupont，andallofyourfamilyandtobeassuredyourselfofmyconstantandaffectionateesteem。”TOBELOVEDBYEVERYBODY”
　　_ToAnneCary，ThomasJefferson，andEllenWaylesRandolph_
　　_Washington，Mar。2，1802_
　　MYDEARCHILDREN——Iamveryhappytofindthattwoofyoucanwrite。Ishallnowexpectthatwheneveritisinconvenientforyourpapaandmamatowrite，oneofyouwillwriteonapieceofpaperthesewords`alliswell’andsenditformetothepostoffice。I
　　amhappytoothatMissEllencannowreadsoreadily。IfshewillmakehasteandreadthroughallthebooksIhavegivenher，andwillletmeknowwhensheisthroughthem，Iwillgoandcarryhersomemore。Ishallnowseewhethershewishestoseemeasmuchasshesays。Iwishtoseeyouall：andthemoreIperceivethatyouarealladvancinginyourlearningandimprovingingooddispositionsthemoreIshallloveyou，andthemoreeverybodywillloveyou。Itisacharmingthingtobelovedbyeverybody：andthewaytoobtainitis，nevertoquarrelorbeangrywithanybodyandtotellastory。
　　Doallthekindthingsyoucantoyourcompanions，givethemeverythingratherthantoyourself。Pityandhelpanythingyouseeindistressandlearnyourbooksandimproveyourminds。Thiswillmakeeverybodyfondofyou，anddesirousofdoingittoyou。Goonthenmydearchildren，and，whenwemeetatMonticello，letmeseewhohasimprovedmost。Ikissthispaperforeachofyou：itwillthereforedeliverthekissestoyourselves，andtwoover，whichoneofyoumustdelivertoyourMamaforme；andpresentmyaffectionateattachmenttoyourpapa。YourselvesloveandAdieux。
　　THEPROGRESSOFREFORM
　　_ToGeneralThaddeusKosciusko_
　　_Washington，April2，1802_
　　DEARGENERAL，——ItisbutlatelythatIhavereceivedyourletterofthe25thFrimaireDecember15wishingtoknowwhethersomeofficersofyourcountrycouldexpecttobeemployedinthiscountry。Topreventasuspenseinjurioustothem，Ihastentoinformyou，thatwearenowactuallyengagedinreducingourmilitaryestablishmentonethird，anddischargingonethirdofourofficers。
　　Wekeepinservicenomorethanmenenoughtogarrisonthesmallpostsdispersedatgreatdistancesonourfrontiers，whichgarrisonswillgenerallyconsistofacaptain’scompanyonly，andinnocaseofmorethantwoorthree，innotone，ofasufficientnumbertorequireafieldofficer；andnocircumstancewhatevercanbringthesegarrisonstogether，becauseitwouldbeanabandonmentoftheirforts。Thuscircumstanced，youwillperceivetheentireimpossibilityofprovidingforthepersonsyourecommend。Iwishithadbeeninmypowertogiveyouamorefavorableanswer；butnexttothefulfillingyourwishes，themostgratefulthingIcandoistogiveafaithfulanswer。ThesessionofthefirstCongressconvenedsincerepublicanismhasrecovereditsascendancy，isnowdrawingtoaclose。Theywillprettycompletelyfulfilallthedesiresofthepeople。Theyhavereducedthearmyandnavytowhatisbarelynecessary。Theyaredisarmingexecutivepatronageandpreponderance，byputtingdownonehalftheofficesoftheUnitedStates，whicharenolongernecessary。Theseeconomieshaveenabledthemtosuppressalltheinternaltaxes，andstilltomakesuchprovisionforthepaymentoftheirpublicdebtastodischargethatineighteenyears。
　　Theyhaveloppedoffaparasitelimb，plantedbytheirpredecessorsontheirjudiciarybodyforpartypurposes；theyareopeningthedoorsofhospitalitytothefugitivesfromtheoppressionsofothercountries；andwehavesuppressedallthosepublicformsandceremonieswhichtendedtofamiliarisethepubliceyetotheharbingersofanotherformofgovernment。Thepeoplearenearlyallunited；theirquondamleaders，infuriatedwiththesenseoftheirimpotence，willsoonbeseenorheardonlyinthenewspapers，whichserveaschimniestocarryoffnoxiousvaporsandsmoke，andallisnowtranquil，firmandwell，asitshouldbe。Iaddnosignaturebecauseunnecessaryforyou。Godblessyou，andpreserveyoustillforaseasonofusefulnesstoyourcountry。
　　THEAFFAIROFLOUISIANA
　　_TotheU。S。MinistertoFrance_
　　ROBERTR。LIVINGSTON
　　_Washington，Apr。18，1802_
　　DEARSIR——AfavorableandaconfidentialopportunityofferingbyMr。DupontdeNemours，whoisrevisitinghisnativecountrygivesmeanopportunityofsendingyouaciphertobeusedbetweenus，whichwillgiveyousometroubletounderstand，but，onceunderstood，istheeasiesttouse，themostindecipherable，andvariedbyanewkeywiththegreatestfacilityofanyoneIhaveeverknown。Iaminhopestheexplanationinclosedwillbesufficient。Letourkeyoflettersbe[_somefigureswhichareillegible_]andthekeyoflinesbe[_figuresillegible_]andlestweshouldhappentoloseourkeyorbeabsentfromit，itissoformedastobekeptinthememoryandputuponpaperatpleasure；beingproducedbywritingournamesandresidencesatfulllength，eachofwhichcontaining27lettersisdividedintotwopartsof9。letterseach；andeachofthe9。lettersisthennumberedaccordingtotheplaceitwouldholdifthe9。werearrangedalphabetically，thus[_soblottedastobeillegible]。Thenumbersoverthelettersbeingthenarrangedastheletterstowhichtheybelongstandinournames，wecanalwaysconstructourkey。Butwhyacipherbetweenus，whenofficialthingsgonaturallytotheSecretaryofState，andthingsnotpoliticalneednocipher。1。