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 PHILIP MAZZEI
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 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TO PHILIP MAZZEI[86]
I have been favored with several letters from you
since the date of my last; but some of them having
been recd in Virginia I am not able now to acknowledge
all of them by their respective dates. The date
of the last was in May.
You ask me why I agreed to the constitution proposed
by the Convention of Philada. I answer because
I thought it safe to the liberties of the people,
and the best that could be obtained from the jarring
interests of States, and the miscellaneous opinions of
Politicians; and because experience has proved that
the real danger to America & to liberty lies in the
defect of energy & stability in the present establishments
of the United States.—Had you been a member
of that assembly and been impressed with the
truths which our situation discloses, you would have
concurred in the necessity which was felt by the
other members. In your closet at Paris and with
over Europe fully in your view it is natural for you
to run into criticisms dictated by an extreme on that
side. Perhaps in your situation I should think and
feel as you do. In mine I am sure you would think
and feel as I do.
To the paragraph in your letter of the 9th. of May
on the subject of a mission to Holland or Italy, I can
say nothing more than that it is a business which
belongs now to the new Govt. or if I were to say
more my friendship would guard you agst. any reliance
on such an event. In the first place nothing
can be more uncertain than the nature of the system
which will be adopted with regard to foreign affairs.
And in the next place activity is a sort of merit
which prejudice rates too high to be outweighed by
any other sort of merit. The Americans are an enlightened
and liberal people, compared with other
nations, but they are not all philosophers. I have
recd. the copies of your book and have taken the
measures proper for disposing of them. The number
allowed to Virginia are selling there I am told
very well. I am afraid the other portions will not
be equally successful. The French language is the
greater obstacle as many who can read it expect the
work will be translated into a language they can
read still better.
Derliman tells he means to remit you forthwith
via London about £300 Sterling. If he does, and I
flatter myself he will not fail, it will pass thro' the
hands of Mr. Jefferson. His affairs here do not produce
secured agst. loss.
Are we ever to see you again in America? Here
or elsewhere God bless you.
This letter was once the property of Guizot. It passed into the
hands of Alfred Bovet, of Paris, a collector of MSS., and later into the
collection of Mr. Alexander Meyer Cohn, of Berlin, who has kindly
furnished the editor with a copy, at the request of the American Ambassador
at Berlin, His Excellency Charlemagne Tower.
| The writings of James Madison, | |