6820. POWER, Exercise of.—[continued].
An honest man can feel
no pleasure in the exercise of power over his
fellow citizens. And considering as the only
offices of power those conferred by the people
directly, that is to say, the Executive and
Legislative functions of the General and
State Governments, the common refusal of
these, and multiplied resignations, are proofs
sufficient that power is not alluring to pure
minds, and is not with them, the primary
principle of contest. This is my belief of it;
it is that on which I have acted; and had it
been a mere contest who should be permitted
to administer the Government according to
its genuine republican principles, there has
never been a moment of my life in which I
should have relinquished for it the enjoyments
of my family, my farm, my friends and
books.—
To John Melish. Washington ed. vi, 96.
Ford ed., ix, 376.
(M.
1813)
