第40章

_ToArchibaldStuart_

_Philadelphia，Dec。23，1791_

DEARSIR，——IreceiveddulyyourfavorofOctob22。andshouldhaveanswereditbythegentlemanwhodeliveredit，butthathelefttownbeforeIknewofit。

Thatitisreallyimportanttoprovideaconstitutionforourstatecannotbedoubted：aslittlecanitbedoubtedthattheordinancecalledbythatnamehasimportantdefects。Butbeforeweattemptit，weshouldendeavortobeascertainasispracticablethatintheattemptweshouldnotmakebadworse。IhaveunderstoodthatMr。Henryhasalwaysbeenopposedtothisundertaking：andI

confessthatIconsiderhistalentsandinfluencesuchasthat，wereitdecidedthatweshouldcallaConventionforthepurposeofamending，Ishouldfearhemightinducethatconventioneithertofixthethingasatpresent，orchangeitfortheworse。Woulditnotthereforebewellthatmeansshouldbeadoptedforcomingathisideasofthechangeshewouldagreeto，&forcommunicatingtohimthosewhichweshouldpropose?Perhapshemightfindoursnotsodistantfromhisbutthatsomemutualsacrificesmightbringthemtogether。

Ishallhazardmyownideastoyouashastilyasmybusinessobligesme。Iwishtopreservethelinedrawnbythefederalconstitutionbetweenthegeneral&particulargovernmentsasitstandsatpresent，andtotakeeveryprudentmeansofpreventingeitherfromsteppingoverit。Tho’theexperimenthasnotyethadalongenoughcoursetoshewusfromwhichquarterencroachmentsaremosttobefeared，yetitiseasytoforeseefromthenatureofthingsthattheencroachmentsofthestategovernmentswilltendtoanexcessoflibertywhichwillcorrectitself(asinthelateinstance)whilethoseofthegeneralgovernmentwilltendtomonarchy，whichwillfortifyitselffromdaytoday，insteadofworkingitsowncure，asallexperienceshews。Iwouldratherbeexposedtotheinconve-nienciesattendingtoomuchlibertythanthoseattendingtoosmalladegreeofit。Thenitisimportanttostrengthenthestategovernments：andasthiscannotbedonebyanychangeinthefederalconstitution，(forthepreservationofthatisallweneedcontendfor，)itmustbedonebythestatesthemselves，erectingsuchbarriersattheconstitutionallineascannotbesurmountedeitherbythemselvesorbythegeneralgovernment。Theonlybarrierintheirpowerisawisegovernment。Aweakonewilllosegroundineverycontest。Toobtainawise&anablegovernment，Iconsiderthefollowingchangesasimportant。Renderthelegislatureadesirablestationbylesseningthenumberofrepresentatives(sayto100)andlengtheningsomewhattheirterm，andproportionthemequallyamongtheelectors：adoptalsoabettermodeofappointingSenators。RendertheExecutiveamoredesirableposttomenofabilitiesbymakingitmoreindependantofthelegislature。

Towit，lethimbechosenbyotherelectors，foralongertime，andineligibleforeverafter。Responsibilityisatremendousengineinafreegovernment。Lethimfeelthewholeweightofitthenbytakingawaytheshelterofhisexecutivecouncil。Experiencebothwayshasalreadyestablishedthesuperiorityofthismeasure。RendertheJudiciaryrespectablebyeverypossiblemeans，towit，firmtenureinoffice，competentsalaries，andreductionoftheirnumbers。

Menofhighlearningandabilitiesarefewineverycountry；&bytakinginthosewhoarenotso，theablepartofthebodyhavetheirhandstiedbytheunable。Thisbranchofthegovernmentwillhavetheweightoftheconflictontheirhands，becausetheywillbethelastappealofreason——Thesearemygeneralideasofamendments；

but，preservingtheends，Ishouldbeflexible&conciliatoryastothemeans。YouaskwhetherMr。Madisonandmyselfcouldattendonaconventionwhichshouldbecalled?Mr。Madison’sengagementsasamemberofCongresswillprobablybefromOctobertoMarchorAprilineveryyear。MineareconstantwhileIholdmyoffice，andmyattendancewouldbeveryunimportant。Wereitotherwise，myofficeshouldnotstandinthewayofit。Iamwithgreat&sincereesteem，DrSir，yourfriend&servt。”ASTEPPINGSTONETOMONARCHY”

_TothePresidentoftheUnitedStates_

(GEORGEWASHINGTON)

_Philadelphia，May23，1792_

DEARSIR，——Ihavedeterminedtomakethesubjectofaletter，whatforsometimepast，hasbeenasubjectofinquietudetomymindwithouthavingfoundagoodoccasionofdisburtheningitselftoyouinconversation，duringthebusysceneswhichoccupiedyouhere。

Perhapstooyoumaybeable，inyourpresentsituation，orontheroad，togiveitmoretime&reflectionthanyoucoulddohereatanymoment。