ggested this emigration. I had hoped that Geneva was
familiarized to such a degree of liberty, that they might without
difficulty or danger fill up the measure to its maximum; a term, which,
though in the insulated man, bounded only by his natural powers, must,
in society, be so far restricted as to protect himself against the
evil passions of his associates, and consequently, them against him.
I suspect that the doctrine, that small States alone are fitted to be
republics, will be exploded by experience, with some other brilliant
fallacies accredited by Montesquieu and other political writers. Perhaps
it will be found, that to obtain a just republic (and it is to secure
our just rights that we resort to government at all) it must be so
extensive as that local egoisms may never reach its greater part; that
on every particular question a majority may be found in its councils
free from particular interests, and giving, therefore, an uniform
prevalence to the principles of justice. The smaller the societies, the
more violent and more convulsive their schisms. We have chanced to
live in an age which will probably be distinguished in history, for its
experiments in government on a larger scale than has yet taken place.
But we shall not live to see the result. The grosser absurdities, such
as hereditary magistracies, we shall see exploded in our day, long
experience having already pronounced condemnation against them. But what
is to be the substitute? This our children or grandchildren will answer.
We may be satisfied with the certain knowledge that none can ever be
tried, so stupid, so unrighteous, so oppressive, so destructive of every
end for which honest men enter into government, as that which their
forefathers had established, and their fathers alone venture to tumble
headlong from the stations they have so long abused. It is unfortunate,
that the efforts of mankind to recover the freedom of which they have
been so long deprived, will be accompanied with violence, with errors,
and even with crimes. But while we weep over the means we must pray for
the end.

But I have been insensibly led, by the general complexion of the times,
from the particular case of Geneva, to those to which it bears no
similitude. Of that we hope good things. Its inhabitants must be too
much enlightened, too well experienced in the blessings of freedom and
undisturbed industry, to tolerate long a contrary state of things. I
shall be happy to hear