408

JEFFERSON'S OBJECTIONS TO CINCINNATI.

[CHAP. X. sellors, and, in himself, one abler than them all." After as liberally as beautifully sketching the causes and the motives. which led to the organization of the Society, he first attempted to show its inability to secure its proposed objects, and then, in this wise, the objections to it:

"The objections of those who are opposed to the institution shall be briefly sketched. You will readily fill them up. They urge that it is against the Confederation against the letter of some of our constitutions-against the spirit of all of them; that the foundation on which all these are built, is the natural equality of man, the denial of every preeminence but that annexed to legal office, and, particularly, the denial of a preeminence by birth; that, however, in their present dispositions, citizens might decline accepting honorary installments into the order, but a time may come, when a change of dispositions would render these flattering, when a well directed distribution of them might draw into the order all the men of talents, of office and wealth, and in this case, would probably procure an ingraftment into the government; that in this they will be supported by their foreign members, and the wishes and influence of foreign courts; that experience has shown that the hereditary branches of modern governments are the patrons of privilege and prerogative, and not of the natural rights of the people, whose oppressors they generally are; that besides these evils, which are remote, others may take place more immediately; that a distinction is kept up between the civil and military, which it is for the happiness of both to obliterate; that when the members assemble they will be proposing to do something, and what that something may be will depend on actual circumstances; that being an organized body, under habits of subordination, the first obstruction to enterprise will be already surmounted; that the moderation and virtue of a single character have probably prevented this Revolution from being closed as most others have been, by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish; that he is not immortal, and his successor, or some of his successors, may be led by false calculation into a less certain road to glory."

He stated that after receiving General Washington's letter, he had taken occasion to hold private conversations pretty generally with all but the military gentlemen in Congress, whom, as members of the Society, "delicacy forbade" him to approach on the subject, and that "he had found as yet but one who was not opposed to the institution, and that with an anguish of mind, though covered under a guarded silence, which he had not seen produced by any circumstance before." He stated that the preceding Congress had entertained the same impressions. For the solicited advice in regard to "the most eligible measures to be pursued by the Society at the next meeting," and for other interesting remarks, we must refer the reader to Mr. Jefferson's Correspondence.'

Randolph's edition, vol. i. p. 223; Congress edition, vol. i. p. 333.

CHAP. X.]

THE SOCIETY REORGANIZED.

409

General Washington called on Mr. Jefferson, at Annapolis, on his way to and from the Society meeting; and the latter thus describes what took place at their first and then at their subsequent interview:

"It was a little after candle-light, and he sat with me till after midnight, conversing most exclusively on that subject. While he was feelingly indulgent to the motives watch might induce the officers to promote it, he concurred with me entirely in condemning it; and when I expressed an idea that if the hereditary quality were suppressed, the institution might perhaps be indulged during the lives of the officers now living, and who had actually served; 'no,' he said, 'not a fibre of it ought to be left, to be an eye-sore to the public, a ground of dissatisfaction, and a line of separation between them and their country;' and he left me with a determination to use all his influence for its entire suppression. On his return from the meeting, he called on me again, and related to me the course the thing had taken. He said that from the beginning he had used every endeavor to prevail on the officers to renounce the project altogether, urging the many considerations which wou'd render it odious to their fellow citizens, and disreputable and injurious to theraselves; that he had at length prevailed on most of the old officers to reject it, although with great and warm opposition from others, and especially the younger ones, among whom he named Colonel W. S. Smith as particularly intemperate. But that in this state of things, when he thought the question safe, and the meeting draw ing to a close, Major L'Enfant arrived from France, with a bundle of eagles, for which he had been sent there, with letters from the French officers who had served in America, praying for admission into the order, and a solemn act of their King permitting them to wear its ensign. This, he said, changed the face of matters at once, produced an entire revolution of sentiment, and turned the torrent so strongly in an opposite direction that it could be no longer withstood; all he could then obtain, was a suppression of the hereditary quality. He added, that it was the French applications, and respect for the approbation of the King, which saved the establishment in its modified and temporary form."

In a letter written two or three years after these events, tc the editor of the Encyclopédie Méthodique, in France, Mr. Jef ferson thus more fully stated what was done at this general meeting of the Society:

"The Society was to retain its existence, its name, its meetings, and its charitable funds: but these last were to be deposited with their respective legislatures. The order was to be no longer hereditary; a reformation, which had been pressed even from this side the Atlantic; it was to be communicated to no new members; the general meetings, instead of annual, were to be triennial only. The eagle and ribbon, indeed, were retained; because they were worn, and they wished them to be worn, by their friends who were in a country where they would not be objects of offence; but themselves never wore them. They laid them up in their bureaus, with the medals of American Independence, with those of the trophies they had taken, and the battles they had won."

I am anxious to know what books you read, what tunes you play, and to receive specimens of your drawing. With respect to your meeting Mr. Simitiere at Mr. Rittenhouse's, nothing could give me more pleasure than your being much with that worthy family, wherein you will see the best examples of rational life, and learn to esteem and copy them. But I should be very tender of intruding you on the family; as it might perhaps be not always convenient to them for you to be there at your hours of attending Mr. Simitiere. I can only say, then, that if it has been desired by Mr. and Mrs. Rittenhouse, in such a way as that Mrs. Hopkinson shall be satisfied they will not consider it inconvenient, I would have you thankfully accept it; and conduct yourself with so much attention to the family as that they may never feel themselves incommoded by it. I hope Mrs. Hopkinson will be so good as to act for you in this matter with that delicacy and prudence of which she is so capable. I have much at heart your learning to draw, and should be uneasy at your losing this opportunity, which probably is your last.

EXTRACT FROM SAME TO SAME.

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 18th, 1784.

I am sorry Mr. Simitiere cannot attend you; because it is probable you will never have another opportunity of learning to draw, and it is a pretty and pleasing accomplishment. With respect to the payment of the guinea, I would wish him to receive it; because if there is to be a doubt between him and me, which of us acte rightly, I would wish to remove it clearly off my own shoulders. You must thank Mrs. Hopkinson for me for the trouble she gave herself in this matter; from which she will be relieved by paying Mr. Simitiere his demand.

The Mr. Simitiere, or Du Simitiere, here mentioned, was a West India Frenchman settled in Philadelphia, who painted miniatures and other objects in water colors. He was well informed, an ardent patriot, and a man of no little consideration, corresponding (in a small, cramped, microscopic hand, long familiar to our eye) with some of the most eminent men of his day. The "worthy family" held up by Mr. Jefferson to the special admiration and attention of the daughter whose mind and manners he was devoted to moulding, was the plain industrious family of a practical mechanic, who constructed clocks, and, sometimes, orreries! That mechanic was David Rittenhouse!

CHAPTER XI.

1784-1786.

Jefferson appointed Minister Plenipotentiary-Preparations for Departure-His Voyage -Personal Arrangements in Paris-Action of American Ministers-Jefferson prints his Notes on Virginia-Driven to permit Publication-Commercial Negotiations of 1784Dr. Franklin's return Home-Jefferson Minister to France-Sources of his Popularity there The existing Political Condition of France-The Patriotic Party-Jefferson's Standing with it-His Standing with the People and Government-His position between Adams and Franklin-Mr. and Mrs. Adams's Personal Feelings towards him-Progress of Negotiations in 1785-Difficulties with the Barbary States-Adams for Tribute, Jefferson for War-Jefferson's Views on a Navy-On proper Objects of National Industry-On Questions before Congress-On Virginia Matters-Subjects of his Correspondence-His Impressions of France-On Advantage of European Education to Americans-His Letter to Peter Carr-Changes his Residence in Paris-His Rooms at Carthusian Monastery-Official Correspondence of 1786-Negotiations with French Government The Farmers-General-Correspondence with Washington-Furnishes matter for Encyclopédie Méthodique-His proposed Remedy for American Overtrading-Views on "Annexation"-A Rumble of the Earthquake-John Ledyard-Jefferson sent for by Mr. Adams-Letter to Martha-Journey to London-Negotiations with Portugal and Barbary States-Offer of Commercial Treaty to England-Jefferson's Presentation at Court-His and Mr. Adams's Statements compared-Jefferson's Impressions of England-Visits various Classic Scenes-His Journal-His lack of Sentiment-With Mr. Adams at Stratford-upon-Avon-At Battle-field of Worcester-Jefferson as a Practicalist and Idealist-Occupation on return to France-Another Contest with the Farmers-General-Arranges a League against Barbary States-Why it fell through-View of Europe after another Year's Stay-Corrections to Mr. Soulé's Work on AmericaLafayette's Bust placed in Hôtel de Ville-Jefferson's and Lafayette's Relations-An Unlucky Phrase-Lord Bolingbroke borrowed from-The Order of Bernis-Accident to Jefferson-His Letter to Washington on Cincinnati-His first View of the Govern ment to be formed by Convention of 1787-Other Correspondence-Misunderstanding with Robert Morris-A Day Dream-Made Doctor of Laws-Remarks on Shay's Insurrection-Was Jefferson's Democracy "French Democracy?"

On the 7th day of May (1784), Congress resolved that a Minister Plenipotentiary be appointed to act in conjunction with Mr. Adams and Dr. Franklin, in negotiating treaties of commerce with foreign nations; and Mr. Jefferson received that appointment.

411

112

PLENIPOTENTIARY, ETC.

[CHAP. XI. He took immediate measures for his departure; and on the 11th of the same month left Annapolis for Philadelphia, for his oldest daughter, whom he determined to carry with him to Europe. His other two daughters, being too young for such a journey,' were left with their maternal aunt, Mrs. Eppes, wife of Francis Eppes, Esquire, of Eppington, Chesterfield county, Virginia.

Having completed his preparations, he set out for Boston, from whence he was to sail, "making it a point" in his way through New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, "of informing himself of the state of the commerce of each." a He reached New York the 30th, and, it appears from his pocket account-book, paused there a week, for the above purpose, and then proceeded leisurely through Connecticut and Rhode Island, reaching Boston June 18th. Making a short trip from this point to New Hampshire and Vermont, he returned, and sailed for Europe on the 5th of July, in the merchant ship Ceres, Captain St. Barbe, bound to Cowes, England. The voyage was rapid and pleasant. The account-book just mentioned, contains a minute diary of its events, arranged with the customary exact precision; and his daughter afterwards gave her recollections, in a paper lying before us; but one voyage to Europe is too much like another to make these particulars interesting. Nathaniel Tracy, the owner of the vessel, was a passenger; and everything went off exceedingly pleasantly until the little Martha became so dreadfully sea-sick that she was confined to her bed. On the 24th of July, soundings were reached off the mouth of the British Channel, and two days later the passengers landed at West Cowes. The continued illness of his daughter detained Mr. Jefferson at Portsmouth until the 30th. He then embarked for Havre, and on the 6th of August reached Paris."

Mary, the second of his surviving children, was six years old, and Lucy Elizabeth, the third, was two years old. The latter died before the close of 1784. The child of sorrow and misfortune, her organization was too frail and too intensely susceptible to last long. Her sensibilities were so precociously acute, that she listened with exquisite pleasure to music-and wept on hearing a false note!

2 Memoir.

3 We think one of the above trifling details (merely where Martha's illness detained him) differs from the statements of the Memoir. We only mention it to say that where we add to his statements, we write from the minute daily record which he kept at the time-and the same from which he gleaned the dates and minor facts of his Memoir. After habitually collating his statements, sometimes public and sometimes private-sometimes made near to each other and sometimes a half a century apart-we come with a sort of surprise on even so trivial an error as that above mentioned.