1066. CALLENDER (J. T.), Belations with Jefferson.—
I am really mortified at the
base ingratitude of Callender. It presents human
nature in a hideous form. It gives me
concern, because I perceive that relief, which
was afforded him on mere motives of charity,
may be viewed under the aspect of employing
him as a writer. When the “Political Progress
of Britain” first appeared in this country, it
was in a periodical publication called The Bee,
where I saw it. I was speaking of it in terms
of strong approbation to a friend in Philadelphia,
when he asked me if I knew that the
author was then in the city, a fugitive from
prosecution on account of that work, and in
want of employ for his subsistence. This was the
first of my learning that Callender was author of
the work. I considered him as a man of science
fled from persecution, and assured my friend of
my readiness to do whatever could serve him.
It was long after this before I saw him; probably
not till 1798. He had, in the meantime,
written a second part of the Political Progress,
much inferior to the first, and his History of
the United States. In 1798, I think, I was applied
to by Mr. Leiper to contribute to his relief.
I did so. In 1799, I think, S. T. Mason
applied for him. I contributed again. He had,
by this time, paid me two or three personal
visits. When he fled in a panic from Philadelphia
to General Mason's, he wrote to me that
he was a fugitive, in want of employ, wished
to know if he could get into a counting-house
or a school, in my neighborhood or in that of
Richmond; that he had materials for a volume,
and if he could get as much money as would buy
the paper, the profit of the sale would be all his
own. I availed myself of this pretext to
cover a mere charity, by desiring him to consider
me a subscriber for as many copies of his
book as the money enclosed (fifty dollars)
amounted to; but to send me two copies only,
as the others might lie till called for. But I
discouraged his coming into my neighborhood.
His first writings here had fallen far short of
his original Political Progress, and the scurrilities
of his subsequent ones began evidently to do
mischief. As to myself, no man wished more
to see his pen stopped; but I considered him
still as a proper object of benevolence. The
succeeding year, he again wanted money to
buy paper for another volume. I made his letter,
as before, the occasion of giving him another
fifty dollars. He considers these as
proofs of my approbation of his writings, when
they were mere charities, yielded under a strong
conviction that he was injuring us by his
writings. It is known to many that the sums
given to him were such, and even smaller than
I was in the habit of giving to others in distress,
of the federal as well as the republican party,
without attention to political principles. Soon
after I was elected to the government, Callender
came on here [Washington] wishing to be made
postmaster at Richmond. I knew him to be
totally unfit for it; and however ready I was
to aid him with my own charities (and I then
gave him fifty dollars). I did not think the
public offices confided to me to give away as
charities. He took it in mortal offence, and
from that moment has been hauling off to his
former enemies, the federalists. Besides the
letters I wrote him in answer to the one from
General Mason, I wrote him another, containing
answers to two questions he addressed to me.
1. Whether Mr. Jay received salary as Chief
Justice and Envoy at the same time; and 2.
something relative to the expenses of an embassy
to Constantinople. I think these were
the only letters I ever wrote him in answer to
volumes he was perpetually writing to me.
This is the true state of what has passed between
him and me. I do not know that it
can be used without committing me in controversy,
as it were, with one too little respected
by the public to merit that notice. I leave to
your judgment what use can be made of these
facts. Perhaps it will be better judged of,
when we see what use the tories will endeavor
to make of their new friend.—
To James Monroe. Washington ed. iv, 444.
Ford ed., viii, 164.
(W.
July. 1802)
