SIR，——YourletterofJuly29thcametohandsometimesince，butIhavenotsoonerbeenabletoacknowledgeit。Inanswertoyourpropositionforpublishingacompleteeditionofmydifferentwritings，Imustobservethatnowritingsofmine，otherthanthosemerelyofficial，havebeenpublished，excepttheNotesonVirginiaandasmallpamphletunderthetitleofaSummaryViewoftherightsofBritishAmerica。TheNotesonVirginia，Ihavealwaysintendedtoreviseandenlarge，andhave，fromtimetotime，laidbymaterialsforthatpurpose。Itwillbelongyetbeforeotheroccupationswillpermitmetodigestthem，andobservationsandinquiriesarestilltobemade，whichwillbemorecorrectinproportiontothelengthoftimetheyarecontinued。Itisnotunlikelythatthismaybethroughmylife。Icouldnot，therefore，atpresent，offeranythingnewforthatwork。
TheSummaryViewwasnotwrittenforpublication。ItwasadraughtIhadpreparedforapetitiontotheking，whichImeanttoproposeinmyplaceasamemberoftheconventionof1774。Beingstoppedontheroadbysickness，IsentitontotheSpeaker，wholaiditonthetablefortheperusalofthemembers。Itwasthoughttoostrongforthetimes，andtobecometheactoftheconvention，butwasprintedbysubscriptionofthemembers，withashortprefacewrittenbyoneofthem。Ifithadanymerit，itwasthatoffirsttakingourtrueground，andthatwhichwasafterwardsassumedandmaintained。
IdonotmentiontheParliamentaryManual，publishedfortheuseoftheSenateoftheUnitedStates，becauseitwasamerecompilation，intowhichnothingenteredofmyownbutthearrangement，andafewobservationsnecessarytoexplainthatandsomeofthecases。
Idonotknowwhetheryourviewextendstoofficialpapersofminewhichhavebeenpublished。Manyofthesewouldbelikeoldnewspapers，materialsforfuturehistorians，butnolongerinterestingtothereadersoftheday。Theywouldconsistofreports，correspondences，messages，answerstoaddresses；afewofmyreportswhileSecretaryofState，mightperhapsbereadbysomeasessaysonabstractsubjects。Suchasthereportonmeasures，weightsandcoins，onthemint，onthefisheries，oncommerce，ontheuseofdistilledsea-water，&c。ThecorrespondenceswiththeBritishandFrenchministers，HammondandGenet，werepublishedbyCongress。ThemessagestoCongress，whichmighthavebeeninterestingatthemoment，wouldscarcelybereadasecondtime，andanswerstoaddressesarehardlyreadafirsttime。
Sothatonareviewofthesevariousmaterials，Iseenothingencouragingaprintertoare-publicationofthem。TheywouldprobablybeboughtbythoseonlywhoareinthehabitofpreservingStatepapers，andwhoarenotmany。
Isaynothingofnumerousdraughtsofreports，resolutions，declarations，&c。，drawnasaMemberofCongressoroftheLegislatureofVirginia，suchastheDeclarationofIndependence，ReportontheMoneyMintoftheUnitedStates，theactofreligiousfreedom，&c。，&c。；thesehavingbecometheactsofpublicbodies，therecanbenopersonalclaimtothem，andtheywouldnomorefindreadersnow，thanthejournalsandstatutebooksinwhichtheyaredeposited。
Ihavepresentedthisgeneralviewofthesubjectswhichmighthavebeenwithinthescopeofyourcontemplation，thattheymightbecorrectlyestimatedbeforeanyfinaldecision。Theybelongmostlytoaclassofpapersnotcalculatedforpopularreading，andnotlikelytoofferprofit，orevenindemnificationtothere-publisher。
Submittingittoyourconsideration，Itenderyoumysalutationsandrespects。
INDIANVOCABULARIES
_ToDr。BenjaminS。Barton_
_Monticello，September21，1809_
DEARSIR，——Ireceivedlastnightyourfavorofthe14th，andwouldwithallpossiblepleasurehavecommunicatedtoyouanypartorthewholeoftheIndianvocabularieswhichIhadcollected，butanirreparablemisfortunehasdeprivedmeofthem。IhavenowbeenthirtyyearsavailingmyselfofeverypossibleopportunityofprocuringIndianvocabulariestothesamesetofwords：myopportunitieswereprobablybetterthanwilleveroccuragaintoanypersonhavingthesamedesire。Ihadcollectedaboutfifty，andhaddigestedmostofthemincollateralcolumns，andmeanttohaveprintedthemthelastyearofmystayinWashington。ButnothavingyetdigestedCaptainLewis’scollection，norhavingleisurethentodoit，IputitofftillIshouldreturnhome。Thewhole，aswelldigestasoriginals，werepackedinatrunkofstationary，andsentroundbywaterwithaboutthirtyotherpackagesofmyeffects，fromWashington，andwhileascendingJamesriver，thispackage，onaccountofitsweightandpresumedpreciouscontents，wassingledoutandstolen。Thethiefbeingdisappointedonopeningit，threwintotheriverallitscontents，ofwhichhethoughthecouldmakenouse。
Amongthesewerethewholeofthevocabularies。Someleavesfloatedashoreandwerefoundinthemud；butthesewereveryfew，andsodefacedbythemudandwaterthatnogeneralusecaneverbemadeofthem。OnthereceiptofyourletterIturnedtothem，andwasveryhappytofind，thattheonlymorselofanoriginalvocabularyamongthem，wasCaptainLewis’softhePanilanguage，ofwhichyousayyouhavenotoneword。Ithereforeincloseittoyou，asitis，andalittlefragmentofsomeother，whichIseeisinhishandwriting，butnoindicationremainsonitofwhatlanguageitis。Itisaspecimenoftheconditionofthelittlewhichwasrecovered。Iamthemoreconcernedatthisaccident，asofthetwohundredandfiftywordsofmyvocabularies，andtheonehundredandthirtywordsofthegreatRussianvocabulariesofthelanguagesoftheotherquartersoftheglobe，severty-threewerecommontoboth，andwouldhavefurnishedmaterialsforacomparisonfromwhichsomethingmighthaveresulted。AlthoughIbelievenogeneralusecaneverbemadeofthewrecksofmyloss，yetIwillaskthereturnofthePanivocabularywhenyouaredonewithit。PerhapsImaymakeanotherattempttocollect，althoughIamtoooldtoexpecttomakemuchprogressinit。
Ilearn，withpleasure，youracquisitionofthepamphletontheastronomyoftheantientMexicans。Ifitbeantientandgenuine，ormodernandrational，itwillbeofrealvalue。Itisoneofthemostinterestingcountriesofourhemisphere，andmeritseveryattention。
IamthankfulforyourkindofferofsendingtheoriginalSpanishformyperusal。ButIthinkitapitytotrustittotheaccidentsofthepost，andwheneveryoupublishthetranslation，I
shallbesatisfiedtoreadthatwhichshallbegivenbyyourtranslator，whois，Iamsure，agreateradeptinthelanguagethanI
am。
Accepttheassurancesofmygreatesteemandrespect。
AMERICANQUAKERISM
_ToSamuelKercheval_
_Monticello，January19，1810_
SIR，——Yoursofthe7thinstanthasbeendulyreceived，withthepamphletinclosed，forwhichIreturnyoumythanks。Nothingcanbemoreexactlyandseriouslytruethanwhatistherestated；thatbutashorttimeelapsedafterthedeathofthegreatreformeroftheJewishreligion，beforehisprinciplesweredepartedfrombythosewhoprofessedtobehisspecialservants，andpervertedintoanengineforenslavingmankind，andaggrandisingtheiroppressorsinChurchandState；thatthepurestsystemofmoralseverbeforepreachedtoman，hasbeenadulteratedandsophisticatedbyartificialconstructions，intoamerecontrivancetofilchwealthandpowertothemselves；thatrationalmennotbeingabletoswallowtheirimpiousheresies，inordertoforcethemdowntheirthroats，theyraisethehueandcryofinfidelity，whilethemselvesarethegreatestobstaclestotheadvancementoftherealdoctrinesofJesus，anddoinfactconstitutetherealAnti-Christ。
YouexpectthatyourbookwillhavesomeeffectontheprejudiceswhichthesocietyofFriendsentertainagainstthepresentandlateadministrations。InthisIthinkyouwillbedisappointed。
TheFriendsaremen，formedwiththesamepassions，andswayedbythesamenaturalprinciplesandprejudicesasothers。Incaseswherethepassionsareneutral，menwilldisplaytheirrespectforthereligious_professions_oftheirsect。Butwheretheirpassionsareenlisted，these_professions_arenoobstacle。Youobserveverytruly，thatboththelateandpresentadministrationconductedthegovernmentonprinciples_professed_bytheFriends。Oureffortstopreservepeace，ourmeasuresastotheIndians，astoslavery，astoreligiousfreedom，wereallinconsonancewiththeir_professions_。
YetIneverexpectedweshouldgetavotefromthem，andinthisI
wasneitherdeceivednordisappointed。Thereisnoriddleinthis，tothosewhodonotsufferthemselvestobedupedbythe_professions_ofreligioussectaries。ThetheoryofAmericanQuakerismisaveryobviousone。ThemothersocietyisinEngland。
ItsmembersareEnglishbybirthandresidence，devotedtotheirowncountry，asgoodcitizensoughttobe。TheQuakersoftheseStatesarecoloniesorfiliationsfromthemothersociety，towhomthatsocietysendsitsyearlylessons。Onthesethefiliatedsocietiesmodeltheiropinions，theirconduct，theirpassionsandattachments。
AQuakeris，essentially，anEnglishman，inwhateverpartoftheearthheisbornorlives。TheoutragesofGreatBritainonournavigationandcommerce，havekeptusinperpetualbickeringswithher。TheQuakersherehavetakensideagainsttheirowngovernment；
notontheir_profession_ofpeace，fortheysawthatpeacewasourobjectalso；butfromdevotiontotheviewsofthemothersociety。
In1797and8，whenanadministrationsoughtwarwithFrance，theQuakerswerethemostclamorousforwar。Theirprincipleofpeace，asasecondaryone，yieldedtotheprimaryoneofadherencetotheFriendsinEngland，andwhatwaspatriotismintheoriginalbecametreasoninthecopy。Onthatoccasion，theyobligedtheirgoodoldleader，Mr。Pemberton，toerasehisnamefromapetitiontoCongress，againstwar，whichhadbeendeliveredtoaRepresentativeofPennsylvania，amemberofthelateandpresentadministration。Heaccordinglypermittedtheoldgentlemantoerasehisname。Youmustnot，therefore，expectthatyourbookwillhaveanymoreeffectonthesocietyofFriendshere，thanontheEnglishmerchantssettledamongus。IapplythistotheFriendsingeneral，notuniversally。
Iknowindividualsamongthemasgoodpatriotsaswehave。
Ithankyouforthekindwishesandsentimentstowardsmyself，expressedinyourletter，andsincerelywishtoyourselftheblessingsofhealthandhappiness。
NEPOTISMANDTHEREPUBLIC
_ToJohnGarlandJefferson_
_Monticello，January25，1810_
DEARSIR，——YourfavorofDecember12thwaslongcomingtohand。Iammuchconcernedtolearnthatanydisagreeableimpressionwasmadeonyourmind，bythecircumstanceswhicharethesubjectofyourletter。PermitmefirsttoexplaintheprincipleswhichIhadlaiddownformyownobservance。Inagovernmentlikeours，itisthedutyoftheChiefMagistrate，inordertoenablehimselftodoallthegoodwhichhisstationrequires，toendeavor，byallhonorablemeans，touniteinhimselftheconfidenceofthewholepeople。Thisalone，inanycasewheretheenergyofthenationisrequired，canproduceaunionofthepowersofthewhole，andpointtheminasingledirection，asifallconstitutedbutonebodyandonemind，andthisalonecanrenderaweakernationunconquerablebyastrongerone。Towardsacquiringtheconfidenceofthepeople，theveryfirstmeasureistosatisfythemofhisdisinterestedness，andthatheisdirectingtheiraffairswithasingleeyetotheirgood，andnottobuildupfortunesforhimselfandfamily，andespecially，thattheofficersappointedtotransacttheirbusiness，areappointedbecausetheyarethefittestmen，notbecausetheyarehisrelations。
Sopronearetheytosuspicion，thatwhereaPresidentappointsarelationofhisown，howeverworthy，theywillbelievethatfavorandnotmeritwasthemotive。Ithereforelaiditdownasalawofconductformyself，nevertogiveanappointmenttoarelation。HadIfeltanyhesitationinadoptingthisrule，exampleswerenotwantingtoadmonishmewhattodoandwhattoavoid。Still，theexpressionofyourwillingnesstoactinanyofficeforwhichyouwerequalified，couldnotbeimputedtoyouasblame。ItwouldnotreadilyoccurthatapersonqualifiedforofficeoughttoberejectedmerelybecausehewasrelatedtothePresident，andthethenmorerecentexamplesfavoredtheotheropinion。InthislightI
consideredthecaseaspresentingitselftoyourmind，andthattheapplicationmightbeperfectlyjustifiableonyourpart，while，forreasonsoccurringtononeperhaps，butthepersoninmysituation，thepublicinterestmightrenderitunadvisable。Ofthis，however，beassuredthatIconsiderthepropositionasinnocentonyourpart，andthatitneverlessenedmyesteemforyou，ortheinterestIfeltinyourwelfare。
MystayinAmeliawastooshort，onlytwenty-fourhours，toexpectthepleasureofseeingyouthere。Itwouldbeahappinesstomeanywhere，butespeciallyhere，fromwhenceIamrarelyabsent。I
amleadingalifeofconsiderableactivityasafarmer，readinglittleandwritingless。Somethingpursuedwithardorisnecessarytoguardusfromthe_tedium-vitae，_andtheactivepursuitslessenmostoursenseoftheinfirmitiesofage。Thattothehealthofyouthyoumayaddanoldageofvigor，isthesincereprayerofYours，affectionately。
PROSTRATIONOFREASON
_ToCaesarA。Rodney_
_Monticello，February10，1810_
MYDEARSIR，——Ihavetothankyouforyourfavorofthe31stultimo，whichisjustnowreceived。Ithasbeenpeculiarlyunfortunateforus，personally，thattheportioninthehistoryofmankind，atwhichwewerecalledtotakeashareinthedirectionoftheiraffairs，wassuchanoneashistoryhasneverbeforepresented。
Atanyotherperiod，theeven-handedjusticewehaveobservedtowardsallnations，theeffortswehavemadetomerittheiresteembyeveryactwhichcandororliberalitycouldexercise，wouldhavepreservedourpeace，andsecuredtheunqualifiedconfidenceofallothernationsinourfaithandprobity。Butthehurricanewhichisnowblastingtheworld，physicalandmoral，hasprostratedallthemoundsofreasonaswellasright。Allthosecalculationswhich，atanyotherperiod，wouldhavebeendeemedhonorable，oftheexistenceofamoralsenseinman，individuallyorassociated，oftheconnectionwhichthelawsofnaturehaveestablishedbetweenhisdutiesandhisinterests，ofaregardforhonestfameandtheesteemofourfellowmen，havebeenamatterofreproachonus，asevidencesofimbecility。Asifitcouldbeafollyforanhonestmantosupposethatotherscouldbehonestalso，whenitistheirinteresttobeso。
Andwhenisthisstateofthingstoend?ThedeathofBonapartewould，tobesure，removethefirstandchiefestapostleofthedesolationofmenandmorals，andmightwithdrawthescourgeoftheland。Butwhatistorestoreorderandsafetyontheocean?ThedeathofGeorgeIII?Notatall。Heisonlystupid；andhisministers，howeverweakandprofligateinmorals，areephemeral。Buthisnationispermanent，anditisthatwhichisthetyrantoftheocean。Theprinciplethatforceisright，isbecometheprincipleofthenationitself。Theywouldnotpermitanhonestminister，wereaccidenttobringsuchanoneintopower，torelaxtheirsystemoflawlesspiracy。ThesewerethedifficultieswhenIwaswithyou。I