The writings of James Madison, comprising his public papers and his private correspondence, including numerous letters and documents now for the first time printed. |
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TO WILSON CARY NICHOLAS.
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 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TO WILSON CARY NICHOLAS.[99]
Dear Sir,—I did not receive your favor of the
11th instant till a few days ago, and I have till now
been too much indisposed to acknowledge it.
You are not mistaken in viewing the conduct of
the Eastern States as the source of our greatest difficulties
in carrying on the war, as it certainly is the
greatest, if not the sole, inducement with the enemy
to persevere in it. The greater part of the people in
that quarter have been brought by their leaders, aided
by their priests, under a delusion scarcely exceeded
by that recorded in the period of witchcraft; and the
leaders are becoming daily more desperate in the use
they make of it. Their object is power. If they
could obtain it by menaces, their efforts would stop
there. These failing, they are ready to go every
length for which they can train their followers.
Without foreign co-operation, revolts & separation
will be hardly risked; and what the effect of so profligate
an experiment may be, first on deluded partizans,
and next on those remaining faithful to the
nation who are respectable for their consistency, and
even for their numbers, is for conjecture only. The
best may be hoped, but the worst ought to be kept
in view. In the mean time the course to be taken
by the Govt is full of delicacy & perplexity; and the
more so under the pinch which exists in our fiscal
affairs, & the lamentable tardiness of the Legislature
in applying some relief.
At such a moment the vigorous support of the
well disposed States is peculiarly important to the
General Govt; and it would be impossible for me to
doubt that Virga, under your administration of its
Executive Govt, will continue to be among the foremost
in zealous exertions for the national rights and
success.
Be pleased to accept assurances of my esteem &
respect
From Mass. Hist. Collections, 7th Series, vol. i., p. 212. The
Jefferson Papers, Coolidge Collection. Nicholas was then serving
as Governor of Virginia.
The feeling in New England is illustrated by a letter Madison received
from Jedediah Morse, a pupil of Jonathan Edwards, pastor of the
church at Charlestown, Mass., written from Woodstock, Conn.,
November 23d. He said he was an old man, 89 years of age, and that
it was a "cruel, unnecessary, unjust war; esteemed so by thousands
of good people of the United States and the expenses of it, too heavy
and grievous to be born. "—Mad. MSS.
| The writings of James Madison, | |