I now deny their
power of making paper money or any thing else a legal tender. I know
that to pay all proper expenses within the year, would, in case of war,
be hard on us. But not so hard as ten wars instead of one. For wars
would be reduced in that proportion; besides that the State governments
would be free to lend their credit in borrowing quotas. For the present,
I should be for resolving the alien and sedition laws to be against the
constitution and merely void, and for addressing the other States to
obtain similar declarations; and I would not do any thing at this moment
which should commit us further, but reserve ourselves to shape our
future measures or no measures, by the events which may happen. It is a
singular phenomenon, that while our State governments are the very best
in the world, without exception or comparison, our General Government
has, in the rapid course of nine or ten years, become more arbitrary,
and has swallowed more of the public liberty, than even that of England.
I enclose you a column, cut out of a London paper, to show you that the
English, though charmed with our making their enemies our enemies, yet
blush and weep over our sedition-law. But I enclose you something
more important. It is a petition for a reformation in the manner of
appointing our juries, and a remedy against the jury of all nations,
which is handing about here for signature, and will be presented to your
House.
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