Complimentarythankstowriterswhohavesentmetheirworks，havebetrayedmesometimesbeforethepublic，withoutmyconsenthavingbeenasked。ButIamfarfrompresumingtodirectthereadingofmyfellowcitizens，whoaregoodenoughjudgesthemselvesofwhatisworthytheirreading。Iam，also，toodesirousofquiettoplacemyselfinthewayofcontention。AgainstthisIamadmonishedbybodilydecay，whichcannotbeunaccompaniedbycorrespondingwaneofthemind。OfthisIamasyetsensible，sufficientlytobeunwillingtotrustmyselfbeforethepublic，andwhenIceasetobeso，Ihopethatmyfriendswillbetoocarefulofmetodrawmeforthandpresentme，likeaPriaminarmor，asaspectacleforpubliccompassion。Ihopeourpoliticalbarkwillridethroughallitsdangers；butIcaninfuturebebutaninertpassenger。
Isaluteyouwithsentimentsofgreatfriendshipandrespect。
THEMISSOURIQUESTION
_ToAlbertGallatin_
_Monticello，Dec。26，1820_
DEARSIR，——`Itissaidtobeanillwindwhichblowsfavorablytonoone。’MyillhealthhaslongsuspendedthetoofrequenttroublesIhaveheretoforegivenyouwithmyEuropeancorrespondence。Tothisisaddedastiffeningwrist，theeffectofageonanantientdislocation，whichrenderswritingslowandpainful，anddisablesmenearlyfromallcorrespondence，andmayverypossiblymakethisthelasttroubleIshallgiveyouinthatway。
Lookingfromourquarteroftheworldoverthehorizonofyoursweimagineweseestormsgatheringwhichmayagaindesolatethefaceofthatcountry。Somanyrevolutionsgoingon，indifferentcountriesatthesametime，suchcombinationsoftyranny，andmilitarypreparationsandmovementstosuppressthem。England&
Franceunsafefrominternalconflict，Germany，onthefirstfavorableoccasion，ripeforinsurrection，suchastateofthings，wesuppose，mustendinwar，whichneedsakindlingsparkinonespotonlytospreadoverthewhole。Yourinformationcancorrecttheseviewswhicharestatedonlytoinformyouofimpressionshere。
Athomethingsarenotwell。Thefloodofpapermoney，asyouwellknow，hadproducedanexaggerationofnominalpricesandatthesametimeafacilityofobtainingmoney，whichnotonlyencouragedspeculationsonfictitiouscapital，butseducedthoseofrealcapital，eveninprivatelife，tocontractdebtstoofreely。Hadthingscontinuedinthesamecourse，thesemighthavebeenmanageable。ButtheoperationsoftheU。S。bankforthedemolitionofthestatebanks，obligedthesesuddenlytocallinmorethanhalfoftheirpaper，crushedallfictitiousanddoubtfulcapital，andreducedthepricesofpropertyandproducesuddenlyto1/3ofwhattheyhadbeen。Wheat，forexample，atthedistanceoftwoorthreedaysfrommarket，felltoandcontinuesatfromonethirdtohalfadollar。Shoulditbestationaryatthisforawhile，averygeneralrevolutionofpropertymusttakeplace。Somethingofthesamecharacterhastakenplaceinourfiscalsystem。AlittlewhilebackCongressseemedatalossforobjectswhereontosquanderthesupposedfathomlessfundsofourtreasury。Thisshortfrenzyhasbeenarrestedbyadeficitof5millionsthelastyear，andof7。
millionsthisyear。Aloanwasadoptedfortheformerandisproposedforthelatter，whichthreatenstosaddleuswithaperpetualdebt。Ihopeataxwillbepreferred，becauseitwillawakentheattentionofthepeople，andmakereformation&economytheprinciplesofthenextelection。Thefrequentrecurrenceofthischasteningoperationcanalonerestrainthepropensityofgovernmentstoenlargeexpencebeyondincome。ThesteadytenorofthecourtsoftheUS。tobreakdowntheconstitutionalbarrierbetweenthecoordinatepowersoftheStates，andoftheUnion，andaformalopinionlatelygivenby5。lawyersoftoomucheminencetobeneglected，giveuneasiness。ButnothinghaseverpresentedsothreateninganaspectaswhatiscalledtheMissouriquestion。TheFederalistscompleatlyputdown，anddespairingofeverrisingagainundertheolddivisionofwhigandtory，devisedanewone，ofslave-holding，&non-slave-holdingstates，which，whileithadasemblanceofbeingMoral，wasatthesametimeGeographical，andcalculatedtogivethemascendancybydebauchingtheiroldopponentstoacoalitionwiththem。Moralthequestioncertainlyisnot，becausetheremovalofslavesfromonestatetoanother，nomorethantheirremovalfromonecountrytoanother，wouldnevermakeaslaveofonehumanbeingwhowouldnotbesowithoutit。Indeediftherewereanymoralityinthequestionitisontheotherside；becausebyspreadingthemoveralargersurface，theirhappinesswouldbeincreased，&theburthenoftheirfutureliberationlightenedbybringingagreaternumberofshouldersunderit。Howeveritservedtothrowdustintotheeyesofthepeopleandtofanaticisethem，whiletotheknowingonesitgaveageographicalandpreponderantlineofthePatomacandOhio，throwing12。StatestotheNorthandEast，&10。totheSouth&West。Withthesethereforeitismerelyaquestionofpower：butwiththisgeographicalminorityitisaquestionofexistence。ForifCongressoncegoesoutoftheConstitutiontoarrogatearightofregulatingtheconditionsoftheinhabitantsoftheStates，itsmajoritymay，andprobablywillnextdeclarethattheconditionofallmenwithintheUS。shallbethatoffreedom，inwhichcaseallthewhitesSouthofthePatomakandOhiomustevacuatetheirStates；andmostfortunatethosewhocandoitfirst。Andsofarthiscrisisseemstobeadvancing。TheMissouriconstitutionisrecentlyrejectedbytheHouseofRepresentatives。
Whatwillbetheirnextstepisyettobeseen。IfacceptedontheconditionthatMissourishallexpungefromittheprohibitionoffreepeopleofcolourfromemigrationtotheirstate，itwillbeexpunged，andallwillbequieteduntiltheadvanceofsomenewstateshallpresentthequestionagain。Ifrejectedunconditionally，Missouriassumesindependentself-government，andCongress，afterpoutingawhile，mustrecievethemonthefootingoftheoriginalstates。
ShouldtheRepresentativeproposeforce，1。theSenatewillnotconcur。2。weretheytoconcur，therewouldbeasecessionofthemembersSouthoftheline，&probablyofthethreeNorthWesternstates，who，howeverinclinedtotheotherside，wouldscarcelyseparatefromthosewhowouldholdtheMisisipifromit’smouthtoit’ssource。Whatnext?Conjectureitselfisataloss。Butwhateveritshallbeyouwillhearfromothersandfromthenewspapers。AndfinallythewholewilldependonPensylvania。WhilesheandVirginiaholdtogether，theAtlanticstatescanneverseparate。Unfortunatelyinthepresentcaseshehasbecomemorefanaticisedthananyotherstate。Howeverusefulwhereyouare，I
wishyouwerewiththem。Youmightturnthescalethere，whichwouldturnitforthewhole。Shouldthisscissiontakeplace，oneofit’smostdeplorableconsequenceswouldbeit’sdiscouragementoftheeffortsoftheEuropeannationsintheregenerationoftheiroppressiveandCannibalgovernments。
Amidstthisprospectofevil，Iamgladtoseeonegoodeffect。
Ithasbroughtthenecessityofsomeplanofgeneralemancipation&
deportationmorehometothemindsofourpeoplethanithaseverbeenbefore。Insomuch，thatourGovernorhasventuredtoproposeonetothelegislature。Thiswillprobablynotbeactedonatthistime。
Norwoulditbeeffectual；forwhileitproposestodevotetothatobjectonethirdoftherevenueoftheState，itwouldnotreachonetenthoftheannualincrease。Mypropositionwouldbethattheholdersshouldgiveupallbornafteracertainday，past，present，ortocome，thattheseshouldbeplacedundertheguardianshipoftheState，andsentataproperagetoS。Domingo。Theretheyarewillingtorecievethem，&theshortnessofthepassagebringsthedeportationwithinthepossiblemeansoftaxationaidedbycharitablecontributions。InthisIthinkEurope，whichhasforcedthisevilonus，andtheEasternstateswhohavebeenit’schiefinstrumentsofimportation，wouldbeboundtogivelargely。Buttheproceedsofthelandoffice，ifappropriated，wouldbequitesufficient。GodblessyouandpreserveyoumultosaNos。
BOLINGBROKEANDPAINE
_ToFrancisEppes_
_Monticello，January19，1821_
DEARFRANCIS，——Yourletterofthe1stcamesafelytohand。I
amsorryyouhavelostMr。Elliot，howeverthekindnessofDr。Cooperwillbeabletokeepyouinthetrackofwhatisworthyofyourtime。
YouaskmyopinionofLordBolingbrokeandThomasPaine。Theywerealikeinmakingbitterenemiesofthepriestsandphariseesoftheirday。Bothwerehonestmen；bothadvocatesforhumanliberty。
Painewroteforacountrywhichpermittedhimtopushhisreasoningtowhateverlengthitwouldgo。LordBolingbrokeinonerestrainedbyaconstitution，andbypublicopinion。Hewascalledindeedatory；buthiswritingsprovehimastrongeradvocateforlibertythananyofhiscountrymen，thewhigsofthepresentday。Irritatedbyhisexile，hecommittedoneactunworthyofhim，inconnectinghimselfmomentarilywithaprincerejectedbyhiscountry。Butheredeemedthatsingleactbyhisestablishmentoftheprincipleswhichprovedittobewrong。Thesetwopersonsdifferedremarkablyinthestyleoftheirwriting，eachleavingamodelofwhatismostperfectinbothextremesofthesimpleandthesublime。NowriterhasexceededPaineineaseandfamiliarityofstyle，inperspicuityofexpression，happinessofelucidation，andinsimpleandunassuminglanguage。InthishemaybecomparedwithDr。Franklin；andindeedhisCommonSensewas，forawhile，believedtohavebeenwrittenbyDr。Franklin，andpublishedundertheborrowednameofPaine，whohadcomeoverwithhimfromEngland。LordBolingbroke’s，ontheotherhand，isastyleofthehighestorder。Thelofty，rhythmical，full-flowingeloquenceofCicero。Periodsofjustmeasure，theirmembersproportioned，theirclosefullandround。Hisconceptions，too，areboldandstrong，hisdictioncopious，polishedandcommandingashissubject。HiswritingsarecertainlythefinestsamplesintheEnglishlanguage，oftheeloquenceproperfortheSenate。Hispoliticaltractsaresafereadingforthemosttimidreligionist，hisphilosophical，forthosewhoarenotafraidtotrusttheirreasonwithdiscussionsofrightandwrong。
Youhaveaskedmyopinionofthesepersons，and，_toyou_，I
havegivenitfreely。But，remember，thatIamold，thatIwishnottomakenewenemies，nortogiveoffencetothosewhowouldconsideradifferenceofopinionassufficientgroundforunfriendlydispositions。Godblessyou，andmakeyouwhatIwishyoutobe。
THEUNIVERSITYANDTHESCHOOLS
_ToGeneralJamesBreckinridge_
_Monticello，February15，1821_
DEARSIR，——Ilearn，withdeepaffliction，thatnothingislikelytobedoneforourUniversitythisyear。Sonearasitistotheshorethatoneshovemorewouldlanditthere，Ihadhopedthatwouldbegiven；andthatweshouldopenwiththenextyearaninstitutiononwhichthefortunesofourcountrymaydependmorethanmaymeetthegeneraleye。Thereflectionsthattheboysofthisagearetobethemenofthenext；thattheyshouldbepreparedtoreceivetheholychargewhichwearecherishingtodeliverovertothem；thatinestablishinganinstitutionofwisdomforthem，wesecureittoallourfuturegenerations；thatinfulfillingthisduty，webringhometoourownbosomsthesweetconsolationofseeingoursonsrisingunderaluminoustuition，todestiniesofhighpromise；theseareconsiderationswhichwilloccurtoall；butall，I
fear，donotseethespeckinourhorizonwhichistoburstonusasatornado，soonerorlater。Thelineofdivisionlatelymarkedoutbetweendifferentportionsofourconfederacy，issuchaswillnever，Ifear，beobliterated，andwearenowtrustingtothosewhoareagainstusinpositionandprinciple，tofashiontotheirownformthemindsandaffectionsofouryouth。If，ashasbeenestimated，wesendthreehundredthousanddollarsayeartothenorthernseminaries，fortheinstructionofourownsons，thenwemusthavetherefivehundredofoursons，imbibingopinionsandprinciplesindiscordwiththoseoftheirowncountry。Thiscankeriseatingonthevitalsofourexistence，andifnotarrestedatonce，willbebeyondremedy。Wearenowcertainlyfurnishingrecruitstotheirschool。Ifitbeaskedwhatarewetodo，orsaidwecannotgivethelastlifttotheUniversitywithoutstoppingourprimaryschools，andthesewethinkmostimportant；Ianswer，Iknowtheirimportance。Nobodycandoubtmyzealforthegeneralinstructionofthepeople。