to govern men; no passion which would lead me to delight to ride in a
storm. _Flumina amo sylvasque, inglorius_. My attachment to my home has
enabled me to make the calculation with rigor, perhaps with partiality,
to the issue which keeps me there. The newspapers will permit me to
plant my corn, pease, &c. in hills or drills as I please (and my
oranges by the bye when you send them), while our eastern friend will
be struggling with the storm which is gathering over us; perhaps be
shipwrecked in it. This is certainly not a moment to covet the helm.

I have often doubted whether most to praise or to blame your line of
conduct. If you had lent to your country the excellent talents you
possess, on you would have fallen those torrents of abuse which have
lately been poured forth on me. So far, I praise the wisdom which has
descried and steered clear of a waterspout ahead. But now for the
blame. There is a debt of service due from every man to his country,
proportioned to the bounties which nature and fortune have measured to
him. Counters will pay this from the poor of spirit; but from you, my
friend, coin was due. There is no bankrupt-law in heaven, by which you
may get off with shillings in the pound; with rendering to a single
State what you owed to the whole confederacy. I think it was by the
Roman law that a father was denied sepulture, unless his son would pay
his debts. Happy for you and us, that you have a son whom genius and
education have qualified to pay yours. But as you have been a good
father in every thing else, be so in this also. Come forward and
pay your own debts. Your friends, the Mr. Pinckneys, have at length
undertaken their tour. My joy at this would be complete if you were in
gear with them. I love to see honest and honorable men at the helm, men
who will not bend their politics to their purses, nor pursue measures by
which they may profit, and then profit by their measures. _Au diable les
Bougres!_ I am at the end of my curse and bottom of my page, so God bless
you and yours. _Adieu_ affectionately.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CCII.--TO JOHN ADAMS, December 28,1796

Monticello, December 28,1796.

_Statement, from memory, of a Letter I wrote to John Adams; copy omitted
to be retained_.

Dear Sir,

The public, and the public papers, have been much occupied lately in
placing us in a point of opposition to each other. I confidently trust
we have felt less of it ourselves. In the retired canto