engagedhimtoinquireforthis;hewastherejustaftertheharvest,procuredandsentmeathirty-galloncaskofit。Itarrivedintimetheensuingspringtobesown。IdivideditbetweentheAgriculturalSocietyofCharlestonandsomeprivategentlemenofGeorgia,recommendingittotheircare,inthehopewhichhadinducedmetoendeavortoobtainit,thatifitansweredaswellastheswamprice,itmightridthemofthatsourceoftheirsummerdiseases。NothingcameofthetrialsinSouthCarolina,butbeingcarriedintotheupperhillypartsofGeorgia,itsucceededthereperfectly,hasspreadoverthecountry,andisnowcommonlycultivated;still,however,forfamilyusechiefly,astheycannotmakeitforsaleincompetitionwiththericeoftheswamps。Theformerpartofthesedetailsiswrittenfrommemory,thepapersbeingatMonticellowhichwouldenablemetoparticularizeexactlythedatesoftimesandplaces。ThelatterpartisfromthelateMr。Baldwin,oneofthosewhomIengagedinthedistributionoftheseedinGeorgia,andwhoinhisannualattendanceonCongress,gavemefromtimetotimethehistoryofitsprogress。IthasgotfromGeorgiaintoKentucky,whereitiscultivatedbymanyindividualsforfamilyuse。I
cultivatedittwoorthreeyearsatMonticello,andhadgoodcrops,asdidmyneighbors,butnothavingconveniencesforhuskingit,wedeclinedit。Itriedsomeofitinapot,whileIlivedinPhiladelphia,andgaveseedtoMr。Bartram。Itproducedluxuriantplantswithusboth,butnoseed;nordoIbelieveitwillripenintheUnitedStatesasfarnorthasPhiladelphia。BusinessandanindispositionofsomedaysmustapologizeforthisdelayinansweringyourletterofOctober24th,whichIdidnotreceivetillthe6thofNovember。Andpermitmeheretoaddmysalutationsandassurancesofesteemandrespect。”LASTTRIALFORPEACE”
_ToJamesMonroe_
_Washington,January28,1809_
DEARSIR,——Yourfavorofthe18thwasreceivedinduetime,andtheanswerhasbeendelayedaswellbyapressureofbusiness,asbytheexpectationofyourabsencefromRichmond。
TheideaofsendingaspecialmissiontoFranceorEnglandisnotentertainedatallhere。Aftersolittleattentiontousfromtheformer,andsoinsultingananswerfromCanning,suchamarkofrespectasanextraordinarymission,wouldbeadegradationagainstwhichallmindsrevolthere。TheideawashazardedintheHouseofRepresentativesafewdaysago,byamember,andanapprobationexpressedbyanother,butrejectedindignantlybyeveryotherpersonwhospoke,andverygenerallyinconversationbyallothers;andIamsatisfiedsuchapropositionwouldgetnovoteintheSenate。ThecoursetheLegislaturemeanstopursue,maybeinferredfromtheactnowpassedforameetinginMay,andapropositionbeforethemforrepealingtheembargoinJune,andthenresumingandmaintainingbyforceourrightofnavigation。Therewillbeconsiderableoppositiontothislastproposition,notonlyfromthefederalists,oldandnew,whoopposeeverything,butfromsoundmembersofthemajority。Yetitisbelieveditwillobtainagoodmajority,andthatitistheonlypropositionwhichcanbedevisedthatcouldobtainamajorityofanykind。Finalpropositionswill,therefore,besoondespatchedtoboththebelligerentsthroughtheresidentministers,sothattheiranswerswillbereceivedbeforethemeetinginMay,andwilldecidewhatistobedone。Thislasttrialforpeaceisnotthoughtdesperate。If,asisexpected,BonaparteshouldbesuccessfulinSpain,howevereveryvirtuousandliberalsentimentrevoltsatit,itmayinducebothpowerstobemoreaccommodatingwithus。Englandwillseeheretheonlyasylumforhercommerceandmanufactures,worthmoretoherthanherordersofcouncil。AndBonaparte,havingSpainathisfeet,willlookimmediatelytotheSpanishcolonies,andthinkourneutralitycheaplypurchasedbyarepealoftheillegalpartsofhisdecrees,withperhapstheFloridasthrownintothebargain。ShouldachangeintheaspectofaffairsinEuropeproducethisdispositioninbothpowers,ourpeaceandprosperitymayberevivedandlongcontinue。Otherwise,wemustagaintakethetentedfield,aswedidin1776undermoreinauspiciouscircumstances。
Thereneverhasbeenasituationoftheworldbefore,inwhichsuchendeavorsaswehavemadewouldnothavesecuredourpeace。Itisprobablethereneverwillbesuchanother。Ifwegotowarnow,I
fearwemayrenounceforeverthehopeofseeinganendofournationaldebt。Ifwecankeepatpeaceeightyearslonger,ourincome,liberatedfromdebt,willbeadequatetoanywar,withoutnewtaxesorloans,andourpositionandincreasingstrengthputus_horsd’insulte_fromanynation。Iamnowsonearthemomentofretiring,thatItakenopartinaffairsbeyondtheexpressionofanopinion。
Ithinkitfairthatmysuccessorshouldnoworiginatethosemeasuresofwhichhewillbechargedwiththeexecutionandresponsibility,andthatitismydutytoclothethemwiththeformsofauthority。
FiveweeksmorewillrelievemefromadrudgerytowhichIamnolongerequal,andrestoremetoasceneoftranquillity,amidstmyfamilyandfriends,morecongenialtomyageandnaturalinclinations。Inthatsituation,itwillalwaysbeapleasuretometoseeyou,andtorepeattoyoutheassurancesofmyconstantfriendshipandrespect。
THEREPUBLICOFSCIENCE
_ToJohnHollins_
_Washington,February19,1809_
DEARSIR,——Alittletransactionofmine,asinnocentanoneasIeverenteredinto,andwhereanimproperconstructionwasneverlessexpected,ismakingsomenoise,Iobserve,inyourcity。Ibegleavetoexplainittoyou,becauseImeantoaskyouragencyinit。
Thelastyear,theAgriculturalSocietyofParis,ofwhichIamamember,havinghadaploughpresentedtothem,which,ontrialwithagraduatedinstrument,didequalworkwithhalftheforceoftheirbestploughs,theythoughtitwouldbeabenefittomankindtocommunicateit。Theyaccordinglysentonetome,withaviewtoitsbeingmadeknownhere,andtheysentonetotheDukeofBedfordalso,whoisoneoftheirmembers,tobemadeuseofforEngland,althoughthetwonationswerethenatwar。BytheMentor,nowgoingtoFrance,IhavegivenpermissiontotwoindividualsinDelawareandNewYork,toimporttwoparcelsofMerinosheepfromFrance,whichtheyhaveprocuredthere,andtosomegentlemeninBoston,toimportaveryvaluablemachinewhichspinscotton,woolandflaxequally。
Thelastspring,theSocietyinformedmetheywerecultivatingthecottonoftheLevantandotherpartsoftheMediterranean,andwishedtotryalsothatofoursouthernStates。Iimmediatelygotafriendtohavetwotiercesofseedforwardedtome。TheywereconsignedtoMessrs。FallsandBrownofBaltimore,andnoticeofitbeinggivenme,Iimmediatelywrotetothemtore-shipthemtoNewYork,tobesentbytheMentor。Theirfirstobjectwastomakeashowofmyletter,assomethingverycriminal,andtocarrythesubjectintothenewspapers。Ihad,onalikerequest,sometimeago,butbeforetheembargofromthePresidentoftheBoardofAgricultureofLondon,ofwhichIamalsoamember,tosendthemsomeofthegenuineMaywheatofVirginia,forwardedtothemtwoorthreebarrelsofit。GeneralWashington,inhistime,receivedfromthesameSocietytheseedoftheperennialsuccory,whichArthurYounghadcarriedoverfromFrancetoEngland,andIhavesincereceivedfromamemberofittheseedofthefamousturnipofSweden,nowsowellknownhere。I
mentionthesethings,toshewthenatureofthecorrespondencewhichiscarriedonbetweensocietiesinstitutedforthebenevolentpurposeofcommunicatingtoallpartsoftheworldwhateverusefulisdiscoveredinanyoneofthem。Thesesocietiesarealwaysinpeace,howevertheirnationsmaybeatwar。Liketherepublicofletters,theyformagreatfraternityspreadingoverthewholeearth,andtheircorrespondenceisneverinterruptedbyanycivilizednation。
Vaccinationhasbeenalateandremarkableinstanceoftheliberaldiffusionofablessingnewlydiscovered。Itisreallypainful,itismortifying,tobeobligedtonotethesethings,whichareknowntoeveryonewhoknowsanything,andfeltwithapprobationbyeveryonewhohasanyfeeling。Butwehaveafactiontowhosehostilepassionsthetortureevenofrightintowrongisadeliciousgratification。
TheirmaliceIhavelonglearnedtodisregard,theircensuretodeempraise。ButIobserve,thatsomerepublicansarenotsatisfiedevenwhilewearereceivingliberallyfromothersthatthissmallreturnshouldbemade。Theywillthinkmorejustlyatanotherday:butinthemeantime,Iwishtoavoidoffence。Myprayertoyou,therefore,is,thatyouwillbesogood,undertheinclosedorder,astoreceivethesetwotiercesofseedfromFallsandBrown,andpaythemtheirdisbursementsforfreight,&c。whichIwillimmediatelyremityouonknowingtheamount。Oftheseed,whenreceived,besogoodastomakemanureforyourgarden。Whenrottedwithaduemixtureofstablemanureorearth,itisthebestintheworld。Irelyonyourfriendshiptoexcusethistrouble,itbeingnecessaryIshouldnotcommitmyselfagaintopersonsofwhosehonor,orthewantofit,I
knownothing。
Accepttheassurancesofmyconstantesteemandrespect。
THENEGRORACE
_ToHenriGregoire_
_Washington,February25,1809_
SIR,——IhavereceivedthefavorofyourletterofAugust17th,andwithitthevolumeyouweresokindastosendmeonthe”LiteratureofNegroes。”BeassuredthatnopersonlivingwishesmoresincerelythanIdo,toseeacompleterefutationofthedoubtsI
havemyselfentertainedandexpressedonthegradeofunderstandingallottedtothembynature,andtofindthatinthisrespecttheyareonaparwithourselves。MydoubtsweretheresultofpersonalobservationonthelimitedsphereofmyownState,wheretheopportunitiesforthedevelopmentoftheirgeniuswerenotfavorable,andthoseofexercisingitstilllessso。Iexpressedthemthereforewithgreathesitation;butwhateverbetheirdegreeoftalentitisnomeasureoftheirrights。BecauseSirIsaacNewtonwassuperiortoothersinunderstanding,hewasnotthereforelordofthepersonorpropertyofothers。Onthissubjecttheyaregainingdailyintheopinionsofnations,andhopefuladvancesaremakingtowardstheirre-establishmentonanequalfootingwiththeothercolorsofthehumanfamily。Iprayyouthereforetoacceptmythanksforthemanyinstancesyouhaveenabledmetoobserveofrespectableintelligenceinthatraceofmen,whichcannotfailtohaveeffectinhasteningthedayoftheirrelief;andtobeassuredofthesentimentsofhighandjustesteemandconsiderationwhichItendertoyourselfwithallsincerity。”APRISONER,RELEASEDFROMHISCHAINS”
_ToP。S。DupontdeNemours_
_Washington,March2,1809_
DEARSIR,——MylasttoyouwasofMaythe2nd;sincewhichI
havereceivedyoursofMaythe25th,Junethe1st,Julythe23rd,24th,andSeptemberthe5th,anddistributedthetwopamphletsaccordingtoyourdesire。Theyarereadwiththedelightwhicheverythingfromyourpengives。
AfterusingeveryeffortwhichcouldpreventordelayourbeingentangledinthewarofEurope,thatseemsnowouronlyresource。
Theedictsofthetwobelligerents,forbiddingustobeseenontheocean,wemetbyanembargo。Thisgaveustimetocallhomeourseamen,shipsandproperty,tolevymenandputourseaportsintoacertainstateofdefence。Wehavenowtakenofftheembargo,exceptastoFranceandEnglandandtheirterritories,becausefiftymillionsofexports,annuallysacrificed,arethetrebleofwhatwarwouldcostus;besides,thatbywarweshouldtakesomething,andloselessthanatpresent。Buttogiveyouatruedescriptionofthestateofthingshere,ImustreferyoutoMr。Coles,thebearerofthis,mysecretary,amostworthy,intelligentandwellinformedyoungman,whomIrecommendtoyournotice,andconversationonouraffairs。Hisdiscretionandfidelitymaybereliedon。IexpecthewillfindyouwithSpainatyourfeet,butEnglandstillafloat,andabarriertotheSpanishcolonies。ButalltheseconcernsIamnowleavingtobesettledbymyfriendMr。Madison。WithinafewdaysI
retiretomyfamily,mybooksandfarms;andhavinggainedtheharbormyself,Ishalllookonmyfriendsstillbuffetingthestorm,withanxietyindeed,butnotwithenvy。Neverdidaprisoner,releasedfromhischains,feelsuchreliefasIshallonshakingofftheshacklesofpower。Natureintendedmeforthetranquilpursuitsofscience,byrenderingthemmysupremedelight。ButtheenormitiesofthetimesinwhichIhavelived,haveforcedmetotakeapartinresistingthem,andtocommitmyselfontheboisterousoceanofpoliticalpassions。IthankGodfortheopportunityofretiringfromthemwithoutcensure,andcarryingwithmethemostconsolingproofsofpublicapprobation。Ileaveeverythinginthehandsofmensoabletotakecareofthem,thatifwearedestinedtomeetmisfortunes,itwillbebecausenohumanwisdomcouldavertthem。
ShouldyoureturntotheUnitedStates,perhapsyourcuriositymayleadyoutovisitthehermitofMonticello。Hewillreceiveyouwithaffectionanddelight;hailingyouinthemeantimewithhisaffectionatesalutations,andassurancesofconstantesteemandrespect。
P。S。Ifyoureturntous,bringacoupleofpairoftrue-bredshepherd’sdogs。Youwilladdavaluablepossessiontoacountrynowbeginningtopaygreatattentiontotheraisingsheep。
APARTINGBLESSING
_ToMrs。SamuelH。Smith_
_Washington,Mar。6,1809_