第93章

Thesearemyviewsofthewar。Theyembraceagreatdealofsufferance，tryingprivations，andnobenefitbutthatofteachingourenemythatheisnevertogainbywantoninjuriesonus。Tomethisstateofthingsbringsasacrificeofalltranquillityandcomfortthroughtheresidueoflife。Foralthoughthedebilityofagedisablesmefromtheservicesandsufferingsofthefield，yet，bythetotalannihilationinvalueoftheproducewhichwastogivemesubsistenceandindependence，IshallbelikeTantalus，uptotheshouldersinwater，yetdyingwiththirst。Wecanmakeindeedenoughtoeat，drinkandclotheourselves；butnothingforoursalt，iron，groceriesandtaxes，whichmustbepaidinmoney。Forwhatcanweraiseforthemarket?Wheat?wecanonlygiveittoourhorses，aswehavebeendoingeversinceharvest。Tobacco?itisnotworththepipeitissmokedin。SomesayWhiskey；butallmankindmustbecomedrunkardstoconsumeit。Butalthoughwefeel，weshallnotflinch。

Wemustconsidernow，asintherevolutionarywar，thatalthoughtheevilsofresistancearegreat，thoseofsubmissionwouldbegreater。

Wemustmeet，therefore，theformerasthecasualtiesoftempestsandearthquakes，andlikethemnecessarilyresultingfromtheconstitutionoftheworld。Yoursituation，mydearfriend，ismuchbetter。For，althoughIdonotknowwithcertaintythenatureofyourinvestments，yetIpresumetheyarenotinbanks，insurancecompanies，oranyotherofthosegossamercastles。Ifinground-rents，theyaresolid；ifinstockoftheUnitedStates，theyareequallyso。Ioncethoughtthatintheeventofawarweshouldbeobligedtosuspendpayingtheinterestofthepublicdebt。Butadozenyearsmoreofexperienceandobservationonourpeopleandgovernment，havesatisfiedmeitwillneverbedone。Thesenseofthenecessityofpubliccreditissouniversalandsodeeplyrooted，thatnoothernecessitywillprevailagainstit；andIamgladtoseethatwhiletheformereightmillionsaresteadfastlyappliedtothesinkingoftheolddebt，theSenatehavelatelyinsistedonasinkingfundforthenew。ThisisthedawnofthatimprovementinthemanagementofourfinanceswhichIlooktoforsalvation；andItrustthatthelightwillcontinuetoadvance，andpointouttheirwaytoourlegislators。Theywillsoonseethatinsteadoftaxesforthewholeyear’sexpenses，whichthepeoplecannotpay，ataxtotheamountoftheinterestandareasonableportionoftheprincipalwillcommandthewholesum，andthrowapartoftheburthensofwarontimesofpeaceandprosperity。Asacredpaymentofinterestistheonlywaytomakethemostoftheirresources，andasenseofthatrendersyourincomefromourfundsmorecertainthanminefromlands。

SomeapprehenddangerfromthedefectionofMassachusetts。Itisadisagreeablecircumstance，butnotadangerousone。Iftheybecomeneutral，wearesufficientforoneenemywithoutthem，andinfactwegetnoaidfromthemnow。Iftheiradministrationdeterminestojointheenemy，theirforcewillbeannihilatedbyequalityofdivisionamongthemselves。TheirfederalistswillthencallintheEnglisharmy，therepublicansours，anditwillonlybeatransferofthesceneofwarfromCanadatoMassachusetts；andwecangettenmentogotoMassachusettsforonewhowillgotoCanada。Everyone，too，mustknowthatwecanatanymomentmakepeacewithEnglandattheexpenseofthenavigationandfisheriesofMassachusetts。Butitwillnotcometothis。Theirownpeoplewillputdownthesefactionistsassoonastheyseetherealobjectoftheiropposition；

andofthisVermont，NewHampshire，andevenConnecticutitself，furnishproofs。

YouintimateapossibilityofyourreturntoFrance，nowthatBonaparteisputdown。Idonotwonderatit，France，freedfromthatmonster，mustagainbecomethemostagreeablecountryonearth。

Itwouldbethesecondchoiceofallwhosetiesoffamilyandfortunegivesapreferencetosomeotherone，andthefirstofallnotunderthoseties。YetIdoubtifthetranquillityofFranceisentirelysettled。IfherPretorianbandsarenotfurnishedwithemploymentonherexternalenemies，Ifeartheywillrecalltheold，orsetupsomenewcause。

Godblessyouandpreserveyouinbodilyhealth。Tranquillityofminddependsmuchonourselves，andgreatlyonduereflection”howmuchpainhavecostustheevilswhichhaveneverhappened。”

Affectionatelyadieu。

WAR，REVOLUTION，ANDRESTORATION

_ToLafayette_

_Monticello，February14，1815_

MYDEARFRIEND，——YourletterofAugustthe14thhasbeenreceivedandreadagain，andagain，withextraordinarypleasure。Itisthefirstglimpsewhichhasbeenfurnishedmeoftheinteriorworkingsofthelateunexpectedbutfortunaterevolutionofyourcountry。Thenewspaperstoldusonlythatthegreatbeastwasfallen；butwhatpartinthisthepatriotsacted，andwhattheegotists，whethertheformersleptwhilethelatterwereawaketotheirowninterestsonly，thehirelingscribblersoftheEnglishpresssaidlittleandknewless。Iseenowthemortifyingalternativeunderwhichthepatriotthereisplaced，ofbeingeithersilent，ordisgracedbyanassociationinoppositionwiththeremainsofBonapartism。Afullmeasureoflibertyisnotnowperhapstobeexpectedbyyournation，noramIconfidenttheyarepreparedtopreserveit。Morethanagenerationwillberequisite，undertheadministrationofreasonablelawsfavoringtheprogressofknowledgeinthe