IhavetoacknolegethereceiptofyourtwofavorsofMay27&
29，sincethedateofmylastwhichwasofthe2inst。Inthatofthe27thyousay`youmustnotmakeyourfinalexitfrompubliclifetillitwillbemarkedwithjustifyingcircumstanceswhichallgoodcitizenswillrespect，&towhichyourfriendscanappeal。’——Tomyfellow-citizensthedebtofservicehasbeenfully&faithfullypaid。
Iacknolegethatsuchadebtexists，thatatourofduty，inwhateverlinehecanbemostusefultohiscountry，isduefromeveryindividual。Itisnoteasyperhapstosayofwhatlengthexactlythistourshouldbe，butwemaysafelysayofwhatlengthitshouldnotbe。Notofourwholelife，forinstance，forthatwouldbetobebornaslave——notevenofaverylargeportionofit。Ihavenowbeeninthepublicservicefour&twentyyears；onehalfofwhichhasbeenspentintotaloccupationwiththeiraffairs，&absencefrommyown。Ihaveservedmytourthen。Nopositiveengagement，bywordordeed，bindsmetotheirfurtherservice。NocommitmentoftheirinterestsinanyenterprisebymerequiresthatIshouldseethemthroughit——IampledgedbynoactwhichgivesanytribunalacalluponmebeforeIwithdraw。Evenmyenemiesdonotpretendthis。I
standclearthenofpublicrightonallpoints——MyfriendsIhavenotcommitted。Nocircumstanceshaveattendedmypassagefromofficetooffice，whichcouldleadthem，&othersthroughthem，intodeceptionastothetimeImightremain；&particularlythey&allhaveknownwithwhatreluctanceIengaged&havecontinuedinthepresentone，&ofmyuniformdeterminationtoretirefromitatanearlyday——Ifthepublicthenhasnoclaimonme，&myfriendsnothingtojustify；thedecisionwillrestonmyownfeelingsalone。
Therehasbeenatimewhenthesewereverydifferentfromwhattheyarenow：whenperhapstheesteemoftheworldwasofhighervalueinmyeyethaneverythinginit。Butage，experience&reflection，preservingtothatonlyit’sduevalue，havesetahigherontranquility。Themotionofmybloodnolongerkeepstimewiththetumultoftheworld。Itleadsmetoseekforhappinessinthelapandloveofmyfamily，inthesocietyofmyneighbors&mybooks，inthewholesomeoccupationsofmyfarm&myaffairs，inaninterestoraffectionineverybudthatopens，ineverybreaththatblowsaroundme，inanentirefreedomofrestormotion，ofthoughtorincogitancy，owingaccounttomyselfaloneofmyhours&actions。
Whatmustbetheprincipleofthatcalculationwhichshouldbalanceagainstthesethecircumstancesofmypresentexistence！worndownwithlaboursfrommorningtonight，&daytoday；knowingthemasfruitlesstoothersastheyarevexatioustomyself，committedsinglyindesperate&eternalcontestagainstahostwhoaresystematicallyunderminingthepublicliberty&prosperity，eventherarehoursofrelaxationsacrificedtothesocietyofpersonsinthesameintentions，ofwhosehatredIamconsciouseveninthosemomentsofconvivialitywhentheheartwishesmosttoopenitselftotheeffusionsoffriendship&confidence，cutofffrommyfamily&
friends，myaffairsabandonedtochaos&derangement，inshortgivingeverythingIlove，inexchangeforeverythingIhate，andallthiswithoutasinglegratificationinpossessionorprospect，inpresentenjoymentorfuturewish——Indeedmydearfriend，dutybeingoutofthequestion，inclinationcutsoffallargument，&soneverlettherebemorebetweenyou&me，onthissubject。
Iincloseyousomepaperswhichhavepassedonthesubjectofanewloan。Youwillseebythemthatthepaper-Coryphaeusiseitherundaunted，ordesperate。Ibelievethatthestatementinclosedhassecuredadecisionagainsthisproposition——IdinedyesterdayinacompanywhereMorris&Binghamwere，&happenedtositbetweenthem。
InthecourseofaconversationafterdinnerMorrismadeoneofhiswarmdeclarationsthataftertheexpirationofhispresentSenatorialtermnothingonearthshouldeverengagehimtoserveagaininanypubliccapacity。Hedidthiswithsuchsolemnityasrendersitimpossibleheshouldnotbeinearnest——ThePresidentisnotwell。
Littlelingeringfevershavebeenhangingabouthimforaweekortendays，andhaveaffectedhislooksmostremarkably。Heisalsoextremelyaffectedbytheattacksmade&keptuponhiminthepublicpapers。IthinkhefeelsthosethingsmorethananypersonIeveryetmetwith。Iamsincerelysorrytoseethem。Irememberanobservationofyours，madewhenIfirstwenttoNewYork，thatthesatellites&sycophantswhichsurroundedhimhadwounduptheceremonialsofthegovernmenttoapitchofstatelinesswhichnothingbuthispersonalcharactercouldhavesupported，&whichnocharacterafterhimcouldevermaintain。Itappearsnowthatevenhiswillbeinsufficienttojustifythemintheappealofthetimestocommonsenseasthearbiterofeverything。Nakedhewouldhavebeensanctimoniouslyreverenced，butinvelopedintheragsofroyalty，theycanhardlybetornoffwithoutlaceration。Itisthemoreunfortunatethatthisattackisplantedonpopularground，ontheloveofthepeopletoFrance&it’scause，whichisuniversal——
GenetmentionsfreelyenoughinconversationthatFrancedoesnotwishtoinvolveusinthewarbyourguarantee。TheinformationfromSt。Domingo&Martiniqueisthatthosetwoislandsaredisposed&
abletoresistanyattackwhichGreatBritaincanmakeonthembyland。Ablockadewouldbedangerous，coulditbemaintainedinthatclimateforanylengthoftime。IdeliveredtoGenetyourlettertoRoland。Asthelatterisoutofoffice，hewilldirectittotheMinisteroftheInterior。Ifoundeverysyllableofitstrictlyproper。Yourploughsshallbedulyattendedto。HaveyouevertakennoticeofTull’shorse-houghingplough?Iampersuadedthatthat，whereyouwishyourworktobeveryexact，&ourgreatploughwherealessdegreewillsuffice，leaveusnothingtowishforfromothercountriesastoploughs，underourcircumstances——Ihavenotyetreceivedmythreshingmachine。Ifearthelatelong&heavyrainsmusthaveextendedtous，&affectedourwheat。Adieu。Yoursaffectionately。”MYFAMILY，MYFARM，ANDMYBOOKS”
_ToMrs。Church_
_Germantown，Nov。27th，1793_
Ihavereceived，mygoodfriend，yourkindletterofAugust19th，withtheextractfromthatofLafayette，forwhommyhearthasbeenconstantlybleeding。TheinfluenceoftheUnitedStateshasbeenputintoaction，asfarasitcouldbeeitherwithdecencyoreffect。ButIfearthatdistanceanddifferenceofprinciplegivelittleholdtoGeneralWashingtononthejailersofLafayette。
However，hisfriendsmaybeassuredthatourzealhasnotbeeninactive。YourlettergivesmethefirstinformationthatourdearfriendMadamedeCornyhasbeen，astoherfortuneamongthevictimsofthetimes。Sadtimes，indeed！andmuchlamentedvictim！Iknownocountrywheretheremainsofafortunecouldplacehersomuchathereaseasthis，andwherepublicesteemissoattachedtoworth，regardlessofwealth；butourmanners，andthestateofoursocietyhere，aresodifferentfromthosetowhichherhabitshavebeenformed，thatshewouldlosemoreperhapsinthatscale。AndMadameCoswayinaconvent！Iknewthattomuchgoodnessofheartshejoinedenthusiasmandreligion；butIthoughtthatveryenthusiasmwouldhavepreventedherfromshuttingupheradorationoftheGodoftheuniversewithinthewallsofacloister；thatshewouldratherhavesoughtthe_mountain-top。_HowhappyshouldIbethatitwere_mine_thatyou，she，andMadamedeCornywouldseek。Yousay，indeed，thatyouarecomingtoAmerica，butIknowthatmeansNewYork。InthemeantimeIamgoingtoVirginia。Ihaveatlengthbecomeabletofixthattothebeginningofthenewyear。Iamthentobeliberatedfromthehatedoccupationsofpolitics，andtoremaininthebosomofmyfamily，myfarm，andmybooks。Ihavemyhousetobuild，myfieldstofarm，andtowatchforthehappinessofthosewholaborformine。Ihaveonedaughtermarriedtoamanofscience，sense，virtue，andcompetence；inwhomindeedIhavenothingmoretowish。Theylivewithme。Iftheothershallbeasfortunate，indueprocessoftimeIshallimaginemyselfasblessedasthemostblessedofthepatriarchs。Nothingcouldthenwithdrawmythoughtsamomentfromhomebuttherecollectionofmyfriendsabroad。Ioftenputthequestion，whetheryourselfandKittywillevercometoseeyourfriendsatMonticello?butitismyaffectionandnotmyexperienceofthingswhichhasleavetoanswer，andIamdeterminedtobelievetheanswer，becauseinthatbeliefIfindIsleepsounder，andwakemorecheerful。_Enattendant_，Godblessyou。
Acceptthehomageofmysincereandconstantaffection。”LUCERNEANDPOTATOES”
_ToTenchCoxe_
_Monticello，May1，1794_
DEARSIR，——YourseveralfavorsofFeb。22，27，&March16。
whichhadbeenaccumulatinginRichmondduringtheprevalenceofthesmallpoxinthatplace，werelatelybroughttome，onthepermissiongiventheposttoresumehiscommunication。IamparticularlytothankyouforyourfavorinforwardingtheBee。YourlettersgiveacomfortableviewofFrenchaffairs，andlatereventsseemtoconfirmit。OvertheforeignpowersIamconvincedtheywilltriumphcompletely，&Icannotbuthopethatthattriumph，&theconsequentdisgraceoftheinvadingtyrants，isdestined，intheorderofevents，tokindlethewrathofthepeopleofEuropeagainstthosewhohavedaredtoembroiltheminsuchwickedness，andtobringatlength，kings，nobles，&prieststothescaffoldswhichtheyhavebeensolongdelugingwithhumanblood。IamstillwarmwheneverI
thinkofthesescoundrels，thoIdoitasseldomasIcan，preferringinfinitelytocontemplatethetranquilgrowthofmylucerne&
potatoes。Ihavesocompletelywithdrawnmyselffromthesespectaclesofusurpation&misrule，thatIdonottakeasinglenewspaper，norreadoneamonth；&Ifeelmyselfinfinitelythehappierforit。Wearealarmedherewiththeapprehensionsofwar；
andsincerelyanxiousthatitmaybeavoided；butnotattheexpenseeitherofourfaithorhonor。Itseemsmuchthegeneralopinionhere，thatthelatterhasbeentoomuchwoundednottorequirereparation，&toseekiteveninwar，ifthatbenecessary。Astomyself，Ilovepeace，andIamanxiousthatweshouldgivetheworldstillanotherusefullesson，byshowingtothemothermodesofpunishinginjuriesthanbywar，whichisasmuchapunishmenttothepunisherastothesufferer。Ilove，therefore，mr。Clarke’spropositionofcuttingoffallcommunicationwiththenationwhichhasconducteditselfsoatrociously。This，youwillsay，maybringonwar。Ifitdoes，wewillmeetitlikemen；butitmaynotbringonwar，&thentheexperimentwillhavebeenahappyone。Ibelievethiswarwouldbevastlymoreunanimouslyapprovedthananyoneweeverwereengagedin；becausetheaggressionshavebeensowanton&
bare-faced，andsounquestionablyagainstourdesire——Iamsorrymr。Cooper&Priestlydidnottakeamoregeneralsurveyofourcountrybeforetheyfixedthemselves。Ithinktheymighthavepromotedtheirownadvantagebyit，andhaveaidedtheintroductionofourimprovementwhereitismorewanting。Theprospectofwheatfortheensuingyearisabadone。Thisisallthesortofnewsyoucanexpectfromme。FromyouIshallbegladtohearallsortofnews，&particularlyanyimprovementsintheartsapplicabletohusbandryorhouseholdmanufacture。
WHISKEYREBELSANDDEMOCRATICSOCIETIES
_ToJamesMadison_
_Monticello，Dec。28，1794_
DEARSIR，——Ihavekeptmr。Jay’sletterapostortwo，withanintentionofconsideringattentivelytheobservationitcontains；
butIhavereallynowsolittlestomachforanythingofthatkind，thatIhavenotresolutionenougheventoendeavortounderstandtheobservations。Ithereforereturntheletter，nottodelayyouranswertoit，andbegyouinansweringforyourselftoassurehimofmyrespectsandthankfulacceptanceofChalmers’Treaties，whichIdonotpossess，andifyoupossessyourselfofthescopeofhisreasoning，makeanyanswertoityoupleaseforme。Ifithadbeenontherotationofmycrops，Iwouldhaveansweredmyself，lengthilyperhaps，butcertainly_congusto。_
Thedenunciationofthedemocraticsocietiesisoneoftheextraordinaryactsofboldnessofwhichwehaveseensomanyfromthefractionofmonocrats。Itiswonderfulindeed，thatthePresidentshouldhavepermittedhimselftobetheorganofsuchanattackonthefreedomofdiscussion，thefreedomofwriting，printing&
publishing。Itmustbeamatterofrarecuriositytogetatthemodificationsoftheserightsproposedbythem，andtoseewhatlinetheiringenuitywoulddrawbetweendemocraticalsocieties，whoseavowedobjectisthenourishmentoftherepublicanprinciplesofourconstitution，andthesocietyoftheCincinnati，_aself-created_
one，carvingoutforitselfhereditarydistinctions，loweringoverourConstitutioneternally，meetingtogetherinallpartsoftheUnion，periodically，withcloseddoors，accumulatingacapitalintheirseparatetreasury，correspondingsecretly®ularly，&ofwhichsocietytheverypersonsdenouncingthedemocratsarethemselvesthefathers，founders，&highofficers。Theirsightmustbeperfectlydazzledbytheglitteringofcrowns&coronets，nottoseetheextravaganceofthepropositiontosuppressthefriendsofgeneralfreedom，whilethosewhowishtoconfinethatfreedomtothefew，arepermittedtogoonintheirprinciples&practices。Ihereputoutofsightthepersonswhosemisbehaviorhasbeentakenadvantageoftoslanderthefriendsofpopularrights；andIamhappytoobserve，thatasfarasthecircleofmyobservation&informationextends，everybodyhaslostsightofthem，andviewstheabstractattemptontheirnatural&constitutionalrightsinallit’snakedness。Ihaveneverheard，orheardof，asingleexpressionoropinionwhichdidnotcondemnitasaninexcusableaggression。Andwithrespecttothetransactionsagainsttheexciselaw，itappearstomethatyouareallsweptawayinthetorrentofgovernmentalopinions，orthatwedonotknowwhatthesetransactionshavebeen。
Weknowofnonewhich，accordingtothedefinitionsofthelaw，havebeenanythingmorethanriotous。Therewasindeedameetingtoconsultaboutaseparation。Buttoconsultonaquestiondoesnotamounttoadeterminationofthatquestionintheaffirmative，stilllesstotheactingonsuchadetermination；butweshallsee，I
suppose，whatthecourtlawyers，&courtlyjudges，&would-beambassadorswillmakeofit。Theexciselawisaninfernalone。ThefirsterrorwastoadmititbytheConstitution；the2d。，toactonthatadmission；the3d&lastwillbe，tomakeittheinstrumentofdismemberingtheUnion，&settingusallafloattochusewhichpartofitwewilladhereto。Theinformationofourmilitia，returnedfromtheWestward，isuniform，thatthothepeoplethereletthempassquietly，theywereobjectsoftheirlaughter，notoftheirfear；
that1000mencouldhavecutofftheirwholeforceinathousandplacesoftheAlleganey；thattheirdetestationoftheexciselawisuniversal，andhasnowassociatedtoitadetestationofthegovernment；&thatseparationwhichperhapswasaverydistant&