按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
people of colour from emigration to their state； it will be expunged；
and all will be quieted until the advance of some new state shall
present the question again。 If rejected unconditionally； Missouri
assumes independent self…government； and Congress； after pouting
awhile； must recieve them on the footing of the original states。
Should the Representative propose force； 1。 the Senate will not
concur。 2。 were they to concur； there would be a secession of the
members South of the line； & probably of the three North Western
states； who； however inclined to the other side； would scarcely
separate from those who would hold the Misisipi from it's mouth to
it's source。 What next？ Conjecture itself is at a loss。 But
whatever it shall be you will hear from others and from the
newspapers。 And finally the whole will depend on Pensylvania。 While
she and Virginia hold together； the Atlantic states can never
separate。 Unfortunately in the present case she has become more
fanaticised than any other state。 However useful where you are； I
wish you were with them。 You might turn the scale there； which would
turn it for the whole。 Should this scission take place； one of it's
most deplorable consequences would be it's discouragement of the
efforts of the European nations in the regeneration of their
oppressive and Cannibal governments。
Amidst this prospect of evil； I am glad to see one good effect。
It has brought the necessity of some plan of general emancipation &
deportation more home to the minds of our people than it has ever
been before。 Insomuch； that our Governor has ventured to propose one
to the legislature。 This will probably not be acted on at this time。
Nor would it be effectual； for while it proposes to devote to that
object one third of the revenue of the State； it would not reach one
tenth of the annual increase。 My proposition would be that the
holders should give up all born after a certain day； past； present；
or to come； that these should be placed under the guardianship of the
State； and sent at a proper age to S。 Domingo。 There they are
willing to recieve them； & the shortness of the passage brings the
deportation within the possible means of taxation aided by charitable
contributions。 In this I think Europe； which has forced this evil on
us； and the Eastern states who have been it's chief instruments of
importation； would be bound to give largely。 But the proceeds of the
land office； if appropriated； would be quite sufficient。 God bless
you and preserve you multos aNos。
BOLINGBROKE AND PAINE
_To Francis Eppes_
_Monticello； January 19； 1821_
DEAR FRANCIS； Your letter of the 1st came safely to hand。 I
am sorry you have lost Mr。 Elliot； however the kindness of Dr。 Cooper
will be able to keep you in the track of what is worthy of your time。
You ask my opinion of Lord Bolingbroke and Thomas Paine。 They
were alike in making bitter enemies of the priests and pharisees of
their day。 Both were honest men； both advocates for human liberty。
Paine wrote for a country which permitted him to push his reasoning
to whatever length it would go。 Lord Bolingbroke in one restrained
by a constitution； and by public opinion。 He was called indeed a
tory； but his writings prove him a stronger advocate for liberty than
any of his countrymen； the whigs of the present day。 Irritated by
his exile； he committed one act unworthy of him； in connecting
himself momentarily with a prince rejected by his country。 But he
redeemed that single act by his establishment of the principles which
proved it to be wrong。 These two persons differed remarkably in the
style of their writing； each leaving a model of what is most perfect
in both extremes of the simple and the sublime。 No writer has
exceeded Paine in ease and familiarity of style； in perspicuity of
expression； happiness of elucidation； and in simple and unassuming
language。 In this he may be compared with Dr。 Franklin； and indeed
his Common Sense was； for awhile； believed to have been written by
Dr。 Franklin； and published under the borrowed name of Paine； who had
come over with him from England。 Lord Bolingbroke's； on the other
hand； is a style of the highest order。 The lofty； rhythmical；
full…flowing eloquence of Cicero。 Periods of just measure； their
members proportioned； their close full and round。 His conceptions；
too； are bold and strong； his diction copious； polished and
commanding as his subject。 His writings are certainly the finest
samples in the English language； of the eloquence proper for the
Senate。 His political tracts are safe reading for the most timid
religionist； his philosophical； for those who are not afraid to trust
their reason with discussions of right and wrong。
You have asked my opinion of these persons； and； _to you_； 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； and make you what I wish you to be。
THE UNIVERSITY AND THE SCHOOLS
_To General James Breckinridge_
_Monticello； February 15； 1821_
DEAR SIR； I learn； with deep affliction； that nothing is
likely to be done for our University this year。 So near as it is to
the shore that one shove more would land it there； I had hoped that
would be given； and that we should open with the next year an
institution on which the fortunes of our country may depend more than
may meet the general eye。 The reflections that the boys of this age
are to be the men of the next； that they should be prepared to
receive the holy charge which we are cherishing to deliver over to
them； that in establishing an institution of wisdom for them； we
secure it to all our future generations； that in fulfilling this
duty； we bring home to our own bosoms the sweet consolation of seeing
our sons rising under a luminous tuition； to destinies of high
promise； these are considerations which will occur to all； but all； I
fear； do not see the speck in our horizon which is to burst on us as
a tornado； sooner or later。 The line of division lately marked out
between different portions of our confederacy； is such as will never；
I fear； be obliterated； and we are now trusting to those who are
against us in position and principle； to fashion to their own form
the minds and affections of our youth。 If； as has been estimated； we
send three hundred thousand dollars a year to the northern
seminaries； for the instruction of our own sons； then we must have
there five hundred of our sons； imbibing opinions and principles in
discord with those of their own country。 This canker is eating on
the vitals of our existence； and if not arrested at once； will be
beyond remedy。 We are now certainly furnishing recruits to their
school。 If it be asked what are we to do； or said we cannot give the
last lift to the University without stopping our primary schools； and
these we think most important； I answer； I know their importance。 No
body can doubt my zeal for the general instruction of the people。
Who first started that idea？ I may surely say； myself。 Turn to the
bill in the revised code； which I drew more than forty years ago； and
before which the idea of a plan for the education of the people；
generally； had never been suggested in this State。 There you will
see developed the first rudiments of the whole system of general
education we are now urging and acting on： and it is well known to
those with thom I have acted on this subject； that I never have
proposed a sacrifice of the primary to the ultimate grade of
instruction。 Let us keep our eye steadily on the whole system。 If
we cannot do every thing at once； let us do one at a time。 The
primary schools need no preliminary expense； the ultimate grade
requires a considerable expenditure in advance。 A suspension of
proceeding for a year or two on the primary schools； and an
application of the whole income； during that time； to the completion
of the buildings necessary for the University； would enable us then
to start both institutions at the same time。 The intermediate
branch； of colleges； academies and private classical schools； for the
middle grade； may hereafter receive any necessary aids when the funds
shall become competent。 In the mean time； they are going on
sufficiently； as they have ever yet gone on； at the private expense
of those who use them； and who in numbers and means are competent to
their own exigencies。 The experience of three years has； I presume；
left no doubt that the present plan of primary schools； of putting
money into the hands of twelve hundred persons acting for nothing；
and under no responsibility； is entirely inefficient。 Some other
must be