第66章

ButIhopeitwillbesuchanoneasmaybeaccepted。ThearrivaloftheHornetinFranceissorecentlyknown，thatitwillyetbesometimebeforewelearnourprospectsthere。Notwithstandingtheeffortsmadehere，andmadeprofessedlytoassassinatethatnegotiationinembryo，ifthegoodsenseofBuonaparteshouldprevailoverhistemper，thepresentstateofthingsinEuropemayinducehimtorequireofSpainthatsheshoulddousjusticeatleast。ThatheshouldrequirehertosellusEastFlorida，wehavenorighttoinsist：yettherearenotwantingconsiderationswhichmayinducehimtowishapermanentfoundationforpeacelaidbetweenus。Inthistreaty，whateveritshallbe，ouroldenemiesthefederalists，andtheirnewfriends，willfindenoughtocarpat。Thisisathingofcourse，andIshouldsuspecterrorwheretheyfoundnofault。Thebuzzardfeedsoncarriononly。Theirrallyingpointis`warwithFranceandSpain，andalliancewithGreatBritain：’andeverythingiswrongwiththemwhichcheckstheirnewardortobefightingforthelibertiesofmankind；ontheseaalwaysexcepted。Thereonenationistomonopoliseallthelibertiesoftheothers。

Iread，withextremeregret，theexpressionsofaninclinationonyourparttoretirefromCongress。Iwillnotsaythatthistime，morethanallothers，callsfortheserviceofeveryman；butIwillsay，thereneverwasatimewhentheservicesofthosewhopossesstalents，integrity，firmnessandsoundjudgment，weremorewantedinCongress。SomeoneofthatdescriptionisparticularlywantedtotaketheleadintheHouseofRepresentatives，toconsiderthebusinessofthenationashisownbusiness，totakeitupasifheweresinglychargedwithit，andcarryitthrough。Idonotmeanthatanygentleman，relinquishinghisownjudgment，shouldimplicitlysupportallthemeasuresoftheadministration；butthat，wherehedoesnotdisapproveofthem，heshouldnotsufferthemtogooffinsleep，butbringthemtotheattentionoftheHouse，andgivethemafairchance。Wherehedisapproves，hewillofcourseleavethemtobebroughtforwardbythosewhoconcurinthesentiment。ShallI

explainmyideabyanexample?TheclassificationofthemilitiawascommunicatedtoGeneralVarnumandyourselfmerelyasaproposition，which，ifyouapproved，itwastrustedyouwouldsupport。Iknew，indeed，thatGeneralVarnumwasopposedtoanythingwhichmightbreakupthepresentorganizationofthemilitia：butwhensomodifiedastoavoidthis，Ithoughthemight，perhaps，bereconciledtoit。AssoonasIfounditdidnotcoincidewithyoursentiments，Icouldnotwishyoutosupportit；butusingthesamefreedomofopinion，Iprocuredittobebroughtforwardelsewhere。Itfailedtherealso，andforatimeperhaps，maynotprevail：butamilitiacanneverbeusedfordistantserviceonanyotherplan；andBuonapartewillconquertheworld，iftheydonotlearnhissecretofcomposingarmiesofyoungmenonly，whoseenthusiasmandhealthenablethemtosurmountallobstacles。Whenagentleman，throughzealforthepublicservice，undertakestodothepublicbusiness，weknowthatweshallhearthecantofbackstairscounsellors。Butweneverheardthiswhilethedeclaimerwashimselfabackstairsman，ashecallsit，butintheconfidenceandviewsoftheadministration，asmaymoreproperlyandrespectfullybesaid。Butifthemembersaretoknownothingbutwhatisimportantenoughtobeputintoapublicmessage，andindifferentenoughtobemadeknowntoalltheworld；iftheexecutiveistokeepallotherinformationtohimself，andtheHousetoplungeoninthedark，itbecomesagovernmentofchanceandnotofdesign。Theimputationwasoneofthoseartificesusedtodespoilanadversaryofhismosteffectualarms；andmenofmindwillplacethemselvesaboveagabbleofthisorder。ThelastsessionofCongresswasindeedanuneasyoneforatime：butassoonasthememberspenetratedintotheviewsofthosewhoweretakinganewcourse，theyralliedinassolidaphalanxasIhaveeverseenacttogether。IndeedIhaveneverseenaHouseofbetterdispositions。Theywantonlyamanofbusiness&inwhomtheycanconfidetoconductthingsinthehouse；andtheyareasmuchdisposedtosupporthimascanbewished。Itisonlyspeakingatruthtosaythatalleyeslooktoyou。Itwasnotperhapsexpectedfromanewmember，athisfirstsession，&beforetheforms&styleofdoingbusinesswerefamiliar。Butitw