University of Virginia Library

TO RICHARD PETERS.

Dr. Sir I perceive that I am indebted to you
for the copy of an Agricultural Almanack and
Memorial brought me by a late mail; for which I
offer my thanks. Accept them also for the copy
of Mr. Rawle's Address which you have been so kind
as to send me.[149]

I am particularly pleased with your scheme of a
"Pattern farm." There is no form in which Agricultural
instruction can be so successfully conveyed.
Nor is there any situation so favorable for the
establishment of them as the neighbourhood of a
large commercial City. The vessels going thence
to every part of the Globe can obtain from our
Consuls or from mercantile correspondents, specimens
of every article vegetable & animal, which
deserve experiment; and from such a position, the
fruits of successful experiments can be conveniently
diffused by water as well as by land. The only

objection likely to be started is the expence. But
I do not see that even this extends much if at all
beyond the outfit. A small proportion only of the
experiments would be a dead loss; Whilst many
would yield lucrative samples for distributive sale.

The subject of Mr. Rawle's Address is an important
one, and he has handled it with the Ability of which
he enjoys the reputation. My own ideas run much
in the same channel with his. Our kind reception
of emigrants is very proper, but it is dictated more
by benevolent than by interested considerations,
tho' some of them seem to be very far from regarding
the obligations as lying on their side. I think he
has justly graduated also the several classes of
emigrants. The Cultivators of the soil are of a
character and in so minute a proportion to our
Agricultural population, that they give no foreign
tint whatever to its complexion. When they come
among us too, it is with such a deep feeling of its
being for good & all, that their adopted Country soon
takes the place Of a native home. These remarks
belong in a considerable degree to the Mechanical
class. The mercantile class, has different features.
Their proportional number, their capital or their
credit, and their intelligence often, give them pretensions,
and even an influence among the native
class which you can better appreciate perhaps than
I can. They are also less permanently tied to their
new Country by the nature of their property &
pursuits than either of the other classes a translation
of them to another being more easy. And even

after naturalization, the rights involved in their
native allegiance, facilitate violations of the duties
of their assumed one. According to the general
laws of Europe, no emigrant ceases to be a subject.
With this double aspect, I believe it cannot be
doubted that naturalized Citizens among us have
found it more easy than native ones to practise
certain frauds. I have been led to think it worthy
of consideration whether our law of naturalization
might not be so varied as to communicate the
rights of Citizens by degrees, and in that way,
preclude or abridge the abuses committed by
naturalized merchants particularly Ship owners.
The restrictions wd. be felt it is true by meritorious individuals,
of whom I could name some & you doubtless
more, but this always happens in precautionary
regulations for the general good. But I forget that
I am only saying what Mr. Rawle has much better
told you, or what, if just, will not have escaped
your own reflections.

I wish you health & every other happiness.