en and sedition laws. Jersey and New York had begun the same
movement, and though the rising of Congress stops that channel for the
expression of their sentiment, the sentiment is going on rapidly, and
before their next meeting those three States will be solidly embodied
in sentiment with the six southern and western ones. The atrocious
proceedings of France towards this country had well nigh destroyed its
liberties. The Anglomen and monocrats had so artfully confounded the
cause of France with that of freedom, that both went down in the same
scale. I sincerely join you in abjuring all political connection with
every foreign power: and though I cordially wish well to the progress
of liberty in all nations, and would for ever give it the weight of our
countenance, yet they are not to be touched without contamination, from
their other bad principles. Commerce with all nations, alliance with
none, should be our motto.

Accept assurances of the constant and unaltered affection of, Dear Sir,
your sincere friend and servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CCLIII.--TO EDMUND RANDOLPH, August 18, 1799

TO EDMUND RANDOLPH.

Monticello, August 18, 1799

Dear Sir,

I received only two days ago your favor of the 12th, and as it was on
the eve of the return of our post, it was not possible to make so prompt
a despatch of the answer. Of all the doctrines which have ever been
broached by the federal government, the novel one, of the common law
being in force and cognizable as an existing law in their courts, is to
me the most formidable. All their other assumptions of ungiven powers
have been in the detail. The bank-law, the treaty-doctrine, the
sedition-act, alien-act, the undertaking to change the State laws of
evidence in the State courts by certain parts of the stamp-act, &c. &c.
have been solitary, inconsequential, timid things, in comparison with
the audacious, barefaced, and sweeping pretension to a system of law
for the United States, without the adoption of their legislature, and
so infinitely beyond their power to adopt. If this assumption be yielded
to, the State courts may be shut up, as there will then be nothing to
hinder citizens of the same State suing each other in the federal courts
in every case, as on a bond for instance, because the common law obliges
payment of it, and the common law they say is their law. I am happy you
have taken up the subject; and I have carefully perused and considered
the notes yo