第82章

EnglandhasmisrepresentedtoallEuropethisgroundofthewar。Shehascalleditanewpretension，setupsincetherepealofherordersofcouncil。Sheknowstherehasneverbeenamomentofsuspensionofourreclamationsagainstit，fromGeneralWashington’stimeinclusive，tothepresentday：andthatitisdistinctlystatedinourdeclarationofwar，asoneofitsprincipalcauses。Shehaspretendedwehaveenteredintothewartoestablishtheprincipleof`freebottoms，freegoods，’ortoprotectherseamenagainstherownrightoverthem。Wecontendforneitherofthese。ShepretendswearepartialtoFrance；thatwehaveobservedafraudulentandunfaithfulneutralitybetweenherandherenemy。Sheknowsthistobefalse，andthatiftherehasbeenanyinequalityinourproceedingstowardsthebelligerents，ithasbeeninherfavor。Herministersareinpossessionoffullproofsofthis。Ouracceptingatonce，andsincerely，themediationofthevirtuousAlexander，theirgreatestfriend，andthemostaggravatedenemyofBuonaparte，sufficientlyproveswhetherwehavepartialitiesonthesideofherenemy。Isincerelypraythatthismediationmayproduceajustpeace。Itwillprovethattheimmortalcharacter，whichhasfirststoppedbywarthecareerofthedestroyerofmankind，isthefriendofpeace，ofjustice，ofhumanhappiness，andthepatronofunoffendingandinjurednations。Heistoohonestandimpartialtocountenancepropositionsofpeacederogatorytothefreedomoftheseas。

ShallIapologisetoyou，mydearMadam，forthislongpoliticalletter?Butyoursjustifiesthesubject，andmyfeelingsmustpleadfortheunreservedexpressionofthem；andtheyhavebeenthelessreserved，asbeingfromaprivatecitizen，retiredfromallconnectionwiththegovernmentofhiscountry，andwhoseideas，expressedwithoutcommunicationwithanyone，areneitherknown，norimputabletothem。

Thedangersoftheseaarenowsogreat，andthepossibilitiesofinterceptionbyseaandlandsuch，thatIshallsubscribenonametothisletter。Youwillknowfromwhomitcomes，byitsreferencetothedateoftimeandplaceofyours，aswellasbyitssubjectinanswertothat。Thisomissionmustnotlesseninyourviewtheassurancesofmygreatesteem，ofmysinceresympathiesforthesharewhichyoubearintheafflictionsofyourcountry，andthedeprivationstowhichalawlesswillhassubjectedyou。Inreturn，youenjoythedignifiedsatisfactionofhavingmetthem，ratherthanbeyokedwiththeabject，tohiscar；andthat，inwithdrawingfromoppression，youhavefollowedthevirtuousexampleofafather，whosenamewilleverbedeartoyourcountryandtomankind。Withmyprayersthatyoumayberestoredtoit，thatyoumayseeitre-establishedinthattemperateportionoflibertywhichdoesnotinfereitheranarchyorlicentiousness，inthathighdegreeofprosperitywhichwouldbetheconsequenceofsuchagovernment，inthat，inshort，whichtheconstitutionof1789wouldhaveinsuredit，ifwisdomcouldhavestayedatthatpointthefervidbutimprudentzealofmen，whodidnotknowthecharacteroftheirowncountrymen，andthatyoumaylongliveinhealthandhappinessunderit，andleavetotheworldawelleducatedandvirtuousrepresentativeanddescendantofyourhonoredfather，istheardentprayerofthesincereandrespectfulfriendwhowritesthisletter。

LIGHTANDLIBERTYANDTHEPARTIES

_ToJohnAdams_

_Monticello，June15，1813_

DEARSIR——Iwroteyoualetteronthe27th。ofMay，whichprobablywouldreachyouaboutthe3d。inst。andonthe9th。I

recievedyoursofthe29th。ofMay。OfLindsay’sMemoirsIhadneverbeforeheard，andscarcelyindeedofhimself。Itcouldnotthereforebutbeunexpectedthattwolettersofmineshouldhaveanythingtodowithhislife。Thenameofhiseditorwasnewtome，andcertainlypresentsitself，forthefirsttime，underunfavorablecircumstances。Religion，Isuppose，isthescopeofhisbook：andthatawriteronthatsubjectshouldusherhimselftotheworldintheveryactofthegrossestabuseofconfidence，bypublishingprivateletterswhichpassedbetweentwofriends，withnoviewstotheireverbeingmadepublic，isaninstanceofinconsistency，aswellasofinfidelityofwhichIwouldratherbethevictimthantheauthor。ByyourkindquotationofthedatesofmytwolettersIhavebeenenabledtoturntothem。Theyhadcompleatlyevanishedfrommymemory。Thelastisonthesubjectofreligion，andbyit’spublicationwillgratifythepriesthoodwithnewoccasionofrepeatingtheirComminationsagainstme。Theywishittobebelievedthathecanhavenoreligionwhoadvocatesit’sfreed