第87章

McMahon，agardenerofPhiladelphia，towhomIconsignedthem，andfromwhomIshallhavegreatpleasure，whenpeaceisrestored，inorderingforyouanyoftheseorofourotherindigenousplants。TheportofPhiladelphiahasgreatintercoursewithBordeauxandNantes，andsomelittleperhapswithHavre。IwasmortifiednotlongsincebyreceivingaletterfromamerchantinBordeaux，apologizingforhavingsufferedaboxofplantsaddressedbymetoyou，togetaccidentallycoveredinhiswarehousebyotherobjects，andtoremainthreeyearsundiscovered，wheneverythinginitwasfoundtoberotten。IhavelearnedoccasionallythatothersrottedinthewarehousesoftheEnglishpirates。Wearenowsettlingthataccountwiththem。WehavetakentheirUpperCanadaandshalladdtheLowertoitwhentheseasonwilladmit；andhopetoremovethemfullyandfinallyfromourcontinent。Andwhattheywillfeelmore，fortheyvaluetheircoloniesonlyforthebalesofcloththeytakefromthem，wehaveestablishedmanufactures，notonlysufficienttosupersedeourdemandfromthem，buttorivalizetheminforeignmarkets。ButforthecourseofourwarIwillreferyoutoM。deLaFayette，towhomIstateitmoreparticularly。

OurfriendMr。Shortiswell。HemakesPhiladelphiahiswinterquarters，andNewYorkorthecountry，thoseofthesummer。Inhisfortuneheisperfectlyindependentandatease，anddoesnottroublehimselfwiththepartypoliticsofourcountry。WillyoupermitmetoplacehereforM。deTessethetestimonyofmyhighesteemandrespect，andacceptforyourselfanassuranceofthewarmrecollectionsIretainofyourmanycivilitiesandcourtesiestome，andthehomageofmyconstantandaffectionateattachmentandrespect。

THECHARACTEROFWASHINGTON

_ToDr。WalterJones_

_Monticello，January2，1814_

DEARSIR，——YourfavorofNovemberthe25threachedthisplaceDecemberthe21st，havingbeennearamonthontheway。HowthiscouldhappenIknownot，aswehavetwomailsaweekbothfromFredericksburgandRichmond。Itfoundmejustreturnedfromalongjourneyandabsence，duringwhichsomuchbusinesshadaccumulated，commandingthefirstattentions，thatanotherweekhasbeenaddedtothedelay。

Ideplore，withyou，theputridstateintowhichournewspapershavepassed，andthemalignity，thevulgarity，andmendaciousspiritofthosewhowriteforthem；andIencloseyouarecentsample，theproductionofaNewEnglandjudge，asaproofoftheabyssofdegradationintowhichwearefallen。Theseorduresarerapidlydepravingthepublictaste，andlesseningitsrelishforsoundfood。

Asvehiclesofinformation，andacurbonourfunctionaries，theyhaverenderedthemselvesuseless，byforfeitingalltitletobelief。

Thatthishas，inagreatdegree，beenproducedbytheviolenceandmalignityofpartyspirit，Iagreewithyou；andIhavereadwithgreatpleasurethepaperyouenclosedmeonthatsubject，whichInowreturn。Itisatthesametimeaperfectmodelofthestyleofdiscussionwhichcandoranddecencyshouldobserve，ofthetonewhichrendersdifferenceofopinionevenamiable，andasuccinct，correct，anddispassionatehistoryoftheoriginandprogressofpartyamongus。Itmightbeincorporatedasitstands，andwithoutchangingaword，intothehistoryofthepresentepoch，andwouldgivetoposterityafairerviewofthetimesthantheywillprobablyderivefromothersources。Inreadingitwithgreatsatisfaction，therewasbutasinglepassagewhereIwishedalittlemoredevelopmentofaverysoundandcatholicidea；asingleintercalationtorestitsolidlyontruebottom。Itisneartheendofthefirstpage，whereyoumakeastatementofgenuinerepublicanmaxims；saying，”thatthepeopleoughttopossessasmuchpoliticalpowerascanpossiblyexistwiththeorderandsecurityofsociety。”Insteadofthis，Iwouldsay，”thatthepeople，beingtheonlysafedepositoryofpower，shouldexerciseinpersoneveryfunctionwhichtheirqualificationsenablethemtoexercise，consistentlywiththeorderandsecurityofsociety；thatwenowfindthemequaltotheelectionofthosewhoshallbeinvestedwiththeirexecutiveandlegislativepowers，andtoactthemselvesinthejudiciary，asjudgesinquestionsoffact；thattherangeoftheirpowersoughttobeenlarged，”&c。Thisgivesboththereasonandexemplificationofthemaximyouexpress，”thattheyoughttopossessasmuchpoliticalpower，”&c。Iseenothingtocorrecteitherinyourfactsorprinciples。

YousaythatintakingGeneralWashingtononyourshoulders，tobearhimharmlessthroughthefederalcoalition，youencounteraperiloustopic。Idonotthinkso。Youhavegiventhegenuinehistoryofthecourseofhismindthroughthetryingscenesinwhichitwasengaged，andoftheseductionsbywhichitwasdeceived，butnotdepraved。IthinkIknewGeneralWashingtonintimatelyandthoroughly；andwereIcalledontodelineatehischaracter，itshouldbeintermslikethese。

Hismindwasgreatandpowerful，withoutbeingoftheveryfirstorder；hispenetrationstrong，thoughnotsoacuteasthatofaNewton，Bacon，orLocke；andasfarashesaw，nojudgmentwaseversounder。Itwasslowinoperation，beinglittleaidedbyinventionorimagination，butsureinconclusion。Hencethecommonremarkofhisofficers，oftheadvantagehederivedfromcouncilsofwar，wherehearingallsuggestions，heselectedwhateverwasbest；andcertainlynoGeneraleverplannedhisbattlesmorejudiciously。Butifderangedduringthecourseoftheaction，ifanymemberofhisplanwasdislocatedbysuddencircumstances，hewasslowinre-adjustment。

Theconsequencewas，thatheoftenfailedinthefield，andrarelyagainstanenemyinstation，asatBostonandYork。Hewasincapableoffear，meetingpersonaldangerswiththecalmestunconcern。

Perhapsthestrongestfeatureinhischaracterwasprudence，neveractinguntileverycircumstance，everyconsideration，wasmaturelyweighed；refrainingifhesawadou