ggle fearful for our peace. But since
the decided ascendancy of the republican body, federalism has looked
on with silent but unresisting anguish. In the middle, southern, and
western States, it is as low as it ever can be; for nature has made some
men monarchists and tories by their constitution, and some, of course,
there always will be.

*****

We have had a remarkably cold winter. At Hallowell, in Maine, the
mercury was at thirty-four degrees below zero, of Fahrenheit, which is
sixteen degrees lower than it was in Paris in 1788-9. Here it was at six
degrees above zero, which is our greatest degree of cold.

Present me respectfully to Mrs. Gallatin, and be assured of my constant
and affectionate friendship.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXLIII.--TO JOHN ADAMS, May 17, 1818

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Monticello, May 17, 1818.

Dear Sir,

I was so unfortunate as not to receive from Mr. Holly's own hand your
favor of January the 28th, being then at my other home. He dined only
with my family, and left them with an impression which has filled me
with regret that I did not partake of the pleasure his visit gave them.
I am glad he is gone to Kentucky. Rational Christianity will thrive more
rapidly there than here. They are freer from prejudices than we are, and
bolder in grasping at truth. The time is not distant, though neither you
nor I shall see it, when we shall be but a secondary people to them. Our
greediness for wealth, and fantastical expense have degraded, and will
degrade, the minds of our maritime citizens. These are the peculiar
vices of commerce.

I had been long without hearing from you, but I had heard of you
through a letter from Doctor Waterhouse. He wrote to reclaim against
an expression of Mr. Wirt's, as to the commencement of motion in
the revolutionary ball. The lawyers say that words are always to be
expounded _secundum subjectam materiem_, which, in Mr. Wirt's case, was
Virginia. It would, moreover, be as difficult to say at what moment
the Revolution began, and what incident set it in motion, as to fix the
moment that the embryo becomes an animal, or the act which gives him
a beginning. But the most agreeable part of his letter was that which
informed me of your health, your activity, and strength of memory;
and the most wonderful, that which assured me that you retained your
industry and promptness in epistolary correspondence. Here you have
entire advantage over me. My repugnance to the writin