ps of war, to fight the
Algerines, and he asked my opinion of the measure. I answered him that
I was clearly in favor of it. For I had always been of opinion, from the
commencement of the Revolution, that a navy was the most powerful, the
safest, and the cheapest national defence for this country. My advice,
therefore, was, that as much of the revenue as could possibly be
spared, should be applied to the building and equipping of ships. The
conversation was of some length, but it was manifest in his looks and in
his air, that he was disgusted at the measure, as well as at the opinion
that I had expressed.

Mrs. Knox not long since wrote a letter to Doctor Waterhouse, requesting
him to procure a commision for her son, in the navy; 'that navy,' says
her ladyship, 'of which his father was the parent.' 'For,' says she, 'I
have frequently heard General Washington say to my husband, the navy was
your child.' I have always believed it to be Jefferson's child, though
Knox may have assisted in ushering it into the world. Hamilton's hobby
was the army. That Washington was averse to a navy, I had full proof
from his own lips, in many different conversations, some of them of
length, in which he always insisted that it was only building and
arming ships for the English. '_Si quid novisti rectius istis, candidus
imperii; si non, his utere mecum_.'

If I am in error in any particular, pray correct your humble servant.

John Adams.

LETTER CLXVII.--TO DOCTOR COOPER, November 2, 1822

TO DOCTOR COOPER.

Monticello, November 2, 1822.

Dear Sir,

Your favor of October the 18th came to hand yesterday. The atmosphere
of our country is unquestionably charged with a threatening cloud of
fanaticism, lighter in some parts, denser in others, but too heavy
in all. I had no idea, however, that in Pennsylvania, the cradle of
toleration and freedom of religion, it could have arisen to the height
you describe. This must be owing to the growth of Presbyterianism.
The blasphemy and absurdity of the five points of Calvin, and the
impossibility of defending them, render their advocates impatient of
reasoning, irritable, and prone to denunciation. In Boston, however, and
its neighborhood, Unitarianism has advanced to so great strength, as now
to humble this haughtiest of all religious sects; insomuch, that they
condescend to interchange with them and the other sects, the civilities
of preaching freely and frequently in each other's meeti