a little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their government to it’s true principles. it is true that in the mean time we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war, & long oppressions of enormous public debt.

if the game runs sometimes against us at home, we must have patience, till luck turns, & then we shall have an opportunity of winning5 back the principles we have lost. for this is a game where principles are the stake. better luck therefore to us all, and health happiness & friendly salutations to yourself. Adieu.

At this Auspicious period the United States came into existence as a Nation, and if their Citizens should not be completely free & happy, the fault will be entirely their own.

This is the time of their political probation: this is the moment when the eyes of the whole World are turned upon them—

What a triumph for the advocates of despotism to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves, and that systems founded on the basis of equal liberty are merely ideal & falacious! Would to God that wise measures may be taken in time to avert the consequences we have but too much reason to apprehend.

Your sentiments, that our affairs are drawing rapidly to a crisis, accord with my own.

To be fearful of vesting Congress, constituted as that body is, with ample authorities for national purposes, appears to me the very climax of popular absurdity and madness.

saucy geniuses

cannot with patience think of this idea. If ever he violates the laws, one of two things will happen: he will come at the head of his army, to carry every thing before him; or he will give bail, or do what Mr. Chief Justice will order him. If he be guilty, will not the recollection of his crimes teach him to make one bold push for the American throne? Will not the immense difference between being master of every thing, and being ignominiously tried and punished, powerfully excite him to make this bold push? But, sir, where is the existing force to punish him? Can he not, at the head of his army, beat down every opposition? Away with your {60} President! we shall have a king: the army will salute him monarch: your militia will leave you, and assist in making him king, and fight against you: and what have you to oppose this force? What will then become of you and your rights? Will not absolute despotism ensue?

I do not conceive that we are more inspired—have more wisdem—or possess more virtue than those who will come after us.

If wisdom is not to be acquired from experience, where is it to be found?

. And as there is a Constitutional door open for it, I think the people (for it is with them to judge) can, as they will have the aid of experience on their side, decide with as much propriety on the alterations and amendments wch shall be found necessary, as ourselves;

New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Georgia, South Carolina, and Maryland are a majority of the whole number of the States, but they do not contain one third of the people.

It may happen that this majority of States is a small minority of the people of America

Congress, from the nonattendance of a few States, have been frequently in the situation of a Polish diet, where a single VOTE has been sufficient to put a stop to all their movements.

The difficulties which now appear threatening to my mind are those which will result from the size of the assembly. 1200. persons, of any rank, and of any nation, assembled together would with difficulty be prevented from tumult, and confusion. But when they are to compose an assembly for which no rules of debate or proceeding have been yet formed, in whom no habits of order have been yet established, and to consist moreover of Frenchmen among whom there are always more speakers than listners, I confess to you I apprehend some danger. However I still hope that the good sense of the body, and the coolness and collectedness of some of their leaders will keep them in the right way, and that this great assembly will end happily.

As to the history of the Revolution, my Ideas may be peculiar, perhaps Singular. What do We mean by the Revolution? The War? That was no part of the Revolution. It was only an Effect and Consequence of it. The Revolution was in the Minds of the People, and this was effected, from 1760 to <span>1775</span>,<a class="ptr" id="TJ140464_5-ptr" href="#TJ140464_5" title="jump to note 1">1</a> in the course of fifteen<a id="TSJN-03-08-02-pb-0683"></a> Years before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington.

These Gentry will print whatever will Sell:

And now how Shall I turn my Thoughts from this good humoured Small Talk, to the angry, turbulent Stormy Science of Politicks.

Washington understood this Art very well, and We may say of him, if he was not the greatest President he was the best Actor of Presidency We have ever had.

The Declaration of Independence I always considered as a Theatrical Show. Jefferson ran away with all the Stage Effect of that, i.e. all the Glory of it.

ad named it the Age of Folly, Vice, Frenzy Fury, Brutality, Daemons, Buonaparte, Tom Paine, or the Age of The burning Brand from the bottomless Pitt: or any thing but the age of Reason.

For Such a mongrel between Pigg and Puppy, begotten by a wild Boar on a Bitch Wolf<span class="diigoHighlightCommentLocator"></span>; never before in any Age of the World was suffered by the Poltroonery of mankind, to run through Such a Career of Mischief.

no writer has exceeded Paine in ease and familiarity of style; in perspicuity of expression, happiness of elucidation, and in simple and unassuming language.

<p style="text-indent: 1.5em !important;">You have asked my opinion of these persons, and, <span style="text-decoration: underline">to you</span>, I have given it freely. but, remember, that I am old, that I wish not to make new enemies, nor to give offence to those who would consider a difference of opinion as sufficient ground for unfriendly dispositions. God bless you, &amp; make you what I wish you to be.</p><p class="signed"> <span style="font-variant: small-caps">Th: Jefferson</span></p>

That whenever the laws of the United States shall be <b>opposed or the execution thereof obstructed</b>, in any state, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshals by this act, the same being notified to the President of the United States, by an associate justice or the district judge, it shall be lawful for the President of the United States to call forth the militia of such state to <b>suppress</b> such combinations, and to cause the laws to be duly executed. And if the militia of a state, where such combinations may happen, <b>shall refuse</b>, or be insufficient to suppress the same, it shall be lawful for the President, if the legislature of the United States be not in session, to call forth and employ such numbers of the militia of any other state or states most convenient thereto, as may be necessary, and the use of militia, so to be called forth, may be continued, if necessary, until the expiration of thirty days after the commencement of the ensuing session.