8729. UNIVERSITY (National), Proposed establishment.—[continued].
The desire of peace is
very much strengthened in me by that which
I feel in favor of the great subjects of your
and Mr. Fulton's letters. I had fondly hoped
to set those enterprises into motion with the
last Legislature I shall meet. But the chance
of war is an unfortunate check. I do not,
however, despair that the proposition of
amendment may be sent down this session to
the [State] Legislatures. But it is not certain.
There is a snail paced gait for the advance
of new ideas on the general mind, under
which we must acquiesce. A forty years' experience of popular assemblies has taught
me that you must give them time for every
step you take. If too hard pushed, they
balk, and the machine retrogrades.—
To Joel Barlow. Washington ed. v, 216.
Ford ed., ix, 168.
(W.
Dec. 1807)
