r
Priestley officiated to numerous audiences. Baltimore has one or two
churches, and their pastor, author of an inestimable book on this
subject, was elected chaplain to the late Congress. That doctrine has
not yet been preached to us: but the breeze begins to be felt which
precedes the storm; and fanaticism is all in a bustle, shutting its
doors and windows to keep it out. But it will come, and drive before it
the foggy mists of Platonism which have so long obscured our atmosphere.
I am in hopes that some of the disciples of your institution will become
missionaries to us, of these doctrines truly evangelical, and open our
eyes to what has been so long hidden from them. A bold and eloquent
preacher would be no where listened to with more freedom than in this
State, nor with more firmness of mind. They might need a preparatory
discourse on the text of 'Prove all things, hold fast that which is
good,' in order to unlearn the lesson that reason is an unlawful guide
in religion. They might startle on being first awaked from the dreams of
the night, but they would rub their eyes at once, and look the spectres
boldly in the face. The preacher might be excluded by our hierophants
from their churches and meeting-houses, but would be attended in
the fields by whole acres of hearers and thinkers. Missionaries from
Cambridge would soon be greeted with more welcome, than from the
tritheistical school of Andover. Such are my wishes, such would be my
welcomes, warm and cordial as the assurances of my esteem and respect
for you.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CLXVI.--TO JOHN ADAMS

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Monticello, November 1, 1822.

Dear Sir,

I have racked my memory and ransacked my papers, to enable myself to
answer the inquiries of your favor of October the 15th; but to little
purpose. My papers furnish me nothing, my memory, generalities only.
I know that while I was in Europe, and anxious about the fate of our
seafaring men, for some of whom, then in captivity in Algiers, we were
treating, and all were in like danger, I formed, undoubtingly, the
opinion that our government, as soon as practicable, should provide a
naval force sufficient to keep the Barbary States in order; and on this
subject we communicated together, as you observe. When I returned to
the United States and took part in the administration under General
Washington, I constantly maintained that opinion; and in December, 1790,
took advantage of a reference to