The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, 1903. Andrew A. Lipscomb,
Ed-in-chief, 20 vols. Vol. 7, page 93.
THOMAS JEFFERSON to James Madison Paris, July 31, 1788.
". . . The new regulations present a preponderance of good over their evil;
but they suppose that the King can model the constitution at will, or, in
other words, that his government is a pure despotism. The question then
arising is, whether a pure despotism in a single head, or one which is
divided among a king, nobles, priesthood, and numerous magistracy, is
the least bad. . . ."
"I sincerely rejoice at the acceptance of our new constitution by
nine States. It is a good canvass, on which some strokes only want
retouching. What these are, I think are sufficiently manifested by the
general voice from north and south, which calls for a bill of rights. It
seems pretty generally understood, that this should go to juries, habeas
corpus, standing armies, printing, religion and monopolies. I conceive
there may be difficulty in finding general modifications of these, suited
to the habits of all the States. But if such cannot be found, then it is
better to establish trials by jury, the right of habeas corpus, freedom of
the press and freedom of religion, in all cases, and to abolish standing
armies in time of peace, and monopolies in all cases, than not to
do it in any. . .?"
.. . . A declaration, that the federal government will never restrain the
presses from printing anything they please, will not take away the
liability of the printers for false facts printed. The declaration, that
religious faith shall be unpunished, does not give impunity to criminal
acts, dictated by religious error."
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The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, 1903. Andrew A. Lipscomb,
Ed-in-chief, 20 vols. Vol. 7, page 252.
THOMAS JEFFERSON to Dr. Price Paris, January 8, 1789.
" . . . I concur with you strictly in your opinion of the comparative
merits of atheism and demonism, and really see nothing but the latter in
the Being worshipped by many who think themselves Christians. Your
opinions and writings will have effect in bringing others to reason
on this subject."
" . . . The clergy and nobles, by their privileges and influence,
have kept their property in great measure untaxed hitherto. They
then remain to be squeezed, and no agent is powerful enough for
this but the people. The court therefore must ally itself with the
people. But the Notables, consisting mostly of privileged
characters, had proposed a method of composing the States,
which would have rendered the voice of the people, or Tiers Etats,
in the States General, inefficient for the purpose of the court. It
concurred then with the Patriots in intriguing with the
Parliament to get them to pass a vote in favor of the rights of the
people. This vote, balancing that of the Notables, has placed the
court at liberty to follow its own views and they have determined
that the Tiers Etat shall have in the States General as many votes
as the clergy and nobles put together. Still a great question
remains to be decided, that is, shall the States General vote by
orders, or by persons? precedents are both ways. The clergy will
move heaven and earth to obtain the suffrage by orders, because
that parries the effect of all hitherto done for the people. The
people will probably send their deputies expressly instructed to
consent to no tax, to no adoption of the public debts, unless the
unprivileged part of the nation has a voice equal to that of the
privileged; that is to say, unless the voice of the Tiers Etat be
equalled to that of the clergy and nobles. They will have the young
noblesse in general on their side, and the King and court. Against
them will be the ancient nobles and the clergy. So that I hope,
upon the whole, that by the time they meet, there will be a
majority of the nobles themselves in favor of the Tiers Etat. So far
history."
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