University of Virginia Library

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

Dear Sir It was long desirable that an Expose
of the causes and character of the War between the
U. S. & G. B.[103] should remedy the mischief produced
by the Declaration of the Prince Regent & other misstatements
which had poisoned the opinion of the
world on the subject. Since the pacification in Europe
& the effect of that and other occurrences in
turning the attention of that quarter of the World
towards the U. S. the antidote became at once more
necessary & more hopeful. It was accordingly determined
soon after the meeting of Congs. that a correct
& full view of the War, should be prepared & made
public in the usual Demiofficial form. The commencement
of it was however somewhat delayed by the
probability of an early termination of the Negotiations
at Ghent, either, in a peace, or in a new epoch particularly
inviting a new appeal to the neutral public.

The long suspension of intelligence from our Envoys,
& the critical state of our affairs at home, as well as
abroad, finally overruled this delay, and the execution
of the task was committed to Mr. Dallas. Altho' he
hastened it as much as the nature of it, and his other
laborious attentions admitted, it was not finished in
time for publication before the news of peace arrived.
The latter pages had not even been struck off at the
press. Under these circumstances, it became a question
whether it should be published with a prefatory
notice that it was written before the cessation of
hostilities, and thence derived its spirit & language;
or should be suppressed, or written over with a view
to preserve the substantial vindication of our Country
agst. prevailing calumnies, and avoid asperities of
every sort unbecoming the change in the relations
of the two Countries. This last course, tho' not a
little difficult might have been best in itself, but it
required a time & labour not to be spared for it, and
the suppression was preferred to the first course,
which wd. have been liable to misconstructions of an
injurious tendency. The printed copies however
amounting to several hundred are not destroyed, and
will hereafter contribute materials for a historical
review of the period which the document embraces.
I have thought a perusal of it might amuse an hour
of your leisure; requesting only that as it is to be
guarded agst. publication, you will be so good as
either to return the Copy, or to place it where it will
be in no danger of escaping. You will observe, from
the plan & cast of the Work, that it was meant for
the eye of the British people, and of our own, as well
as for that of the Neutral world. This threefold
object increased the labor not a little, and gives the
composition some features not otherwise to be
explained.

The despatch vessel with the peace via France, has
just arrived. It brings little more than duplicates of
what was recd. via England. The affairs at Vienna
remain in a fog, which rather thickens than disperses.
The situation of France also has yet it would seem
to pass some clearing up shower. The peace between
this Country & G. B. gives sincere pleasure there as
relieving the Govt. and the Nation, from the dilemma,
of humiliating submissions to the antineutral measures
of G. Britain, or a premature contest with her.
In Spain, every thing suffers under the phrenzy of the
Throne, and the fanaticism of the People. But for our
peace with England, it is not impossible, that a new
War from that quarter would have been opened
upon us. The affair at New Orleans will perhaps be a
better Guarantee agst. such an event.

Mr. Smith will have communicated to you the
result of our consultation on the transportation of
the Library.

We are indulging hopes of paying a trip soon to
our farm; and shall not fail, if it be practicable, to
add to it the pleasure of a visit to Monticello.

Always & with sincere affection yrs.,