t, and even friendly complexion, but
always independent. Ask no favors, leave small and irritating things to
be conducted by the individuals interested in them, interfere ourselves
but in the greatest cases, and then not push them to irritation. No
matter at present existing between them and us is important enough to
risk a breach of peace; peace being indeed the most important of all
things for us, except the preserving an erect and independent attitude.
Although I know your own judgment leads you to pursue this line
identically, yet I thought it just to strengthen it by the concurrence
of my own. You will have seen by our newspapers, that, with the aid of a
lying renegado from republicanism, the federalists have opened all their
sluices of calumny. They say we lied them out of power, and openly avow
they will do the same by us. But it was not lies or arguments on our
part which dethroned them, but their own foolish acts, sedition-laws,
alien-laws, taxes, extravagancies, and heresies. Porcupine, their
friend, wrote them down. Callender, their new recruit, will do the same.
Every decent man among them revolts at his filth: and there cannot be a
doubt, that were a Presidential election to come on this day, they would
certainly have but three New England States, and about half a dozen
votes from Maryland and North Carolina; these two States electing by
districts. Were all the States to elect by a general ticket, they would
have but three out of sixteen States. And these three are coming up
slowly. We do, indeed, consider Jersey and Delaware as rather doubtful.
Elections which have lately taken place there, but their event not yet
known here, will show the present point of their varying condition.

My letters to you being merely private, I leave all details of business
to their official channel.

Accept assurances of my constant friendship and high respect.

Th: Jefferson.

P. S. We have received your letter announcing the arrival of Mr. Dupont.

LETTER CCC.--TO ALBERT GALLATIN, October 13, 1802

THOMAS JEFFERSON TO ALBERT GALLATIN.

You know my doubts, or rather convictions, about the unconstitutionality
of the act for building piers in the Delaware, and the fears that it
will lead to a bottomless expense, and to the greatest abuses. There is,
however, one intention of which the act is susceptible, and which will
bring it within the constitution; and we ought always to presume that
the real intention whic