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my own lands； at an expense of twenty thousand dollars； and which is
no impediment to the navigation of the river。 I have permitted the
riparian proprietors above （and they not more than a dozen or twenty）
to use it gratis； and shall not withdraw the permission unless they
so use it as to obstruct too much the operations of my mills； of
which there is some likelihood。
Doctor Smith； you say； asks what is the best elementary book on
the principles of government？ None in the world equal to the Review
of Montesquieu； printed at Philadelphia a few years ago。 It has the
advantage； too； of being equally sound and corrective of the
principles of political economy； and all within the compass of a thin
8vo。 Chipman's and Priestley's Principles of Government； and the
Federalists； are excellent in many respects； but for fundamental
principles not comparable to the Review。 I have no objections to the
printing my letter to Mr。 Carr； if it will promote the interests of
science； although it was not written with a view to its publication。
My letter of the 24th ult。 conveyed to you the grounds of the
two articles objected to the College bill。 Your last presents one of
them in a new point of view； that of the commencement of the ward
schools as likely to render the law unpopular to the country。 It
must be a very inconsiderate and rough process of execution that
would do this。 My idea of the mode of carrying it into execution
would be this： Declare the county _ipso facto_ divided into wards for
the present； by the boundaries of the militia captaincies； somebody
attend the ordinary muster of each company； having first desired the
captain to call together a full one。 There explain the object of the
law to the people of the company； put to their vote whether they will
have a school established； and the most central and convenient place
for it； get them to meet and build a log school…house； have a roll
taken of the children who would attend it； and of those of them able
to pay。 These would probably be sufficient to support a common
teacher； instructing gratis the few unable to pay。 If there should
be a deficiency； it would require too trifling a contribution from
the county to be complained of； and especially as the whole county
would participate； where necessary； in the same resource。 Should the
company； by its vote； decide that it would have no school； let them
remain without one。 The advantages of this proceeding would be that
it would become the duty of the alderman elected by the county； to
take an active part in pressing the introduction of schools； and to
look out for tutors。 If； however； it is intended that the State
government shall take this business into its own hands； and provide
schools for every county； then by all means strike out this provision
of our bill。 I would never wish that it should be placed on a worse
footing than the rest of the State。 But if it is believed that these
elementary schools will be better managed by the governor and
council； the commissioners of the literary fund； or any other general
authority of the government； than by the parents within each ward； it
is a belief against all experience。 Try the principle one step
further； and amend the bill so as to commit to the governor and
council the management of all our farms； our mills； and merchants'
stores。 No； my friend； the way to have good and safe government； is
not to trust it all to one； but to divide it among the many；
distributing to every one exactly the functions he is competent to。
Let the national government be entrusted with the defence of the
nation； and its foreign and federal relations； the State governments
with the civil rights； laws； police； and administration of what
concerns the State generally； the counties with the local concerns of
the counties； and each ward direct the interests within itself。 It
is by dividing and subdividing these republics from the great
national one down through all its subordinations； until it ends in
the administration of every man's farm by himself； by placing under
every one what his own eye may superintend； that all will be done for
the best。 What has destroyed liberty and the rights of man in every
government which has ever existed under the sun？ The generalizing
and concentrating all cares and powers into one body； no matter
whether of the autocrats of Russia or France； or of the aristocrats
of a Venetian senate。 And I do believe that if the Almighty has not
decreed that man shall never be free； （and it is a blasphemy to
believe it；） that the secret will be found to be in the making
himself the depository of the powers respecting himself； so far as he
is competent to them； and delegating only what is beyond his
competence by a synthetical process； to higher and higher orders of
functionaries； so as to trust fewer and fewer powers in proportion as
the trustees become more and more oligarchical。 The elementary
republics of the wards； the county republics； the States republics；
and the republic of the Union； would form a gradation of authorities；
standing each on the basis of law； holding every one its delegated
share of powers； and constituting truly a system of fundamental
balances and checks for the government。 Where every man is a sharer
in the direction of his ward…republic； or of some of the higher ones；
and feels that he is a participator in the government of affairs； not
merely at an election one day in the year； but every day； when there
shall not be a man in the State who will not be a member of some one
of its councils； great or small； he will let the heart be torn out of
his body sooner than his power be wrested from him by a Caesar or a
Bonaparte。 How powerfully did we feel the energy of this
organization in the case of embargo？ I felt the foundations of the
government shaken under my feet by the New England townships。 There
was not an individual in their States whose body was not thrown with
all its momentum into action； and although the whole of the other
States were known to be in favor of the measure； yet the organization
of this little selfish minority enabled it to overrule the Union。
What would the unwieldy counties of the middle； the south； and the
west do？ Call a county meeting； and the drunken loungers at and
about the court houses would have collected； the distances being too
great for the good people and the industrious generally to attend。
The character of those who really met would have been the measure of
the weight they would have had in the scale of public opinion。 As
Cato； then； concluded every speech with the words； _〃Carthago delenda
est；〃_ so do I every opinion； with the injunction； 〃divide the
counties into wards。〃 Begin them only for a single purpose； they will
soon show for what others they are the best instruments。 God bless
you； and all our rulers； and give them the wisdom； as I am sure they
have the will； to fortify us a