第8章

IstillhopeyouwillfindourpreparationsnotfarshortoftheInformationItooktheLibertyofgivingyouinmyletterofthe8thinstant。IshallbeveryhappytoreceiveyourfirstApplicationsforwhatevermaybenecessaryforthepublicserviceandtoconvinceyouofourdispositiontopromoteitasfarastheAbilitiesoftheStateandPowersoftheExecutivewillenableus。

APPEALTOTHECOMMANDERINCHIEF

_ToGeorgeWashington_

_Charlottesville，May28th，1781_

SIR，——Imakenodoubtyouwillhaveheard，beforethisshallhavethehonourofbeingpresentedtoyourExcellency，ofthejunctionofLdCornwalliswiththeforceatPetersburgunderArnold，whohadsucceededtothecommandonthedeathofMajr。GenlPhillips。

IamnowadvisedthattheyhaveevacuatedPetersburg，joinedatWestoverareinforcementof2000menjustarrivedfromNewyork，crossedJamesRiver，andonthe26thinstant，werethreemilesadvancedontheirwaytowardsRichmond；atwhichplaceMajrGenltheMarquisFayette，laywiththreethousandmenRegularsandmilitia：

thesebeingthewholenumberwecouldarm，untilthearrivalofthe1100armsfromRhodeIsland，whichareaboutthistimeattheplacewhereourPublicstoresaredeposited。ThewholeforceoftheEnemywithinthisState，fromthebestintelligenceIhavebeenabletoget，isIthinkabout7000men，infantryandcavalry，including，also，thesmallgarrisonleftatPortsmouth：anumberofprivateers，whichareconstantlyravagingtheShoresofourrivers，preventusfromreceivinganyaidfromtheCountieslyingonnavigablewaters；

andpowerfuloperationsmeditatedagainstourWesternfrontier，byajointforceofBritish，andIndianSavages，haveasyourExcellencybeforeknew，obligedustoembody，betweentwoandthreethousandmeninthatquarter。YourExcellencywilljudgefromthisStateofthings，andfromwhatyouknowofourcountry，whatitmayprobablysufferduringthepresentcampaign。ShouldtheEnemybeabletoproducenoopportunityofannihilatingtheMarquis’sarmyasmallproportionoftheirforcemayyetrestrainhismovementseffectuallywhilethegreaterpartemployedindetachmenttowasteanunarmedcountryandleadthemindsofthepeopletoacquiesceunderthoseeventswhichtheyseenohumanpowerpreparedtowardoff。WearetoofarremovedfromtheotherscenesofwartosaywhetherthemainforceoftheEnemybewithinthisState。ButIsupposetheycannotanywheresparesogreatanarmyfortheoperationsofthefield。

WereitpossibleforthiscircumstancetojustifyinyourExcellencyadeterminationtolendusyourpersonalaid，itisevidentfromtheuniversalvoice，thatthepresenceoftheirbelovedCountryman，whosetalentshavesolongbeensuccessfullyemployed，inestablishingthefreedomofkindredStates，towhosepersontheyhavestillflatteredthemselvestheyretainedsomerightandhaveeverlookedupastheirdernierresortindistress。ThatyourappearanceamongthemIsaywouldrestorefullconfidenceofsalvation，andwouldrenderthemequaltowhateverisnotimpossible。Icannotundertaketoforeseeandobviatethedifficultieswhichlieinthewayofsucharesolution：ThewholesubjectisbeforeyouofwhichIseeonlydetachedparts；andyourjudgmentwillbeformedonaviewofthewhole。ShouldthedangerofthisStateanditsconsequencetotheUnionbesuchastorenderitbestforthewholethatyoushouldrepairtoitsassistancethedifficultywouldbehowtokeepmenoutofthefield。IhaveundertakentohintthismattertoyourExcellencynotonlyonmyownsenseofitsimportancetousbutatthesolicitationsofmanymembersofweightinourLegislaturewhichhasnotyetAssembledtospeaktheirowndesires。

Afewdayswillbringtomethatreliefwhichtheconstitutionhaspreparedforthoseoppressedwiththelaboursofmyofficeandalongdeclaredresolutionofrelinquishingittoablerhandshaspreparedmywayforretirementtoaprivatestation：stillasanindividualIshouldfeelthecomfortableeffectsofyourpresence，andhave(whatIthoughtcouldnothavebeen)anadditionalmotiveforthatgratitude，esteem，&respectwithwhichIhavethehonourtobe，yourExcellency’smostobedienthumbleservant。

LIMITSOFPUBLICDUTY

_ToJamesMonroe_

_Monticello，May20，1782_

DEARSIR，——Ihavebeengratifiedwiththereceiptofyourtwofavoursofthe6th&11thinst。Itgivesmepleasurethatyourcountyhasbeenwiseenoughtoenlistyourtalentsintotheirservice。IammuchobligedbythekindwishesyouexpressofseeingmealsoinRichmond，andamalwaysmortifiedwhenanythingisexpectedfrommewhichIcannotfulfill，&moreespeciallyifitrelatetothepublicservice。BeforeIventuredtodeclaretomycountrymenmydeterminationtoretirefrompublicemployment，I

examinedwellmyhearttoknowwhetheritwerethoroughlycuredofeveryprincipleofpoliticalambition，whethernolurkingparticleremainedwhichmightleavemeuneasywhenreducedwithinthelimitsofmereprivatelife。Ibecamesatisfiedthateveryfibreofthatpassionwasthoroughlyeradicated。Iexaminedalsoinotherviewsmyrighttowithdraw。IconsideredthatIhadbeenthirteenyearsengagedinpublicservice，thatduringthattimeIhadsototallyabandonedallattentiontomyprivateaffairsastopermitthemtorunintogreatdisorderandruin，thatIhadnowafamilyadvancedtoyearswhichrequiremyattention&instruction，thattothesewereaddedthehopefuloffspringofadeceasedfriendwhosememorymustbeforeverdeartomewhohavenootherrelianceforbeingrenderedusefultothemselves&theircountry，thatbyaconstantsacrificeoftime，labour，loss，parental&familyduties，Ihadbeensofarfromgainingtheaffectionofmycountrymen，whichwastheonlyrewardI

everaskedorcouldhavefelt，thatIhadevenlostthesmallestimationIbeforepossessed。ThathoweverImighthavecomfortedmyselfunderthedisapprobationofthewell-meaningbutuninformedpeopleyetthatoftheirrepresentativeswasashockonwhichIhadnotcalculated：thatthisindeedhadbeenfollowedbyanexculpatorydeclaration。ButinthemeantimeIhadbeensuspected&suspendedintheeyesoftheworldwithouttheleasthintthenorafterwardsmadepublicwhichmightrestrainthemfromsupposingthatIstoodarraignedfortreasonoftheheartandnotmerelyweaknessofthehead；andIfeltthattheseinjuries，forsuchtheyhavebeensinceacknowledgedhadinflictedawoundonmyspiritwhichwillonlybecuredbytheall-healinggrave。Ifreason&inclinationuniteinjustifyingmyretirement，thelawsofmycountryareequallyinfavorofit。Whetherthestatemaycommandthepoliticalservicesofallit’smemberstoanindefiniteextent，orifthesebeamongtherightsneverwhollycededtothepublicpower，isaquestionwhichIdonotfindexpresslydecidedinEngland。ObiterdictumsonthesubjectI

haveindeedmetwith，butthecomplexionofthetimesinwhichthesehavedroppedwouldgenerallyanswerthem，besidesthatthisspeciesofauthorityisnotacknowledgedinourprofession。Inthiscountryhoweversincethepresentgovernmenthasbeenestablishedthepointhasbeensettledbyuniform，pointed&multipliedprecedents。

Officesofeverykind，andgivenbyeverypower，havebeendaily&

hourlydeclined&resignedfromthedeclarationofindependancetothismoment。Thegenlassemblyhasacceptedthesewithoutdiscriminationofoffice，andwithouteverquestioningtheminpointofright。Ifadifferencebetweentheofficeofadelegate&anyothercouldeverhavebeensupposed，yetinthecaseofMr。ThompsonMasonwhodeclinedtheofficeofdelegate&waspermittedsotodobythehousethatsuppositionhasbeenprovedtobegroundless。Butindeednosuchdistinctionofofficescanbeadmitted。Reasonandtheopinionsofthelawyersputtingallonafootingastothisquestionandsogivingtothedelegatetheaidofalltheprecedentsoftherefusalofotheroffices。Thelawthendoesnotwarranttheassumptionofsuchapowerbythestateoverit’smembers。Forifitdoeswhereisthatlaw?noryetdoesreason，fortho’Iwilladmitthatthisdoessubjecteveryindividualifcalledontoanequaltourofpoliticaldutyyetitcannevergosofarastosubmittoithiswholeexistence。Ifwearemadeinsomedegreeforothers，yetinagreaterarewemadeforourselves。Itwerecontrarytofeeling&

indeedridiculoustosupposethatamanhadlessrightinhimselfthanoneofhisneighborsorindeedallofthemputtogether。Thiswouldbeslavery¬thatlibertywhichthebillofrightshasmadeinviolableandforthepreservationofwhichourgovernmenthasbeencharged。Nothingcouldsocompletelydivestusofthatlibertyastheestablishmentoftheopinionthatthestatehasa_perpetual_

righttotheservicesofallit’smembers。Thistomenofcertainwaysofthinkingwouldbetoannihilatetheblessingofexistence；tocontradictthegiveroflifewhogaveitforhappiness¬forwretchedness；andcertainlytosuchitwerebetterthattheyhadneverbeenborn。HoweverwiththeseImaythinkpublicservice&

privatemiseryinseparablylinkedtogether，Ihavenotthevanitytocountmyselfamongthosewhomthestatewouldthinkworthoppressingwithperpetualservice。Ihavereceivedasufficientmementotothecontrary。Iampersuadedthathavinghithertodedicatedtothemthewholeoftheactive&usefulpartofmylifeIshallbepermittedtopasstherestinmentalquiet。IhopetoothatIdidnotmistakethemodesanymorethanthematterofrightwhenIpreferredasimpleactofrenunciationtothetakingsanctuaryunderthosedisqualificationsprovidedbythelawforotherpurposesindeed，butwhichaffordasylumalsoforresttothewearied。Idaresayyoudidnotexpectbythefewwordsyoudroppedontherightofrenunciationtoexposeyourselftothefatigueofsolongaletter，butIwishedyoutoseethatifIhaddonewrongIhadbeenbetrayedbyasemblanceofrightatleast。

ItakethelibertyofinclosingtoyoualetterforGenlChastelluxforwhichyouwillreadilyfindmeansofconveyance。ButImeanttogiveyoumoretroublewiththeonetoPelhamwholivesintheneighborhoodofManchester&toaskthefavorofyoutosenditbyyourservantexpresswhichIaminhopesmaybedonewithoutabsentinghimfromyourpersonbutduringthosehoursinwhichyouwillbeengagedinthehouse。Iamanxiousthatitshouldbereceivedimmediately。MrsJeffersonhasaddedanotherdaughtertoourfamily。Shehasbeeneversince&stillcontinuesverydangerouslyill。Itwillgivemegreatpleasuretoseeyouherewheneveryoucanfavoruswithyourcompany。Youwillfindmestillbusybutinlighteroccupations。Butinthese&allothersyouwillfindmetoretainaduesenseofyourfriendship&tobewithsincereesteem，DrSirYourmoob&mohbleservt。

P。S。didyoueverreceiveacopyoftheParl。debates&

Histor。RegisterwithaletterleftforyouwithMrJas。Buchanan?”ASINGLEEVENT……”

_ToChastellux_

_Ampthill，Nov。26，1782_

DEARSIR，——Ireceivedyourfriendlylettersof——andJune30butthelatternottillthe17thofOct。Itfoundmealittleemergingfromthestuporofmindwhichhadrenderedmeasdeadtotheworldasshewaswhoselossoccasionedit。Yourletterrecalledtomymemorythattherewerepersonsstilllivingofmuchvaluetome。

IfyoushouldhavethoughtmeremissinnottestifyingtoyousoonerhowdeeplyIhadbeenimpressedwithyourworthinthelittletimeI

hadthehappinessofbeingwithyouyouwillIamsureascribeittoit’struecausethestateofdreadfulsuspenseinwhichIhadbeenkeptallthesummer&thecatastrophewhichclosedit。Beforethateventmyschemeoflifehadbeendetermined。Ihadfoldedmyselfinthearmsofretirement，andrestedallprospectsoffuturehappinessondomestic&literaryobjects。AsingleeventwipedawayallmyplansandleftmeablankwhichIhadnotthespiritstofillup。InthisstateofmindanappointmentfromCongressfoundme，requiringmetocrosstheAtlantic。AndthattemptationmightbeaddedtodutyIwasinformedatthesametimefromhisExcytheChevalierdeLuzernethatavesselofforcewouldbesailingaboutthemiddleofDec。inwhichyouwouldbepassingtoFrance。Iacceptedtheappointmentandmyonlyobjectnowissotohastenoverthoseobstacleswhichwouldretardmydepartureastobereadytojoinyouinyourvoyage，fondlymeasuringyouraffectionsbymyown&

presumingyourconsent。ItisnotcertainthatbyanyexertionIcanbeinPhiladelphiabythemiddleofDecember。Thecontraryismostprobable。ButhopingitwillnotbemuchlaterandcountingonthoseprocrastinationswhichusuallyattendthedepartureofvesselsofsizeIhavehopesofbeingwithyouintime。Thiswillgivemefullleisuretolearntheresultofyourobservationsonthenaturalbridge，tocommunicatetoyoumyanswerstothequeriesofMonsrdeMarbois，toreceiveedificationfromyouontheseandonothersubjectsofscience，consideringchesstooasamatterofscience。

ShouldIbeabletogetoutintolerabletimeandanyextraordinarydelaysattendthesailingofthevesselIshallcertainlydomyselfthehonorofwaitingonhisExcyCountRochambeauathisHeadquartersandassuringhiminpersonofmyhighrespectandesteemforhim——anobjectofwhichIhaveneverlostsight。ToyourselfIamunabletoexpressthewarmthofthosesentimentsoffriendship&

attachmentwithwhichIhavethehonourtobe，DrSir，Yourmostobedt&mohbleservt。

ADVICETOAYOUNGDAUGHTER

_ToMarthaJefferson_

_Annapolis，Nov。28，1783_

MYDEARPATSY——AfterfourdaysjourneyIarrivedherewithoutanyaccidentandinasgoodhealthaswhenIleftPhiladelphia。TheconvictionthatyouwouldbemoreimprovedinthesituationIhaveplacedyouthanifstillwithme，hassolacedmeonmypartingwithyou，whichmyloveforyouhasrenderedadifficultthing。TheacquirementswhichIhopeyouwillmakeunderthetutorsIhaveprovidedforyouwillrenderyoumoreworthyofmylove，andiftheycannotincreaseittheywillpreventit’sdiminution。Considerthegoodladywhohastakenyouunderherroof，whohasundertakentoseethatyouperformallyourexercises，andtoadmonishyouinallthosewanderingsfromwhatisrightorwhatisclevertowhichyourinexperiencewouldexposeyou，considerherIsayasyourmother，astheonlypersontowhom，sincethelosswithwhichheavenhasbeenpleasedtoafflictyou，youcannowlookup；andthatherdispleasureordisapprobationonanyoccasionwillbeanimmensemisfortunewhichshouldyoubesounhappyastoincurbyanyunguardedact，thinknoconcessiontoomuchtoregainhergoodwill。WithrespecttothedistributionofyourtimethefollowingiswhatIshouldapprove。

from8。to10o’clockpractisemusic。

from10。to1。danceonedayanddrawanotherfrom1。to2。drawonthedayyoudance，andwritealetterthenextday。

from3。to4。readFrench。

from4。to5。exerciseyourselfinmusic。