第76章

Thequestionyoupropose，whethercircumstancesdonotsometimesoccur，whichmakeitadutyinofficersofhightrust，toassumeauthoritiesbeyondthelaw，iseasyofsolutioninprinciple，butsometimesembarrassinginpractice。Astrictobservanceofthewrittenlawsisdoubtless_one_ofthehighdutiesofagoodcitizen，butitisnot_thehighest_。Thelawsofnecessity，ofself-preservation，ofsavingourcountrywhenindanger，areofhigherobligation。Toloseourcountrybyascrupulousadherencetowrittenlaw，wouldbetolosethelawitself，withlife，liberty，propertyandallthosewhoareenjoyingthemwithus；thusabsurdlysacrificingtheendtothemeans。When，inthebattleofGermantown，GeneralWashington’sarmywasannoyedfromChew’shouse，hedidnothesitatetoplanthiscannonagainstit，althoughthepropertyofacitizen。WhenhebesiegedYorktown，heleveledthesuburbs，feelingthatthelawsofpropertymustbepostponedtothesafetyofthenation。WhilethearmywasbeforeYork，theGovernorofVirginiatookhorses，carriages，provisionsandevenmenbyforce，toenablethatarmytostaytogethertillitcouldmasterthepublicenemy；andhewasjustified。Ashipatseaindistressforprovisions，meetsanotherhavingabundance，yetrefusingasupply；thelawofself-preservationauthorizesthedistressedtotakeasupplybyforce。Inallthesecases，theunwrittenlawsofnecessity，ofself-preservation，andofthepublicsafety，controlthewrittenlawsof_meum_and_tuum_。Furthertoexemplifytheprinciple，Iwillstateanhypotheticalcase。SupposeithadbeenmadeknowntotheExecutiveoftheUnionintheautumnof1805，thatwemighthavetheFloridasforareasonablesum，thatthatsumhadnotindeedbeensoappropriatedbylaw，butthatCongressweretomeetwithinthreeweeks，andmightappropriateitonthefirstorseconddayoftheirsession。Oughthe，forsogreatanadvantagetohiscountry，tohaveriskedhimselfbytranscendingthelawandmakingthepurchase?Thepublicadvantageoffered，inthissupposedcase，wasindeedimmense；

butareverenceforlaw，andtheprobabilitythattheadvantagemightstillbe_legally_accomplishedbyadelayofonlythreeweeks，werepowerfulreasonsagainsthazardingtheact。ButsupposeitforeseenthataJohnRandolphwouldfindmeanstoprotracttheproceedingonitbyCongress，untiltheensuingspring，bywhichtimenewcircumstanceswouldchangethemindoftheotherparty。OughttheExecutive，inthatcase，andwiththatforeknowledge，tohavesecuredthegoodtohiscountry，andtohavetrustedtotheirjusticeforthetransgressionofthelaw?Ithinkheought，andthattheactwouldhavebeenapproved。AftertheaffairoftheChesapeake，wethoughtwaraverypossibleresult。Ourmagazineswereillyprovidedwithsomenecessaryarticles，norhadanyappropriationsbeenmadefortheirpurchase。Weventured，however，toprovidethem，andtoplaceourcountryinsafety；andstatingthecasetoCongress，theysanctionedtheact。

ToproceedtotheconspiracyofBurr，andparticularlytoGeneralWilkinson’ssituationinNewOrleans。Injudgingthiscase，weareboundtoconsiderthestateoftheinformation，correctandincorrect，whichhethenpossessed。HeexpectedBurrandhisbandfromabove，aBritishfleetfrombelow，andheknewtherewasaformidableconspiracywithinthecity。Underthesecircumstances，washejustifiable，1st，inseizingnotoriousconspirators?Onthistherecanbebuttwoopinions；one，oftheguiltyandtheiraccomplices；

theother，thatofallhonestmen。2d。Insendingthemtotheseatofgovernment，whenthewrittenlawgavethemarighttotrialintheterritory?Thedangeroftheirrescue，oftheircontinuingtheirmachinations，thetardinessandweaknessofthelaw，apathyofthejudges，activepatronageofthewholetribeoflawyers，unknowndispositionofthejuries，anhourlyexpectationoftheenemy，salvationofthecity，andoftheUnionitself，whichwouldhavebeenconvulsedtoitscentre，hadthatconspiracysucceeded；alltheseconstitutedalawofnecessityandself-preservation，andrenderedthe_saluspopuli_supremeoverthewrittenlaw。Theofficerwhoiscalledtoactonthissuperiorground，doesindeedriskhimselfonthejusticeofthecontrollingpowersoftheconstitution，andhisstationmakesithisdutytoincurthatrisk。Butthosecontrollingpowers，andhisfellowcitizensgenerally，areboundtojudgeaccordingtothecircumstancesunderwhichheacted。Theyarenottotransfertheinformationofthisplaceormomenttothetimeandplaceofhisaction；buttoputthemselvesintohissituation。WeknewherethatthereneverwasdangerofaBritishfleetfrombelow，andthatBurr’sbandwascrushedbeforeitreachedtheMississippi。

ButGeneralWilkinson’sinformationwasverydifferent，andhecouldactonnoother。

FromtheseexamplesandprinciplesyoumayseewhatIthinkonthequestionproposed。Theydonotgotothecaseofpersonschargedwithpettyduties，whereconsequencesaretrifling，andtimeallowedforalegalcourse，nortoauthorizethemtotakesuchcasesoutofthewrittenlaw。Inthese，theexampleofoverleapingthelawisofgreaterevilthanastrictadherencetoitsimperfectprovisions。Itisincumbentonthoseonlywhoacceptofgreatcharges，toriskthemselvesongreatoccasions，whenthesafetyofthenation，orsomeofitsveryhighinterestsareatstake。Anofficerisboundtoobeyorders；yethewouldbeabadonewhoshoulddoitincasesforwhichtheywerenotintended，andwhichinvolvedthemostimportantconsequences。Thelineofdiscriminationbetweencasesmaybedifficult；butthegoodofficerisboundtodrawitathisownperil，andthrowhimselfonthejusticeofhiscountryandtherectitudeofhismotives。

Ihaveindulgedfreerviewsonthisquestion，onyourassurancesthattheyareforyourowneyeonly，andthattheywillnotgetintothehandsofnewswriters。Imettheirscurrilitieswithoutconcern，whileinpursuitofthegreatinterestswithwhichI

wascharged。Butinmypresentretirement，nodutyforbidsmywishforquiet。

Accepttheassurancesofmyesteemandrespect。

RELATIONSWITHADAMS

_ToDr。BenjaminRush_

_Monticello，January16，1811_

DEARSIR，——Ihadbeenconsideringforsomedays，whetheritwas