ld be reduced to a single monarchy. The true line of
interest for us is, that Bonaparte should be able to effect the complete
exclusion of England from the whole continent of Europe, in order, as
the same letter said, 'by this peaceable engine of constraint, to make
her renounce her views of dominion over the ocean, of permitting no
other nation to navigate it but with her license, and on tribute to her,
and her aggressions on the persons of our citizens who may choose to
exercise their right of passing over that element.' And this would be
effected by Bonaparte's succeeding so far as to close the Baltic against
her. This success I wished him the last year, this I wish him this
year; but were he again advanced to Moscow, I should again wish him
such disasters as would prevent his reaching Petersburg. And were the
consequences even to be the longer continuance of our war, I would
rather meet them, than see the whole force of Europe wielded by a single
hand.

I have gone into this explanation, my friend, because I know you will
not carry my letter to the newspapers, and because I am willing
to entrust to your discretion the explaining me to our honest
fellow-laborers, and the bringing them to pause and reflect, if any of
them have not sufficiently reflected on the extent of the success we
ought to wish to Bonaparte, with a view to our own interests only; and
even were we not men, to whom nothing human should be indifferent. But
is our particular interest to make us insensible to all sentiments of
morality? Is it then become criminal, the moral wish that the torrents
of blood this man is shedding in Europe, the sufferings of so many human
beings, good as ourselves, on whose necks he is trampling, the burnings
of ancient cities, devastations of great countries, the destruction of
law and order, and demoralization of the world, should be arrested, even
if it should place our peace a little further distant? No. You and
I cannot differ in wishing that Russia, and Sweden, and Denmark, and
Germany, and Spain, and Portugal, and Italy, and even England, may
retain their independence. And if we differ in our opinions about Towers
and his four beasts and ten kingdoms, we differ as friends, indulging
mutual errors, and doing justice to mutual sincerity and honesty. In
this spirit of sincere confidence and affection, I pray God to bless you
here and hereafter.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXVII.--TO DOCTOR WALTER JONES, January 2,