第 9 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2022-08-21 16:34      字数:9322
  the concern of themselves alone; and to declare the law of that
  direction; and this declaration can only be made by their majority。
  That majority; then; has a right to depute representatives to a
  convention; and to make the constitution what they think will be the
  best for themselves。  But how collect their voice?  This is the real
  difficulty。  If invited by private authority; or county or district
  meetings; these divisions are so large that few will attend; and
  their voice will be imperfectly; or falsely pronounced。  Here; then;
  would be one of the advantages of the ward divisions I have proposed。
  The mayor of every ward; on a question like the present; would call
  his ward together; take the simple yea or nay of its members; convey
  these to the county court; who would hand on those of all its wards
  to the proper general authority; and the voice of the whole people
  would be thus fairly; fully; and peaceably expressed; discussed; and
  decided by the common reason of the society。  If this avenue be shut
  to the call of sufferance; it will make itself heard through that of
  force; and we shall go on; as other nations are doing; in the endless
  circle of oppression; rebellion; reformation; and oppression;
  rebellion; reformation; again; and so on forever。
  These; Sir; are my opinions of the governments we see among
  men; and of the principles by which alone we may prevent our own from
  falling into the same dreadful track。  I have given them at greater
  length than your letter called for。  But I cannot say things by
  halves; and I confide them to your honor; so to use them as to
  preserve me from the gridiron of the public papers。  If you shall
  approve and enforce them; as you have done that of equal
  representation; they may do some good。  If not; keep them to yourself
  as the effusions of withered age and useless time。  I shall; with not
  the less truth; assure you of my great respect and consideration。
  〃NEVER AN INFIDEL; IF NEVER A PRIEST〃
  _To Mrs。 Samuel H。 Smith_
  _Monticello; August 6; 1816_
  I have received; dear Madam; your very friendly letter of July
  21st; and assure you that I feel with deep sensibility its kind
  expressions towards myself; and the more as from a person than whom
  no others could be more in sympathy with my own affections。  I often
  call to mind the occasions of knowing your worth; which the societies
  of Washington furnished; and none more than those derived from your
  much valued visit to Monticello。  I recognize the same motives of
  goodness in the solicitude you express on the rumor supposed to
  proceed from a letter of mine to Charles Thomson; on the subject of
  the Christian religion。  It is true that; in writing to the
  translator of the Bible and Testament; that subject was mentioned;
  but equally so that no adherence to any particular mode of
  Christianity was there expressed; nor any change of opinions
  suggested。  A change from what? the priests indeed have heretofore
  thought proper to ascribe to me religious; or rather anti…religious
  sentiments; of their own fabric; but such as soothed their
  resentments against the act of Virginia for establishing religious
  freedom。  They wished him to be thought atheist; deist; or devil; who
  could advocate freedom from their religious dictations。  But I have
  ever thought religion a concern purely between our God and our
  consciences; for which we were accountable to him; and not to the
  priests。  I never told my own religion; nor scrutinized that of
  another。  I never attempted to make a convert; nor wished to change
  another's creed。  I have ever judged of the religion of others by
  their lives; and by this test; my dear Madam; I have been satisfied
  yours must be an excellent one; to have produced a life of such
  exemplary virtue and correctness。  For it is in our lives; and not
  from our words; that our religion must be read。  By the same test the
  world must judge me。  But this does not satisfy the priesthood。  They
  must have a positive; a declared assent to all their interested
  absurdities。  My opinion is that there would never have been an
  infidel; if there had never been a priest。  The artificial structures
  they have built on the purest of all moral systems; for the purpose
  of deriving from it pence and power; revolts those who think for
  themselves; and who read in that system only what is really there。
  These; therefore; they brand with such nick…names as their enmity
  chooses gratuitously to impute。  I have left the world; in silence;
  to judge of causes from their effects; and I am consoled in this
  course; my dear friend; when I perceive the candor with which I am
  judged by your justice and discernment; and that; notwithstanding the
  slanders of the saints; my fellow citizens have thought me worthy of
  trusts。  The imputations of irreligion having spent their force; they
  think an imputation of change might now be turned to account as a
  holster for their duperies。  I shall leave them; as heretofore; to
  grope on in the dark。
  Our family at Monticello is all in good health; Ellen speaking
  of you with affection; and Mrs。 Randolph always regretting the
  accident which so far deprived her of the happiness of your former
  visit。  She still cherishes the hope of some future renewal of that
  kindness; in which we all join her; as in the assurances of
  affectionate attachment and respect。
  HORIZONTAL PLOUGHING
  _To Tristam Dalton_
  _Monticello; May 2; 1817_
  DEAR SIR;  I am indebted to you for your favor of Apr。 22;
  and for the copy of the Agricultural magazine it covered; which is
  indeed a very useful work。  While I was an amateur in Agricultural
  science (for practical knolege my course of life never permitted me)
  I was very partial to the drilled husbandry of Tull; and thought
  still better of it when reformed by Young to 12 rows。  But I had not
  time to try it while young; and now grown old I have not the
  requisite activity either of body or mind。
  With respect to field culture of vegetables for cattle; instead
  of the carrot and potato recommended by yourself and the magazine; &
  the best of others; we find the Jerusalem artichoke best for winter;
  & the Succory for Summer use。  This last was brought over from France
  to England by Arthur Young; as you will see in his travels thro'
  France; & some of the seed sent by him to Genl。 Washington; who
  spared me a part of it。  It is as productive as the Lucerne; without
  its laborious culture; & indeed without any culture except the
  keeping it clean the first year。  The Jerusalem artichoke far exceeds
  the potato in produce; and remains in the ground thro' the winter to
  be dug as wanted。  A method of ploughing over hill sides
  horizontally; introduced into the most hilly part of our country by
  Colo。 T。 M。 Randolph; my son in law; may be worth mentioning to you。
  He has practised it a dozen or 15 years; and it's advantages were so
  immediately observed that it has already become very general; and has
  entirely changed and renovated the face of our country。  Every rain;
  before that; while it gave a temporary refreshment; did permanent
  evil by carrying off our soil: and fields were no sooner cleared than
  wasted。  At present we may say that we lose none of our soil; the
  rain not absorbed in the moment of it's fall being retained in the
  hollows between the beds until it can be absorbed。  Our practice is
  when we first enter on this process; with a rafter level of 10 f。
  span; to lay off guide lines conducted horizontally around the hill
  or valley from one end to the other of the field; and about 30 yards
  apart。  The steps of the level on the ground are marked by a stroke
  of a hoe; and immediately followed by a plough to preserve the trace。
  A man or a lad; with the level; and two small boys; the one with
  sticks; the other with the hoe; will do an acre of this in an hour;
  and when once done it is forever done。  We generally level a field
  the year it is put into Indian corn laying it into beds of 6 ft。
  wide; with a large water furrow between the beds; until all the
  fields have been once leveled。  The intermediate furrows are run by
  the eye of the ploughman governed by these guide lines; & occasion
  gores which are thrown into short beds。  As in ploughing very steep
  hill sides horizontally the common ploughman can scarcely throw the
  furrow uphill; Colo。 Randolph has contrived a very simple alteration
  of the share; which throws the furrow down hill both going and
  coming。  It is as if two shares were welded together at their
  straight side; and at a right angle with each other。  This turns on
  it's bar as on a pivot; so as to lay either share horizontal; when
  the other becoming verticle acts as a mould board。  This is done by
  the ploughman in an instant by a single motion of the hand; at the
  end of every furrow。  I enclose a bit of paper cut i