2007. DEBT, Jefferson's personal.—[further continued].
A long succession of unfruitful
years, long-continued low prices, oppressive
tariffs levied on other branches to
maintain that of manufactures, for the most
flourishing of all, calamitous fluctuations in
the value of our circulating medium, and, in
my case, a want of skill in the management
of our land and labor, these circumstances
had been long undermining the state of agriculture,
had been breaking up the landholders,
and glutting the land market here, while
drawing off its bidders to people the western
country. Under such circumstances agricultural
property had become no resource for
the payment of debts.—
To Thomas Ritchie.
Ford ed., x, 381.
(M.
1826)
See 2091.
