第69章

wouldratherleavethetransfertotheslowhandofaccident，thanhastenitbyguiltyexperimentsonthosewhoputtheirlivesintomyhands。Theonlysurefoundationsofmedicineare，anintimateknolegeofthehumanbody，andobservationontheeffectsofmedicinalsubstancesonthat。Theanatomical&clinicalschools，therefore，arethoseinwhichtheyoungphysicianshouldbeformed。

Ifheenterswithinnocencethatofthetheoryofmedicine，itisscarcelypossibleheshouldcomeoutuntaintedwitherror。Hismindmustbestrongindeed，if，risingabovejuvenilecredulity，itcanmaintainawiseinfidelityagainsttheauthorityofhisinstructors，&thebewitchingdelusionsoftheirtheories。YouseethatI

estimatejustlythatportionofinstructionwhichourmedicalstudentsderivefromyourlabors；&，associatingwithitoneofthechairswhichmyold&ablefriend，DoctorRush，sohonorablyfills，I

considerthemasthetwofundamentalpillarsoftheedifice。Indeed，Ihavesuchanopinionofthetalentsoftheprofessorsintheotherbrancheswhichconstitutetheschoolofmedicinewithyou，astohope&believe，thatitisfromthissideoftheAtlantic，thatEurope，whichhastaughtussomanyotherthings，willatlengthbeledintosoundprinciplesinthisbranchofscience，themostimportantofallothers，beingthattowhichwecommitthecareofhealth&life。

Idaresay，thatbythistime，youaresufficientlysensiblethatoldheadsaswellasyoung，maysometimesbechargedwithignoranceandpresumption。Thenaturalcourseofthehumanmindiscertainlyfromcredulitytoscepticism；andthisisperhapsthemostfavorableapologyIcanmakeforventuringsofaroutofmydepth，&

toonetoo，towhomthestrongaswellastheweakpointsofthissciencearesofamiliar。Buthavingstumbledonthesubjectinmyway，Iwishedtogiveaconfessionofmyfaithtoafriend；&therather，asIhadperhaps，attime，tohimaswellasothers，expressedmyscepticisminmedicine，withoutdefiningit’sextentorfoundation。Atanyrate，ithaspermittedme，foramoment，toabstractmyselffromthedry&drearywasteofpolitics，intowhichI

havebeenimpressedbythetimesonwhichIhappened，andtoindulgeintherichfieldsofnature，wherealoneIshouldhaveservedasavolunteer，iflefttomynaturalinclinations&partialities。

Isaluteyouatalltimeswithaffection&respect。

TORPEDOESANDSUBMARINES

_ToRobertFulton_

_Monticello，August16，1807_

SIR，——YourletterofJuly28，cametohandjustasIwasaboutleavingWashington，&ithasnotbeensoonerinmypowertoacknolegeit。Iconsideryourtorpedoesasveryvaluablemeansofdefenceofharbors，&havenodoubtthatweshouldadoptthemtoaconsiderabledegree。NotthatIgothewholelength(asIbelieveyoudo)ofconsideringthemassolelytobereliedon。Neitheranationnorthoseentrustedwithit’saffairs，couldbejustifiable，howeversanguinetheirexpectations，intrustingsolelytoanenginenotyetsufficientlytried，underallthecircumstanceswhichmayoccur，&againstwhichweknownotasyetwhatmeansofparryingmaybedevised。If，indeed，themodeofattachingthemtothecableofashipbetheonlyoneproposed，modesofpreventioncannotbedifficult。ButIhaveeverlookedtothesubmarineboatasmosttobedependedonforattachingthem，&tho’Iseenomentionofitinyourletter，oryourpublications，Iaminhopesitisnotabandonedasimpracticable。Ishouldwishtoseeacorpsofyoungmentrainedtothisservice。Itwouldbelongtotheengineersifatland，butbeingnautical，Isupposewemusthaveacorpsofnavalengineers，topractise&usethem。Idonotknowwhetherwehaveauthoritytoputanypartofourexistingnavalestablishmentinacourseoftraining，butitshallbethesubjectofaconsultationwiththeSecretaryoftheNavy。GenlDearbornehasinformedyouoftheurgencyofourwantofyouatNOrleansforthelocksthere。

Isaluteyouwithgreatrespect&esteem。

RELIGIOUSFREEDOM

_ToRev。SamuelMiller_

_Washington，Jan。23，1808_

SIR，——Ihavedulyreceivedyourfavorofthe18thandamthankfultoyouforhavingwrittenit，becauseitismoreagreeabletopreventthantorefusewhatIdonotthinkmyselfauthorizedtocomplywith。IconsiderthegovernmentoftheUS。asinterdictedbytheConstitutionfromintermeddlingwithreligiousinstitutions，theirdoctrines，discipline，orexercises。Thisresultsnotonlyfromtheprovisionthatnolawshallbemaderespectingtheestablishment，orfreeexercise，ofreligion，butfromthatalsowhichreservestothestatesthepowersnotdelegatedtotheU。S。

Certainlynopowertoprescribeanyreligiousexercise，ortoassumeauthorityinreligiousdiscipline，hasbeendelegatedtothegeneralgovernment。Itmustthenrestwiththestates，asfarasitcanbeinanyhumanauthority。ButitisonlyproposedthatIshould_recommend_，notprescribeadayoffasting&