LETTERS

第42章

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第42章

LETTERS Thomas Jefferson

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  preponderate,bytheirown,thescalewhichsuited,&tohavethatcorpsunderthecommandoftheSecretaryoftheTreasuryforthepurposeofsubvertingstepbysteptheprinciplesoftheconstitution,whichhehassooftendeclaredtobeathingofnothingwhichmustbechanged。Suchviewsmighthavejustifiedsomethingmorethanmereexpressionsofdissent,beyondwhich,nevertheless,I

  neverwent——Hasabstinencefromthedepartmentcommittedtomebeenequallyobservedbyhim?Tosaynothingofotherinterferencesequallyknown,inthecaseofthetwonationswithwhichwehavethemostintimateconnections,France&England,mysystemwastogivesomesatisfactorydistinctionstotheformer,oflittlecosttous,inreturnforthesolidadvantagesyieldedusbythem;&tohavemettheEnglishwithsomerestrictionswhichmightinducethemtoabatetheirseveritiesagainstourcommerce。Ihavealwayssupposedthiscoincidedwithyoursentiments。YettheSecretaryofthetreasury,byhiscabalswithmembersofthelegislature,&byhigh-toneddeclamationonotheroccasions,hasforceddownhisownsystem,whichwasexactlythereverse。Heundertook,ofhisownauthority,theconferenceswiththeministersofthosetwonations,&was,oneveryconsultation,providedwithsomereportofaconversationwiththeoneortheotherofthem,adaptedtohisviews。Theseviews,thusmadetoprevail,theirexecutionfellofcoursetome;&Icansafelyappealtoyou,whohaveseenallmyletters&proceedings,whetherI

  havenotcarriedthemintoexecutionassincerelyasiftheyhadbeenmyown,tho’Ieverconsideredthemasinconsistentwiththehonor&

  interestofourcountry。ThattheyhavebeeninconsistentwithourinterestisbuttoofatallyprovedbythestabtoournavigationgivenbytheFrench——SothatifthequestionbeBywhosefaultisitthatColoHamilton&myselfhavenotdrawntogether?theanswerwilldependonthattotwootherquestions;whoseprinciplesofadministrationbestjustify,bytheirpurity,conscientiousadherence?andwhichofushas,notwithstanding,steppedfarthestintothecontroulofthedepartmentoftheother?

  Tothisjustificationofopinions,expressedinthewayofconversation,againsttheviewsofColoHamilton,IbegleavetoaddsomenoticeofhislatechargesagainstmeinFenno’sgazette;forneitherthestile,matter,norvenomofthepiecesalludedtocanleaveadoubtoftheirauthor。Spellingmyname&characteratfulllengthtothepublic,whileheconcealshisownunderthesignatureof”anAmerican”hechargesme1。WithhavingwrittenlettersfromEuropetomyfriendstoopposethepresentconstitutionwhiledepending。2。Withadesireofnotpayingthepublicdebt。3。Withsettingupapapertodecry&slanderthegovernment。1。Thefirstchargeismostfalse。NomanintheU。S。Isuppose,approvedofeverytitleintheconstitution:noone,IbelieveapprovedmoreofitthanIdid:andmoreofitwascertainlydisprovedbymyaccuserthanbyme,andofit’spartsmostvitallyrepublican。OfthisthefewlettersIwroteonthesubjectnothalfadozenIbelievewillbeaproof:&formyownsatisfaction&justification,ImusttaxyouwiththereadingofthemwhenIreturntowheretheyare。Youwillthereseethatmyobjectiontotheconstitutionwasthatitwantedabillofrightssecuringfreedomofreligion,freedomofthepress,freedomfromstandingarmies,trialbyjury,&aconstantHabeascorpusact。ColoHamilton’swasthatitwantedakingandhouseoflords。ThesenseofAmericahasapprovedmyobjection&addedthebillofrights,notthekingandlords。Ialsothoughtalongertermofservice,insusceptibleofrenewal,wouldhavemadeaPresidentmoreindependant。Mycountryhasthoughtotherwise,&Ihaveacquiescedimplicitly。Hewishesthegeneralgovernmentshouldhavepowertomakelawsbindingthestatesinallcaseswhatsoever。Ourcountryhasthoughtotherwise:hasheacquiesced?Notwithstandingmywishforabillofrights,mylettersstronglyurgedtheadoptionoftheconstitution,byninestatesatleast,tosecurethegooditcontained。Iatfirstthoughtthatthebestmethodofsecuringthebillofrightswouldbeforfourstatestoholdofftillsuchabillshouldbeagreedto。ButthemomentIsawMr。Hancock’spropositiontopasstheconstitutionasitstood,andgiveperpetualinstructionstotherepresentativesofeverystatetoinsistonabillofrights,Iacknolegedthesuperiorityofhisplan,&advocateduniversaladoption。2。Thesecondchargeisequallyuntrue。MywholecorrespondencewhileinFrance,&everyword,letter,&actonthesubjectsincemyreturn,provethatnomanismoreardentlyintenttoseethepublicdebtsoon&sacredlypaidoffthanIam。ThisexactlymarksthedifferencebetweenColoHamilton’sviews&mine,thatI

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