part15-第9部分

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！



land；　and　shall　strip　her　of　all　her　possessions　on　this　continent。

She　may　burn　New　York；　indeed；　by　her　ships　and　congreve　rockets；　in

which　case　we　must　burn　the　city　of　London　by　hired　incendiaries；　of

which　her　starving　manufacturers　will　furnish　abundance。　　A　people　in

such　desperation　as　to　demand　of　their　government　_autparcem；　aut

furcam_；　either　bread　or　the　gallows；　will　not　reject　the　same

alternative　when　offered　by　a　foreign　hand。　　Hunger　will　make　them

brave　every　risk　for　bread。　　The　partisans　of　England　here　have

endeavored　much　to　goad　us　into　the　folly　of　choosing　the　ocean

instead　of　the　land；　for　the　theatre　of　war。　　That　would　be　to　meet

their　strength　with　our　own　weakness；　instead　of　their　weakness　with

our　strength。　　I　hope　we　shall　confine　ourselves　to　the　conquest　of

their　possessions；　and　defence　of　our　harbors；　leaving　the　war　on　the

ocean　to　our　privateers。　　These　will　immediately　swarm　in　every　sea；

and　do　more　injury　to　British　commerce　than　the　regular　fleets　of　all

Europe　would　do。　　The　government　of　France　may　discontinue　their

license　trade。　　Our　privateers　will　furnish　them　much　more　abundantly

with　colonial　produce；　and　whatever　the　license　trade　has　given　them。

Some　have　apprehended　we　should　be　overwhelmed　by　the　new

improvements　of　war；　which　have　not　yet　reached　us。　　But　the　British

possess　them　very　imperfectly；　and　what　are　these　improvements？

Chiefly　in　the　management　of　artillery；　of　which　our　country　admits

little　use。　　We　have　nothing　to　fear　from　their　armies；　and　shall　put

nothing　in　prize　to　their　fleets。　　Upon　the　whole；　I　have　known　no

war　entered　into　under　more　favorable　auspices。




　　　　　　　　Our　manufacturers　are　now　very　nearly　on　a　footing　with　those

of　England。　　She　has　not　a　single　improvement　which　we　do　not

possess；　and　many　of　them　better　adapted　by　ourselves　to　our　ordinary

use。　　We　have　reduced　the　large　and　expensive　machinery　for　most

things　to　the　compass　of　a　private　family；　and　every　family　of　any

size　is　now　getting　machines　on　a　small　scale　for　their　household

purposes。　　Quoting　myself　as　an　example；　and　I　am　much　behind　many

others　in　this　business；　my　household　manufactures　are　just　getting

into　operation　on　the　scale　of　a　carding　machine　costing　60　only；

which　may　be　worked　by　a　girl　of　twelve　years　old；　a　spinning

machine；　which　may　be　made　for　10；　carrying　6　spindles　for　wool；　to

be　worked　by　a　girl　also；　another　which　can　be　made　for　25；　carrying

12　spindles　for　cotton；　and　a　loom；　with　a　flying　shuttle；　weaving

its　twenty　yards　a　day。　　I　need　2；000　yards　of　linen；　cotton　and

woollen　yearly；　to　clothe　my　family；　which　this　machinery；　costing

150　only；　and　worked　by　two　women　and　two　girls；　will　more　than

furnish。　　For　fine　goods　there　are　numerous　establishments　at　work　in

the　large　cities；　and　many　more　daily　growing　up；　and　of　merinos　we

have　some　thousands；　and　these　multiplying　fast。　　We　consider　a　sheep

for　every　person　as　sufficient　for　their　woollen　clothing；　and　this

State　and　all　to　the　north　have　fully　that；　and　those　to　the　south

and　west　will　soon　be　up　to　it。　　In　other　articles　we　are　equally

advanced；　so　that　nothing　is　more　certain　than　that；　come　peace　when

it　will；　we　shall　never　again　go　to　England　for　a　shilling　where　we

have　gone　for　a　dollar's　worth。　　Instead　of　applying　to　her

manufacturers　there；　they　must　starve　or　come　here　to　be　employed。　　I

give　you　these　details　of　peaceable　operations；　because　they　are

within　my　present　sphere。　　Those　of　war　are　in　better　hands；　who　know

how　to　keep　their　own　secrets。　　Because；　too；　although　a　soldier

yourself；　I　am　sure　you　contemplate　the　peaceable　employment　of　man

in　the　improvement　of　his　condition；　with　more　pleasure　than　his

murders；　rapine　and　devastations。




　　　　　　　　Mr。　Barnes；　some　time　ago；　forwarded　you　a　bill　of　exchange　for

5；500　francs；　of　which　the　enclosed　is　a　duplicate。　　Apprehending

that　a　war　with　England　would　subject　the　remittances　to　you　to　more

casualties；　I　proposed　to　Mr。　Morson；　of　Bordeaux；　to　become　the

intermediate　for　making　remittances　to　you；　which　he　readily　acceded

to　on　liberal　ideas　arising　from　his　personal　esteem　for　you；　and　his

desire　to　be　useful　to　you。　　If　you　approve　of　this　medium　I　am　in

hopes　it　will　shield　you　from　the　effect　of　the　accidents　to　which

the　increased　dangers　of　the　seas　may　give　birth。　　It　would　give　me

great　pleasure　to　hear　from　you　oftener。　　I　feel　great　interest　in

your　health　and　happiness。　　I　know　your　feelings　on　the　present　state

of　the　world；　and　hope　they　will　be　cheered　by　the　successful　course

of　our　war；　and　the　addition　of　Canada　to　our　confederacy。　　The

infamous　intrigues　of　Great　Britain　to　destroy　our　government　（of

which　Henry's　is　but　one　sample）；　and　with　the　Indians　to　tomahawk

our　women　and　children；　prove　that　the　cession　of　Canada；　their

fulcrum　for　these　Machiavelian　levers；　must　be　a　_sine　qua　non_　at　a

treaty　of　peace。　　God　bless　you；　and　give　you　to　see　all　these

things；　and　many　and　long　years　of　health　and　happiness。







　　　　　　　　〃A　RADICAL　DIFFERENCE　OF　POLITICAL　PRINCIPLE〃




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Melish_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　January　13；　1813_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　received　duly　your　favor　of　December　the　15th；

and　with　it　the　copies　of　your　map　and　travels；　for　which　be　pleased

to　accept　my　thanks。　　The　book　I　have　read　with　extreme　satisfaction

and　information。　　As　to　the　western　States；　particularly；　it　has

greatly　edified　me：　for　of　the　actual　condition　of　that　interesting

portion　of　our　country；　I　had　not　an　adequate　idea。　　I　feel　myself

now　as　familiar　with　it　as　with　the　condition　of　the　maritime　States。

I　had　no　conception　that　manufactures　had　made　such　progress　there；

and　particularly　of　the　number　of　carding　and　spinning　machines

dispersed　through　the　whole　country。　　We　are　but　beginning　here　to

have　them　in　our　private　families。　　Small　spinning　jennies　of　from

half　a　dozen　to　twenty　spindles；　will　soon；　however；　make　their　way

into　the　humblest　cottages；　as　well　as　the　richest　houses；　and

nothing　is　more　certain；　than　that　the　coarse　and　middling　clothing

for　our　families；　will　forever　hereafter　continue　to　be　made　within

ourselves。　　I　have　hitherto　myself　depended　entirely　on　foreign

manufactures；　but　I　have　now　thirty…five　spindles　agoing；　a　hand

carding　machine；　and　looms　with　the　flying　shuttle；　for　the　supply　of

my　own　farms；　which　will　never　be　relinquished　in　my　time。　　The

continuance　of　the　war　will　fix　the　habit　generally；　and　out　of　the

evils　of　impressment　and　of　the　orders　of　council；　a　great　blessing

for　us　will　grow。　　I　have　not　formerly　been　an　advocate　for　great

manufactories。　　I　doubted　whether　our　labor；　employed　in　agriculture；

and　aided　by　the　spontaneous　energies　of　the　earth；　would　not　procure

us　more　than　we　could　make　ourselves　of　other　necessaries。　　But　other

considerations　entering　into　the　question；　have　settled　my　doubts。




　　　　　　　　The　candor　with　which　you　have　viewed　the　manners　and　condition

of　our　citizens；　is　so　unlike　the　narrow　prejudices　of　the　French　and

English　travellers　preceding　you；　who；　considering　each　the　manners

and　habits　of　their　own　people　as　the　only　orthodox；　have　viewed

everything　differing　from　that　test　as　boorish　and　barbarous；　that

your　work　will　be　read　here　extensively；　and　operate　great　good。




　　　　　　　　Amidst　this　mass　of　approbation　which　is　given　to　every　other

part　of　the　work；　there　is　a　single　sentiment　which　I　cannot　help

wishing　to　bring　to　what　I　think　the　correct　one；　and；　on　a　point　so

interesting；　I　value　your　opinion　too　highly　not　to　ambition　its

concurrence　with　my　own。　　Stating　in　volume　one；　page　sixty…three；

the　principle　of　difference　between　the　two　great　political　parties

here；　you　conclude　it　to　be；　‘whether　the　controlling　power　shall　be

vested　in　this　or　that　set　of　men。'　That　each　party　endeavors　to　get

into　the　administration　of　the　government；　and　exclude　the　other　from

power；　is　true；　and　may　be　stated　as　a　motive　of　action：　but　this　is

only　secondary；　the　primary　motive　being　a　real　and　radical

difference　of　political　principle。　　I　sincerely　wish　our　differences

were　but　personally　who　should　govern；　and　that　the　principles　of　our

constitution　were　those　of　both　parties。　　Unfortunately；　it　is

otherwise；　and　the　question　of　preference　between　monarchy　and

republicanism；　which　has　so　long　divided　mankind　elsewhere；　threatens

a　permanent　division　here。




　　　　　　　　Among　that　section　of　our　citizens　called　federalists；　there

are　three　shades　of　opinion。　　Distinguishing　between　the　_leaders_

and　_people_　who　compose　it；　the　_leaders_　consider　the　English

constitution　as　a　model　of　perfection；　some；　with　a　correction　of　its

vices；　others；　with　all　its　corruptions　and　abuses。　　This　last　was

Alexander　Hamilton's　opinion；　which　others；　as　well　as　myself；　have

often　heard　him　declare；　and　that　a　correction　of　what　are　called　its

vices；　would　render　the　English　an　impracticable　government。　　This

government　they　wished　to　have　established　here；　and　only　accepted

and　held　fast；　_at　first_；　to　the　present　constitution；　as　a

stepping…stone　to　the　final　establishment　of　their　favorite　model。

This　party　therefore　always　clung　to　England　as　their　prototype；　and

great　auxiliary　in　promoting　and　effecting　this　change。　　A　weighty

MINORITY；　however；　of　these　_leaders_；　considering　the　voluntary

conversion　of　our　government　into　a　monarchy　as　too　distant；　if　not

desperate；　wish　to　break　off　from　our　Union　its　eastern　fragment；　as

being；　in　truth；　the　hot…bed　of　American　monarchism；　with　a　view　to　a

commencement　of　their　favorite　government；　from　whence　the　other

States　may　gangrene　by　degrees；　and　the　whole　be　thus　brought　finally

to　the　desired　point。　　For　Massachusetts；　the　prime　mover　in　this

enterprise；　is　the　last　State　in　the　Union　to　mean　a　_final_

separatio