Take，forinstance，thechequerboardforaplan。Lettheblacksquaresonlybebuildingsquares，andthewhiteonesbeleftopen，inturfandtrees。Everysquareofhouseswillbesurroundedbyfouropensquares，andeveryhousewillfrontanopensquare。Theatmosphereofsuchatownwouldbelikethatofthecountry，insusceptibleofthemiasmatawhichproduceyellowfever。IhaveaccordinglyproposedthattheenlargementsofthecityofNewOrleans，whichmustimmediatelytakeplace，shallbeonthisplan。
Butitisonlyincaseofenlargementstobemade，orofcitiestobebuilt，thatthismeansofpreventioncanbeemployed。
The_genusirritabilevatum_couldnotlettheauthoroftheRuinspublishanewwork，withoutseekinginitthemeansofdiscreditingthatpuzzlingcomposition。Someoneofthoseholycalumniatorshasselectedfromyournewworkeveryscrapofasentence，which，detachedfromitscontext，coulddispleaseanAmericanreader。Acentohasbeenmadeofthese，whichhasrunthroughaparticulardescriptionofnewspapers，andexcitedadisapprobationeveninfriendlyminds，whichnothingbutthereadingofthebookwillcure。Buttimeandtruthwillatlengthcorrecterror。
Ourcountrymenaresomuchoccupiedinthebusyscenesoflife，thattheyhavelittletimetowriteorinvent。Agoodinventionhere，therefore，issuchararityasitislawfultooffertotheacceptanceofafriend。AMr。HawkinsofFrankford，nearPhiladelphia，hasinventedamachinewhichhecallsapolygraph，andwhichcarriestwo，three，orfourpens。Thatoftwopens，withwhichIamnowwriting，isbest；andissoperfectthatIhavelaidasidethecopying-press，foratwelvemonthpast，andwritealwayswiththepolygraph。Ihavedirectedonetobemade，ofwhichIaskyouracceptance。BywhatconveyanceIshallsenditwhileHavreisblockaded，Idonotyetknow。Ithinkyouwillbepleasedwithit，andwilluseithabituallyasIdo；becauseitrequiresonlythatdegreeofmechanicalattentionwhichIknowyoutopossess。IamgladtohearthatM。Cabanisisengagedinwritingonthereformationofmedicine。Itneedsthehandofareformer，andcannotbeinbetterhandsthanhis。WillyoupermitmyrekspectstohimandtheAbbedelaRochetofindaplacehere。
Awordnowonourpoliticalstate。Thetwopartieswhichprevailedwithsomuchviolencewhenyouwerehere，arealmostwhollymeltedintoone。AtthelatePresidentialelectionIhavereceivedonehundredandsixty-twovotesagainstfourteenonly。Connecticutisstillfederalbyasmallmajority；andDelawareonapoise，asshehasbeensince1775，andwillbetillAnglomanywithheryieldstoAmericanism。Connecticutwillbewithusinashorttime。Thoughthepeopleinmasshavejoinedus，theirleadershadcommittedthemselvestoofartoretract。Pridekeepsthemhostile；theybroodovertheirangrypassions，andgivethemventinthenewspaperswhichtheymaintain。Theystillmakeasmuchnoiseasiftheywerethewholenation。Unfortunately，thesebeingthemercantilepapers，publishedchieflyintheseaports，aretheonlyoneswhichfindtheirwaytoEurope，andmakeveryfalseimpressionsthere。Iamhappytohearthatthelatederangementofyourhealthisgoingoff，andthatyouarere-established。Isincerelyprayforthecontinuanceofthatblessing，andwithmyaffectionatesalutations，tenderyouassurancesofgreatrespectandattachment。
P。S。Thesheetswhichyoureceivearethoseofthecopyingpenofthepolygraph，notoftheonewithwhichIhavewritten。
NEWSOFCAPTAINLEWIS
_ToC。F。deC。Volney_
_Washington，Feb。11，1806_
DEARSIR，——SincemineofFeb。18ofthelastyear，IhavereceivedyoursofJuly2。IhavebeenconstantlylookingoutforanopportunityofsendingyourPolygraph；buttheblockadeofHavrehascutoffthatresource，andIhavefearedtosendittoaportfromwhichtherewouldbeonlylandcarriage。AsafeconveyancenowofferingtoNantes，&undertheparticularcareofMr。Skipwith，whoisreturningtoFrance，hewilltakecareofitfromNantesbylandifaneasycarriageisfound，orifnot，thenbythecanalofBriare。
Anotheryear’sconstantuseofasimilaroneattachesmemoreandmoretoitasamostvaluableconvenience。IsendyoualsoapamphletpublishedhereagainsttheEnglishdoctrinewhichdeniestoneutralsatradeinwarnotopentotheminpeaceinwhichyouwillfinditpulverizedbyalogicnottobecontroverted。
OurlastnewsofCaptnLewiswasthathehadreachedtheupperpartoftheMissouri，&hadtakenhorsestocrosstheHighlandstotheColumbiariver。HepassedthelastwinteramongtheManians1610
milesabovethemouthoftheriver。Sofarhehaddelineateditwithasgreataccuracyaswillprobablybeeverappliedtoit，ashiscourses&distancesbymensurationwerecorrectedbyalmostdailyobservationsoflatitudeandlongitude。WithhismaphesentusspecimensorinformationofthefollowinganimalsnotbeforeknowntothenortherncontinentofAmerica。1。ThehornsofwhatisperhapsaspeciesofOvisAmmon。2。Anewvarietyofthedeerhavingablacktail。3。Anantelope。4。Thebadger，notbeforeknownoutofEurope。5。Anewspeciesofmarmotte。6。Awhiteweasel。7。Themagpie。8。ThePrairiehen，saidtoresembletheGuineahenpeintade。9。Apricklylizard。Totheseareaddedaconsiderablecollectionofminerals，notyetanalyzed。HewinteredinLat。47
degrees20’andfoundthemaximumofcold43degreesbelowthezeroofFahrenheit。WeexpecthehasreachedthePacific，andisnowwinteringontheheadoftheMissouri，andwillbeherenextautumn。
HavingbeendisappointedinourviewofsendinganexploringpartyuptheRedriverthelastyear，theyweresentuptheWashita，asfarasthehotsprings，underthedirectionofMr。Dunbar。Hefoundthetemperatureofthesprings150degreesofFahrenheit&thewaterperfectlypotablewhencooled。Weobtainalsothegeographyofthatriver，sofarwithperfectaccuracy。OurpartyisjustatthistimesettingoutfromNatcheztoascendtheRedriver。Theseexpeditionsaresolaborious，&hazardous，thatmenofscience，usedtothetemperature&inactivityoftheircloset，cannotbeinducedtoundertakethem。Theyareheadedthereforebypersonsqualifiedexpresslytogiveusthegeographyoftheriverswithperfectaccuracy，andofgoodcommonknolegeandobservationintheanimal，vegetable&mineraldepartments。Whentherouteshallbeonceopenandknown，scientificmenwillundertake，&verify&classit’ssubjects。Ouremigrationtothewesterncountryfromthesestatesthelastyearisestimatedatabout100，000。Iconjecturethataboutone-halfthenumberofourincreasewillemigratewestwardlyannually。Anewspaperparagraphtellsme，withsomedetails，thatthesocietyofagricultureofParishadthoughtamould-boardofmyconstructionworthytheirnotice&Mr。Dupontconfirmsitinaletter，butnotspecifyinganythingparticular。Isendhimamodelwithanadvantageouschangeintheform，inwhichhowevertheprincipleisrigorouslythesame。ImentionthistoyoulestheshouldhaveleftFranceforAmerica，andInoticeitnootherwiselestthereshouldhavebeenanyerrorintheinformation。PresentmyrespectfulsalutationstoDoctr。Cabanis&acceptthemyourselfwithassurancesofmyconstantfriendship&attachment。
ANATIONALACADEMY
_ToJoelBarlow_
_Feb。24，1806_
IreturnyouthedraftofthebillfortheestablishmentofaNationalAcademy&UniversityatthecityofWashington，withsuchalterationsaswetalkedoverthelastnight。Theyarechieflyverbal。IhaveoftenwishedwecouldhaveaPhilosophicalsocietyoracademysoorganizedasthatwhilethecentralacademyshouldbeattheseatofgovernment，it’smembersdispersedoverthestates，shouldconstitutefiliatedacademiesineachstate，publishtheircommunications，fromwhichthecentralacademyshouldselectunpublishedwhatshouldbemostchoice。Inthiswayallthememberswheresoeverdispersedmightbebroughtintoaction，andanusefulemulationmightarisebetweenthefiliatedsocieties。PerhapsthegreatsocietiesnowexistingmightincorporatethemselvesinthiswaywiththeNationalone。Buttimedoesnotallowmetopursuethisidea，norperhapshadwetimeatalltogetitintothepresentbill。
IprocuredanAgriculturalsocietytobeestablishedvoluntarilyonthisplan，butithasdonenothing。Friendlysalutations。
COURTINGALEXANDER
_TotheEmperorAlexander_
_Washington，April19，1806_
IoweanacknowledgmenttoyourImperialMajestyforthegreatsatisfactionIhavereceivedfromyourletterofAug。20，1805，andembracetheopportunityitaffordsofgivingexpressiontothesincererespectandvenerationIentertainforyourcharacter。Itwillbeamongthelatestandmostsoothingcomfortsofmylife，tohaveseenadvancedtothegovernmentofsoextensiveaportionoftheearth，andatsoearlyaperiodofhislife，asovereignwhoserulingpassionistheadvancementofthehappinessandprosperityofhispeople；andnotofhisownpeopleonly，butwhocanextendhiseyeandhisgoodwilltoadistantandinfantnation，unoffendinginitscourse，unambitiousinitsviews。
TheeventsofEuropecometoussolate，andsosuspiciously，thatobservationsonthemwouldcertainlybestale，andpossiblywideoftheiractualstate。Fromtheirgeneralaspect，however，IcollectthatyourMajesty’sinterpositioninthemhasbeendisinterestedandgenerous，andhavinginviewonlythegeneralgoodofthegreatEuropeanfamily。Whenyoushallproceedtothepacificationwhichistore-establishpeaceandcommerce，thesamedispositionsofmindwillleadyoutothinkofthegeneralintercourseofnations，andtomakethatprovisionforitsfuturemaintenancewhich，intimespast，ithassomuchneeded。ThenorthernnationsofEurope，attheheadofwhichyourMajestyisdistinguished，arehabituallypeaceable。
TheUnitedStatesofAmerica，likethem，areattachedtopeace。Wehavethenwiththemacommoninterestintheneutralrights。Everynationindeed，onthecontinentofEurope，belligerentaswellasneutral，isinterestedinmaintainingtheserights，inliberalizingthemprogressivelywiththeprogressofscienceandrefinementofmorality，andinrelievingthemfromrestrictionswhichtheextensionoftheartshaslongsincerenderedunreasonableandvexatious。
TwopersonagesinEurope，ofwhichyourMajestyisone，haveitintheirpower，attheapproachingpacification，torendereminentservicetonationsingeneral，byincorporatingintotheactofpacification，acorrectdefinitionoftherightsofneutralsonthehighseas。Suchadefinition，declaredbyallthepowerslatelyorstillbelligerent，wouldgivetothoserightsaprecisionandnotoriety，andcoverthemwithanauthority，whichwouldprotecttheminanimportantdegreeagainstfutureviolation；andshouldanyfurthersanctionbenecessary，thatofanexclusionoftheviolatingnationfromcommercialintercoursewithalltheothers，wouldbepreferredtowar，asmoreanalogoustotheoffence，moreeasyandlikelytobeexecutedwithgoodfaith。Theessentialarticlesoftheserights，too，aresofewandsimpleaseasilytobedefined。
HavingtakennopartinthepastorexistingtroublesofEurope，wehavenoparttoactinitspacification。Butasprinciplesmaythenbesettledinwhichwehaveadeepinterest，itisagreathappinessforusthattheyareplacedundertheprotectionofanumpire，who，lookingbeyondthenarrowboundsofanindividualnation，willtakeunderthecoverofhisequitytherightsoftheabsentandunrepresented。Itisonlybyahappyconcurrenceofgoodcharactersandgoodoccasions，thatastepcannowandthenbetakentoadvancethewell-beingofnations。Ifthepresentoccasionbegood，IamsureyourMajesty’scharacterwillnotbewantingtoavailtheworldofit。Bymonumentsofsuchgoodoffices，mayyourlifebecomeanepochinthehistoryoftheconditionofman；andmayHewhocalleditintobeing，forthegoodofthehumanfamily，giveitlengthofdaysandsuccess，andhaveitalwaysinHisholykeeping。
ATRIBUTEOFGRATITUDE
_ToDr。EdwardJenner_
_Monticello，May14，1806_
SIR，——Ihavereceivedacopyoftheevidenceatlargerespectingthediscoveryofthevaccineinoculationwhichyouhavebeenpleasedtosendme，andforwhichIreturnyoumythanks。
Havingbeenamongtheearlyconverts，inthispartoftheglobe，toitsefficiency，Itookanearlypartinrecommendingittomycountrymen。Iavailmyselfofthisoccasionofrenderingyouaportionofthetributeofgratitudeduetoyoufromthewholehumanfamily。Medicinehasneverbeforeproducedanysingleimprovementofsuchutility。Harvey’sdiscoveryofthecirculationofthebloodwasabeautifuladditiontoourknowledgeoftheanimaleconomy，butonareviewofthepracticeofmedicinebeforeandsincethatepoch，Idonotseeanygreatameliorationwhichhasbeenderivedfromthatdiscovery。Youhaveerasedfromthecalendarofhumanafflictionsoneofitsgreatest。Yoursisthecomfortablereflectionthatmankindcanneverforgetthatyouhavelived。Futurenationswillknowbyhistoryonlythattheloathsomesmall-poxhasexistedandbyyouhasbeenextirpated。
Acceptmyferventwishesforyourhealthandhappinessandassurancesofthegreatestrespectandconsideration。
SCHISMANDTHEMAJORITYLEADSHIP
_ToBarnabasBidwell_
_Washington，July5，1806_
SIR，——YourfavorofJunethe21sthasbeendulyreceived。WehavenotasyetheardfromGeneralSkinneronthesubjectofhisoffice。Threepersonsareproposedonthemostrespectablerecommendations，andundercircumstancesofsuchequalityasrendersitdifficulttodecidebetweenthem。Butitshallbedoneimpartially。IsincerelycongratulateyouonthetriumphofrepublicanisminMassachusetts。TheHydraoffederalismhasnowlostallitsheadsbuttwo。ConnecticutIthinkwillsoonfollowMassachusetts。Delawarewillprobablyremainwhatiteverhasbeen，amerecountyofEngland，conqueredindeed，andheldunderbyforce，butalwaysdisposedtocounter-revolution。Ispeakofitsmajorityonly。
OurinformationfromLondoncontinuestogiveushopesofanaccommodationthereonboththepointsof`accustomedcommerceandimpressment。’Inthistheremustprobablybesomemutualconcession，becausewecannotexpecttoobtaineverythingandyieldnothing。