第 9 节
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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