k, which I will
state to you from an eye-witness. It has long been a practice with the
surgeons of that city, to steal from the grave bodies recently buried.
A citizen had lost his wife: he went, the first or second evening after
her burial, to pay a visit to her grave.. He found that it had been
disturbed, and suspected from what quarter. He found means to be
admitted to the anatomical lecture of that day, and on his entering the
room, saw the body of his wife, naked and under dissection. He raised
the people immediately. The body, in the mean time, was secreted. They
entered into and searched the houses of the physicians whom they most
suspected, but found nothing. One of them however more guilty or more
timid than the rest, took asylum in the prison. The mob considered
this an acknowledgment of guilt. They attacked the prison. The Governor
ordered militia to protect the culprit, and suppress the mob. The
militia, thinking the mob had just provocation, refused to turn out.
Hereupon the people of more reflection, thinking it more dangerous that
even a guilty person should be punished without the forms of law,
than that he should escape, armed themselves, and went to protect the
physician. They were received by the mob with a volley of stones, which
wounded several of them. They hereupon fired on the mob and killed four.
By this time, they received a reinforcement of other citizens of
the militia horse, the appearance of which, in the critical moment,
dispersed the mob. So ended this chapter of history, which I have
detailed to you, because it may be represented as a political riot, when
politics had nothing to do with it. Mr. Jay and Baron Steuben were both
grievously wounded in the head by stones. The former still kept his bed,
and the latter his room, when the packet sailed, which was the 24th of
April. I am, with sentiments of great esteem and respect, Dear Sir, your
most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXXXIX.--TO JOHN JAY, May 27, 1788

TO JOHN JAY.

(Private.) Paris, May 27, 1788.

Dear Sir,

The change which is likely to take place in the form of our government,
seems to render it proper, that, during the existence of the present
government, an article should be mentioned which concerns me personally.
Uncertain, however, how far Congress may have decided to do business
when so near the close of their administration; less capable than those
on the spot of foreseeing the c