MYDEARELLEN——InmyletterofOct。13。toMr。Coolidge，I
gaveanaccountoftheriotwehadattheUniversity，andofit’stermination。Youwillbothofcoursebeunderanxietytillyouknowhowithasgoneoff?Withthebesteffectsintheworld。Havingletitbeunderstood，fromthebeginning，thatwewishedtotrustverymuchtothediscretionoftheStudentsthemselvesfortheirowngovernment。Withaboutfourfifthsofthem，thisdidwell，buttherewereabout15。or20。badsubjectswhoweredisposedtotrywhetherourindulgencewaswithoutlimit。HencethelicentioustransactionofwhichIgaveanaccounttoMr。Coolidge。Butwhenthewholemasssawtheseriouswayinwhichthatexperimentwasmet，theFacultyofProfessorsassembled，theBoardofVisitorscomingforwardinsupportofthatauthority，agrandjurytakingupthesubject，fourofthemostguiltyexpelled，therestreprimanded，severerlawsenacted，andarigorousexecutionofthemdeclaredinfuture，itgavethemashockandstruckaterror，themostsevere，asitwaslessexpected。Itdeterminedthewelldisposedamongthemtofrownuponeverythingofthekindhereafter，andtheill-disposedreturnedtoorderfromfearifnotfrombettermotives。Aperfectsubordinationhassucceeded，entirerespecttowardstheProfessors，andindustry，order，andquietthemostexemplary，hasprevailedeversince。Everyoneissensibleofthestrengthwhichtheinstitutionhasderivedfromwhatappearedatfirsttothreatenit’sfoundation。Wehavenofurtherfearofanythingofthekindfromthepresentset。Butasatthenexttermtheirnumberswillbemorethandoubledbytheaccessionofanadditionalband，asunbrokenasthesewere，wemeantobeprepared，andtoaskofthelegislatureapowertocallinthecivilauthorityinthefirstinstantofdisorder，andtoquellitonthespotbyimprisonmentandthesamelegalcoercions，providedagainstdisordergenerally，committedbyothercitizens，fromwhom，attheirage，theyhavenorighttodistinction。
Wehaveheardofthelossofyourbaggage，withthevesselcarryingit，andsincerelycondolewithyouonit。Itisnottobeestimatedbyit’specuniaryvalue，butbythatitheldinyouraffections。Thedocumentsofyourchildhood，yourletters，correspondencies，notes，books，&c。，&c。，allgone！Andyourlifecutintwo，asitwere，andanewonetobegin，withoutanyrecordsoftheformer。JohnHemmingswasthefirstwhobroughtmethenews。
HehadcaughtitaccidentallyfromthosewhofirstreadtheletterfromCol。Peytonannouncingit。Hewasaudesespoir！Thatbeautifulwritingdeskhehadtakensomuchpainstomakeforyou！Everythingelseseemedasnothinginhiseye，andthatlosswaseverything。
VirgilcouldnothavebeenmoreafflictedhadhisAeneidfallenapreytotheflames。Iaskedhimifhecouldnotreplaceitbymakinganother?No。Hiseyesighthadfailedhimtoomuch，andhisrecollectionofitwastooimperfect。Ithasoccurredtomehowever，thatIcanreplaceit，not，indeed，toyou，buttoMr。Coolidge，byasubstitute，notclaimingthesamevaluefromit’sdecorations，butfromthepartithas_borne_inourhistoryandtheeventswithwhichithasbeenassociated。IrecievedaletterfromafriendinPhiladelphialately，askinginformationofthehouse，androomofthehousethere，inwhichtheDeclarationofIndependencewaswritten，withaviewtofuturecelebrationsofthe4th。ofJulyinit，another，enquiringwhetherapapergiventothePhilosophicalsocietythere，asaroughdraughtofthatDeclarationwasgenuinelyso?A
societyisformedtherelatelyforanannualcelebrationoftheadventofPenntothatplace。ItwasheldinhisantientMansion，andthechairinwhichheactuallysatwhenathiswritingtablewaspresentedbyaladyowningit，andwasoccupiedbythepresidentofthecelebration。Twootherchairsweregiventhem，madeoftheelm，undertheshadeofwhichPennhadmadehisfirsttreatywiththeIndians。Ifthenthingsacquireasuperstitiousvaluebecauseoftheirconnectionwithparticularpersons，surelyaconnectionwiththegreatCharterofourIndependencemaygiveavaluetowhathasbeenassociatedwiththat；andsuchwastheideaoftheenquirersaftertheroominwhichitwaswritten。NowIhappenstilltopossessthewriting-boxonwhichitwaswritten。Itwasmadefromadrawingofmyown，byBen。Randall，acabinetmakerinwhosehouseI
tookmyfirstlodgingsonmyarrivalinPhiladelphiainMay1776。
AndIhaveusediteversince。Itclaimsnomeritofparticularbeauty。Itisplain，neat，convenient，and，takingnomoreroomonthewritingtablethanamoderate4to。volume，ityetdisplaysitselfsufficientlyforanywriting。Mr。Coolidgemustdomethefavorofacceptingthis。Itsimaginaryvaluewillincreasewiththeyears，andifhelivestomyage，oranotherhalfcentury，hemayseeitcarriedintheprocessionofournation’sbirthday，astherelicsoftehsaintsareinthoseofthechurch。Iwillsenditthro’ColonelPeyton，andhopewithbetterfortunethanthatforwhichitistobeasubstitute。
Iremarkwhatyousayinyourlettertoyourmother，relativetoMr。WillardandourUniversityclock。JudgingfromthatthatheisthepersonwhomMr。Coolidgewouldrecommend，andhavingrecievedfromDr。Waterhouseaverystrongrecommendationofhim，youmayassuretheoldgentlemanfrommethatheshallhavethemakingofit。
Wehavelatelymadeanimportantpurchaseoflandsamountingto7000。
D。andthegovernmentistakingfromus，undertheiroldandnewTariff，2700。D。dutyonthemarblecapsandbasesoftheporticoofourRotunda，of10columnsonly。Thesethingstryourfundsforthemoment。Attheendoftheyearweshallseehowwestand，andI
expectwemaybeabletogivethefinalorderfortheclockbyFebruary。
Iwanttoengageyou，asmyagentatBoston，forcertainarticlesnottobehadhere，andforsuchonly。ButitwillbeontheindispensableconditionthatyoukeepasrigorousanaccountofDollarsandcentsasoldYerraganourneighborwoulddo。Thisalonecaninducefriendstoaskservicesfreely，whichwouldotherwisebetheaskingofpresentsandamounttoaprohibition。WeshouldbeverygladoccasionallytogetsmallsuppliesofthefinedumbcodfishtobehadatBoston，andalsoofthetonguesandsoundsoftheCod。
ThisselectionofthearticlesItroubleyouforisnotofsuchasarebettertherethanhere；foronthatgroundwemightaskforeverythingfromthence，butsuchonlyasarenottobehadheretoall。
PerhapsIshouldtrepassonMr。Coolidgeforoneotherarticle。Wepayhere2。D。agallonforbadFrenchbrandy。IthinkIhaveseeninDegrand’sPricecurrentMarseillesbrandy，fromDodgeandOxnard，advertisedgoodat1。Dollar，andanotherkindcalledSeignettes，whichIamtoldisgoodCognacat1。25。D。Iwillaskofyouthenasupplyofakentalofgooddumbfish，andabout20or30lbs。oftonguesandsounds；andofMr。Collidgea30galloncaskofDodgeandOxnard’sMarseillesbrandy，iftolerablegoodat1。D。orthereabouts，butdoublecasedtoguardagainstspoliation。Knowingnothingofthepricesofthefish，Iwillataventure，desireCol。
Peytontoremit60。D。toMr。Coolidgeimmediately，andanylittledifferencebetweenthisandactualcosteitherway，maystandovertoyournextaccount。Weshouldbethebetterperhapsofyourrecipefordressingbotharticles。
IpromisedMr。TicknortoinformhimattimeshowourUniversitygoeson。Ishallbegladifyouwillreadtohimthatpartofthisletterwhichrespectsit，presumingMr。Coolidgemayhavecommunicatedtohimthefactsofmyformerlettertohim。Thesefactsmaybeusedadlibitum，onlykeepingmynameoutofsight。
Writingissoirksometome，especiallysinceIamobligedtodoitinarecumbentposture，thatIamsureMr。Ticknorwillexcusemyeconomyinthisexercise。ToyouperhapsIshouldapologizeforthewantofitonthisoccasion。Thefamilyiswell。Myownhealthchangeslittle。Iridetwoorthreemilesinacarriageeveryday。
WithmyaffectionatesalutationstoMr。Coolidge，beassuredyourselfofmytenderandconstantlove。
CONSOLIDATION！
_ToWilliamBranchGiles_
_Monticello，December26，1825_
DEARSIR，——Iwroteyoualetteryesterday，ofwhichyouwillbefreetomakewhatuseyouplease。Thiswillcontainmattersnotintendedforthepubliceye。Isee，asyoudo，andwiththedeepestaffliction，therapidstrideswithwhichthefederalbranchofourgovernmentisadvancingtowardstheusurpationofalltherightsreservedtotheStates，andtheconsolidationinitselfofallpowers，foreignanddomestic；andthat，too，byconstructionswhich，iflegitimate，leavenolimitstotheirpower。Taketogetherthedecisionsofthefederalcourt，thedoctrinesofthePresident，andthemisconstructionsoftheconstitutionalcompactactedonbythelegislatureofthefederalbranch，anditisbuttooevident，thatthethreerulingbranchesofthatdepartmentareincombinationtostriptheircolleagues，theStateauthorities，ofthepowersreservedbythem，andtoexercisethemselvesallfunctionsforeignanddomestic。Underthepowertoregulatecommerce，theyassumeindefinitelythatalsooveragricultureandmanufactures，andcallitregulationtotaketheearningsofoneofthesebranchesofindustry，andthattoothemostdepressed，andputthemintothepocketsoftheother，themostflourishingofall。Undertheauthoritytoestablishpostroads，theyclaimthatofcuttingdownmountainsfortheconstructionofroads，ofdiggingcanals，andaidedbyalittlesophistryonthewords”generalwelfare，”arighttodo，notonlytheactstoeffectthat，whicharespecificallyenumeratedandpermitted，butwhatsoevertheyshallthink，orpretendwillbeforthegeneralwelfare。Andwhatisourresourceforthepreservationoftheconstitution?Reasonandargument?Youmightaswellreasonandarguewiththemarblecolumnsencirclingthem。Therepresentativeschosenbyourselves?Theyarejoinedinthecombination，somefromincorrectviewsofgovernment，somefromcorruptones，sufficientvotingtogethertoout-numberthesoundparts；andwithmajoritiesonlyofone，two，orthree，boldenoughtogoforwardindefiance。
Arewethen_tostandtoourarms_，withthehot-headedGeorgian?
No。Thatmustbethelastresource，nottobethoughtofuntilmuchlongerandgreatersufferings。Ifeveryinfractionofacompactofsomanypartiesistoberesistedatonce，asadissolutionofit，nonecaneverbeformedwhichwouldlastoneyear。Wemusthavepatienceandlongerendurancethenwithourbrethrenwhileunderdelusion；givethemtimeforreflectionandexperienceofconsequences；keepourselvesinasituationtoprofitbythechapterofaccidents；andseparatefromourcompanionsonlywhenthesolealternativesleft，arethedissolutionofourUnionwiththem，orsubmissiontoagovernmentwithoutlimitationofpowers。Betweenthesetwoevils，whenwemustmakeachoice，therecanbenohesitation。Butinthemeanwhile，theStatesshouldbewatchfultonoteeverymaterialusurpationontheirrights；todenouncethemastheyoccurinthemostperemptoryterms；toprotestagainstthemaswrongstowhichourpresentsubmissionshallbeconsidered，notasacknowledgmentsorprecedentsofryeomanry。Thiswillbetothemanextbestblessingtothemonarchyoftheirfirstaim，andperhapsthesureststepping-stonetoit。
Ilearnwithgreatsatisfactionthatyourschoolisthrivingwell，andthatyouhaveatitsheadatrulyclassicalscholar。HeisoneofthreeorfourwhomIcanhearofintheState。WewereobligedthelastyeartoreceiveshamefulLatinistsintotheclassicalschooloftheUniversity，suchaswewillcertainlyrefuseassoonaswecangetfrombetterschoolsasufficiencyofthoseproperlyinstructedtoformaclass。WemustgetridofthisConnecticutLatin，ofthisbarbarousconfusionoflongandshortsyllables，whichrendersdoubtfulwhetherwearelisteningtoareaderofCherokee，Shawnee，Iroquois，orwhat。OurUniversityhasbeenmostfortunateinthefiveprofessorsprocuredfromEngland。A
finerselectioncouldnothavebeenmade。Besidestheirbeingofagradeofsciencewhichhasleftlittlesuperiorbehind，thecorrectnessoftheirmoralcharacter，theiraccommodatingdispositions，andzealfortheprosperityoftheinstitution，leaveusnothingmoretowish。Iverilybelievethatashighadegreeofeducationcannowbeobtainedhere，asinthecountrytheyleft。AndafinersetofyouthsIneversawassembledforinstruction。Theycommittedsomeirregularitiesatfirst，untiltheylearnedthelawfullengthoftheirtether；sincewhichithasneverbeentransgressedinthesmallestdegree。Agreatproportionofthemareseverelydevotedtostudy，andIfearnottosaythatwithintwelveorfifteenyearsfromthistime，amajorityoftherulersofourStatewillhavebeeneducatedhere。Theyshallcarryhencethecorrectprinciplesofourday，andyoumaycountassuredlythattheywillexhibittheircountryinadegreeofsoundrespectabilityithasneverknown，eitherinourdays，orthoseofourforefathers。Icannotlivetoseeit。Myjoymustonlybethatofanticipation。Butthatyouomayseeitinfullfruition，istheprobableconsequenceofthetwentyyearsIamaheadofyouintime，andisthesincereprayerofyouraffectionateandconstantfriend。”TAKECAREOFMEWHENDEAD”
_ToJamesMadison_
_Monticello。February17，1826_
DEARSIR，——MycircularwasansweredbyGenl。Breckenridge，approving，aswehaddone，oftheimmediateappointmentofTerriltothechairofLaw。ButourfourColleagues，whoweretogetherinRichmond，concludednottoappointuntilourmeetinginApril。InthemeantimethetermofthepresentlamentedIncumbentdrawsneartoaclose。About150。studentshavealreadyentered；manyofthosewhoengagedfora2d。year，areyettocome；andIthinkwemaycountthatourdormitorieswillbefilled。Whethertherewillbeanyoverflowingfortheaccomodationsprovidedinthevicinage，whicharequiteconsiderable，isnotyetknown。Nonewillentertherewhileadormitoryremainsvacant。WeretheLaw-chairfilleditwouldadd50。
atleasttoournumber。