in both houses of Congress, recommending the proposition to their advocation. Such a recommendation would certainly be respected, and might excite to activity those who might otherwise be indifferent and inactive and in this way a great vote, perhaps a majority might be obtained. There is a consideration going to the injustice of the tax which might be added to those noticed by Mr. Ticknor. Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. years. It is not then an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men, setting out in life it is their only capital. Now there is no other form of capital which is first taxed 18. per cent on the gross, and the proprietor then left to pay the same taxes in detail with others whose capital has paid no tax on the gross. Nor is there a description of men less proper to be singled out for extra taxation. Mr. Ticknor, you observe, asks a prompt answer, and I must ask it from you for the additional reason that within about a week, I set out for Bedford to remain there till the approach of winter. Be so good as to return me also the inclosed extract and be assured of my constant & affectionate friendship.

TO MRS. ELIZABETH PAGE
[NÉE MISS NELSON.]

I

MONTICELLO, Dec. 8, '21.

It would give me infinite pleasure, dear Madam, could I have afforded you the information requested in your favor of the 27th of Nov. respecting the sacrifices of property to the relief of his country made by the virtuous General Nelson, your father, while in office during the war of the revolution. I retired from the administration of the government in May 1781. Until that time the paper money, altho' it had been gradually depreciating from an early period, yet served the purposes of obtaining supplies, and was issued, as wanted, by the legislature. Consequently until that period there had been no occasion for advances of money in aid of the public, by any private individual. I was succeeded as governor by Genl. Nelson. Within his period the credit of the money went rapidly down to nothing, and ceased to be offered or received. At this time came on the Northern & French armies, and to enable these to keep the field during the siege of York was probably the occasion which led the General to take on himself responsibilities for which the public credit might not perhaps be sufficient. I was entirely withdrawn from public affairs, being confined at home, first for many months by a severe domestic loss, until I was sent to Congress and thence to Europe, from whence I did not return until some time after the death of

1 From the original in the possession of Dr. Thomas Addis Emmet of New York.

the worthy General. I then first heard mention of his losses by responsibilities for the public: and knowing his zeal, liberality & patriotism, I readily credited what I heard, altho' I knew nothing of the particulars or of their extent.

It would have been a matter of great satisfaction to me, could I by any knowledge of facts have contributed to obtain a just remuneration and relief for his family, and particularly for Mrs. Nelson, whose singular worth and goodness I have intimately known now more than half a century and whose name revives in my mind the affectionate recollections of my youth. With my regrets at this unprofitable appeal, be so kind as to tender her assurances of my continued and devoted respect, and to accept yourself those of my highest esteem and regard.

TO THE REV. MR. HATCH'

I

MONTICELLO, Dec. 8. 21.

DEAR SIR,-In the antient Feudal times of our good old forefathers when the Seigneur married his daughter, or knighted his son, it was the usage for his vassals to give him a year's rent extra in the name of an Aid. I think it as reasonable when our Pastor builds a house, that each of his flock should give him an Aid of a year's contribution. I inclose mine as a tribute of Justice, which of itself indeed is nothing, but as an example, if followed, may

'From the original in the possession of Mr. F. G. Burnham of Morristown, New Jersey.

become something. In any event be pleased to accept it as an offering of duty, & a testimony of my friendly attachment and high respect.

TO JAMES PLEASANTS

J. MSS.

MONTICELLO, Dec. 26. 21.

My

DEAR SIR,-I learn with real regret from your favor of the 10th the several circumstances which have deprived me of the pleasure of seeing, either here or at Poplar Forest, a relation whom I have long been taught to esteem, altho I have not the advantage of his personal acquaintance. I must find my consolation in the French adage that tout ce qui est differe n'est pas perdu, assuring you that no visit will be received with more welcome. hope too of a reiteration of effort is strengthened by the presumed additional excitement of curiosity to see our University; this now draws to it numerous visitors from every part of the state & from strangers passing thro it. I can assure you there is no building in the US. so worthy of being seen, and which gives an idea so adequate of what is to be seen beyond the Atlantic. There, to be sure they have immensely larger and more costly masses, but nothing handsomer or in chaster style.

The balance which you mention as coming to me from Ronald's executors be so good as to have paid into the hands of Colo. Bernard Peyton my correspondent in Richmond.

I find you are to be harassed again with a bankrupt

law. Could you not compromise between agriculture and commerce by passing such a law which like the bye laws of incorporate towns, should be binding on the inhabitants of such towns only, being the residence of commerce, leaving the agriculturists, inhabitants of the country, in undisturbed possession of the rights & modes of proceedings to which their habits, their interests and their partialities attach them? This would be as uniform as other laws of local obligation.

But you will have a more difficult task in curbing the Judiciary in their enterprises on the constitution. I doubt whether the erection of the Senate into an appellate court on Constitutional questions would be deemed an unexceptionable reliance; because it would enable the judiciary, with the representatives in Senate of one third only of our citizens, and that in a single house, to make by construction what they should please of the constitution, and thus bind in a double knot the other two thirds, for I believe that one third of our citizens chuse a majority of the Senate, and these too of the smaller states whose interests lead to lessen state influence, & strengthen that of the general government. A better remedy I think, and indeed the best I can devise would be to give future commissions to judges for six years (the Senatorial term) with a re-appointmentability by the president with the approbation of both houses. That of the H. of Repr. imports a majority of citizens, that of the Senate a majority of states and that of both a majority of the three sovereign departments of the existing government, to wit, of