4902. MADISON (James), Administration of.—[continued].
If peace can be preserved,
I hope and trust you will have a smooth
administration. I know no government which
would be so embarrassing in war as ours. This
would proceed very much from the lying and
licentious character of our papers; but much,
also, from the wonderful credulity of the members
of Congress in the floating lies of the day.
And in this no experience seems to correct
them. I have never seen a Congress during
the last eight years, a majority of which I
would not implicitly have relied on in any
question, could their minds have been purged of
all errors of fact. The evil, too, increases
greatly with the protraction of the session, and
I apprehend, in case of war, their session would
have a tendency to become permanent.—
To President Madison. Washington ed. v, 437.
(W.
March. 1809)
