Thomas Jefferson Papers

XIV. Reading Copy of Second Inaugural Address, 4 March 1805

XIV. Reading Copy of Second Inaugural Address

[before 4 Mch. 1805]

Proceedg. f. c. to yt qualfcn ′ wch ye Constn1 reqres. befre. my entrnce. on ye charge agn. conferd. on me †

it is my duty t. exprss. ye deep sense I entertn. ′ of ys new2 proof of confidce. frm. my f. c. at large †

& ye zeal wth. whch. it inspires m. ′ s. t. condct. myslf. ′ as m. best satsfy yr just expectns. ″

on takg. ys station on a formr occn, ′ I declrd. ye princples. on wch. I belv.d. it m. duty ′ t. admr. ye affrs. of our comweth. ″

my conscnce. tells me, ′ I hve. on evry. occn, ′ actd. up t. yt decln, † acordg. t. it’s obvs. imprt. & t. ye undstdg. of evry. candid mind. ″

In ye transctn. of yr forn. affrs. ′ w. hve endeavd. t. cultvte ye frdshp. of al natns. † & especly. of yos wth whch. we hve ye mst importt relations. ″

w. hve dne. ym justce. on al ocns; favr whre favr. ws. lawfl. & chersh.d. mutl intersts. & intercrse on fair & equal terms. ″

w. r firmly. convnc.d. & w. act on yt convctn. yt wth natns. as wth. indivd.ls or. intsts. soundly. calcld wll. evr b. fnd. inseprb. frm or morl. duties

& histy. bears witnss. t. ye fact yt a just natn. is trustd. on it’s wrd. whn. recrse is hd t. armamts. & wars t. bridle others. ″

At home f. c. you best know ′ whethr. w. hve done well or ill. ″

ye supresn. of unnecs.ry. ofics. ′ of uselss. establmts & expencs. ′ enabld. us t. discontnue. or internl. txes. ″

yse covr.g. our lnd. wth officrs. ′ & openg. or dors t. yr intrusns. ′ hd. alread. begn. yt procss of domicily. vextn. †

wch. once entd. is scarcely t. b. restrnd. ′ frm reachg. sucesvly. evry. artcle. of propty. & produce. ″

if amng. yse txes some3 minr. ones fell, ′ wch. hd nt bn inconvt. † it ws. bec. yr amt wd nt hve. pd. ye officrs. wh. colectd. ym †

& bec. if y. hd. any mert. ′ ye sta. authorties. mt. adopt ym instd. of othrs. les aprovd.

The remaing. revnue. on ye consmptn. of forn. artcles. ′ is pd. chiefly. b. yos ′ wh cn aford t. ad forn. luxurs. ′ t. domestc. comforts. ″

beg. colectd. on or sea-bord & frontrs. only, ′ & incorported. wth ye transactns. of or. mercantle. citizens †

it m. b. ye pleasre & ye pride of an Amerc.n. t. ask ′ Wt. farmr, Wt. mechanc. Wt. laborr. evr. ses a txgathr.r. of ye US.? ″

yse contrbns enable us t. suprt ye curt. expces. of ye govmt. ′ t. fulfll. contrcts. wth forn natns. ′ t. extngsh ye natve. rt. of soil withn or. limits ′

t. extnd. yos limts. ′ & t. aply sch. a surpls. t. or pblc. debts ′ as placs. at a shrt day yr final redemptn. ″

& yt redmptn. once. effectd. ′ ye revnue. yrb. libert.d. ′ may b. a just repartn amg. ye stas. & a corespondg. amdmt. of ye Constn †

b. apld. in ti. of peace t. rivrs. canls. roads, arts, manfct.res. educn, & othr. great objcts. withn each state. ″

in ti. of War, if injustce b. ourslves or othrs. mst sometmes. prodce War ′ increasd as ye sa. revnue. wll b. by increasd populn & consumptn. †

& aidd. by othr. resourcs. reservd fr. yt crisis † it may meet withn. ye year ′ all ye expencs. of ye year †

witht. encrchg. on ye rights of future generns ′ by burthn.g. ym wth ye debts of ye past. ″

war wll. yn. b. ′ bt a suspensn of usefl. works; † & a return t. a sta. of peace ′ a return t. ye progrss of improvemt. ″

I hve. said f. c. yt ye income reservd. ′ hd. enabld us t. extend or. limts. ″

bt yt extensn. m. posbly p. fr itslf. befre. w. r cald. on, ′ & in ye mn. ti. m. kep down ye acrug. int. ″ In al evts it wll replce. ye advn.ces. w. shll hve made. ″

I know yt ye acqsn of Louisa. hs bn disaprv.d. by sme. ′ frm a candd. apprehension4 yt ye enlrgmt of or terity. wd endangr. it’s union. ″

bt. wh. cn limt. ye extt. t. wch ye fedrive princple. m. operte. effctv.ly.? ″ ye largr. or asocn, ′ less wll it b. shakn b. locl. pasns. ″

& in any view, Is it nt betr. yt ye opste. bk of ye Mispi shd b. setld. † b. or own brethrn. & chdrn. ′ yn b. strangrs. of anothr. family? ″

wth. wch shd w. b. mst likely ′ t. lve. in harmony, & frdly intercourse? ″

In matrs. of Relign I hve considd. ′ yt it’s fre exrcse. is placd. b. ye Constn ′ indepdt. of ye powrs. of ye Genl. Govmt. ″

I hve. yrfre. undertakn. on no occn ′ t. prescribe ye religs. exercises. suitd. t. it. ″

bt hve left ym, as ye Constn found ym ′ undr. ye directn. & disciplne. of ye sta. or chrch. authorties ′ acknl.d. b. ye sevl religs. societies. ″

The Aborign.l. inhabts. of yse countrs. ′ I hve. regardd. wth. ye comisrn yr histy. inspires. ″

endowd. wth. ye facults. & ye rights of men, ′ breathg. an ardt love of libty. & indepdce ′

& ocupyg. a country wch left ym n. desre. bt t. b. undistbd. † ye strm. of ovr-flowg popln frm. othr. regns. ′ dirct.d. itslf. on yse shores. ″

wth.t. powr. t. divert, or habts. t. contnd. agt. it ′ y. hve. bn overwhelmd. b. ye curt or drivn. befre. it. ″

now redc.d. withn limts. t. narw. fr ye hunter sta. ′ humanty. enjns. us t. teach ym agrcltre & ye domestc. arts †

t. encorge. ym t. yt industry ′ wch. alne. cn. enable. ym t. maintn. yr plce. in existce. †

& t. prepre. ym in time fr. yt sta. of socty. ′ wch t. bodly. comfrts. ads ye imprvmt of ye mind & morals. ″

w. hve. yrf. libly. furnsh.d ym wth ye implemts. of husbdry. & hhd use. † w. hve placd. amg. ym instrct.rs. in ye arts of 1st. necesty. †

& y. r covd. wth. ye Aegis of ye law ′ agt5 agresrs. frm amg. ourslves. ″

Bt. ye endevrs. t. enlightn. ym ′ on ye fate wch. awts. yr prest. cours of life ′ t. induce ym t. exercse. yr reasn. follow it’s dicttes. ′

& chnge. yr pursts. wth ye chnge of circmstces. ′ hve powerfl. obstcles. t. encountr. ″

y. r combt.d. b. ye habts. of yr bods. prejdces. of yr minds, ignorce. pride, & ye influnce. of interst.d. & crafty indivd.ls. amg. ym †

wh. fel yms somethg. in ye prest. ordr. of things, ′ & fear t. becme. nothg. in any other. ″

yse persns. inculcte. a sanctmons revce. fr. ye custms. of yr ancestrs. ′ yt wt-soevr. y. did mst. b. dne. yro all time †

yt Reasn. is a false guide, ′ & t. advnce. undr. it’s counsl. in yr Physl. Morl or Politl. condn. ′ is perilous inovn. †

yt yr duty is t. remn. as yr Creatr mde ym ′ ignorce. beg. safety, & knolege full of danger. ″

in short, my frds. amg. ym als. is seen ′ ye actn. & counteractn. of good sense & of bigotry. ″

y. t. hve yr Anti-Philosphsts. ′ wh. find an interst. in kepg. yngs in yr prest. sta. †

wh. dread reformn ′ & exert al yr facults. t. maintn. ye ascndcy. of habt. ovr ye dut. of improvg. or. reasn. & obeyg it’s mandtes. ′

In givg. yse outlines I d. nt mean f. c. ′ t. arogte. t. myself ye mert. of ye measres. ″

yt is due in ye 1st. pla. t. ye reflectg. charactr. of or. cits at large wh. b. ye wt of pblc. opn inflce. & strgthn ye pblc. measres. ″

it is due t. ye sound discretn. ′ wth. whch. y. selct. frm. amg. themselves6 ′ yos t. whm. y. confide ye legislve duties. ″

it is due t. ye zeal & wisdm. of ye charct.rs. yus selectd. ′ wh. lay ye foundn of pblc hapness. in wholsme. laws, ′ ye exn of wch alne. remns. fr others ″

& it is due t. ye able & faithfl. auxilries. ′ whse patriotsm. hs asociatd ym wth. me in ye executive functions. ″

Durg. ys course of admn, ′ & in ordr. t. distrb. it, † ye artilry. of ye Press hs. bn. leveld. agt. us ′ chargd wth wt-soevr it’s licentness. cd devise or dare. ″

yse abuses of an instn ′ s. importt. t. fredm. & science ′ r deepl. t. b. regrt.d. † inasmch as y. tnd. t. lesn. it’s usefnss. & to sap it’s safety. ″

they mt perhaps7 hve. bn. corct.d. ′ b. ye wholsme. punmts. † reservd. t. & provd.d. b. ye laws of ye sevl. sta. ′ agt falsehd. & defamn. ″

bt. pblc. duts. more urgt. ′ pres on ye ti. of pblc. servts. † & ye ofendrs. hve therefore8 bn left t. find yr punmt in ye public indignn. ″

Nor ws. it uninterst.g. t. world ′ yt an expermt shd. b. fairly & fully made9

Whethr. fredm. of discusn. ′ unaidd. b. powr † is nt sft. fr. ye propgn & protectn. of truth ″ ?

Whethr. a govmt condct.g. itslf. ′ in ye true spirt. of it’s constn ′ wth zeal & purity †

& dog. no act wch. it wd. b. unwilg. ye who. world shd. witnss. cn b. writn. down b. falsehd. & defamn? ″

ye expermt hs. bn. tried. ″—y. hve. witns.d. ye scene. ″—or. f. c. hve. lokd. on cool & colct.d. ′—y. saw ye latnt source frm wch. yse outrags proced †

y. gathr.d. around yr pblc. functn.ries. ′ & whn. ye Constn cald. ym t. ye decs.n. b. sufrge. ′ y. pronn.ced. yr † verdict10

honble. t. yos wh. hd. servd ym ′ & consoltry. t. ye frnd. of Man † wh. belves. h. m. b. trustd. ′ wth. ye control of hs. own afairs. ″

No inferce. is here intnd.d. yt ye laws provd.d. b. ye stas. agt. false & defamty. pblcns ′ shd nt b. enforcd. ″

h. wh. hs. time rendrs. a servce. t. pblc morls. & pblc. tranql.ty. ′ in reformg. yse abuss. b. ye salutry. coercns. of ye law. ″

bt. ye experm.t. is notd. t. prove ′ yt snce. trth. & reasn. hve maintn.d. yr grd ′ agt. false opns in legue. wth false facts

ye Press confind. t. truth, ′ needs n. othr. legl. restraint. ″

ye pblc. jdmt wll. corct. false resngs & opns ′ on a ful hearg. of al parts. † & n. othr. defte. line cn b. drn. ′ betwn. ye inestmble. libty. of ye Prss. & it’s demorl.g. licntnss. ″

if yre b. still improprieties ′ wch. ys rule wd. nt. restrn. † it’s Suplemt mst. b. sought in ye Censorshp. of publ. opn.

Contemplt.g. ye unn. of sentmt now manfestd so generally11 ′ as augr.g. harmon. & hapinss. t. or futre course ′ I ofr. t. or. countr. sincre. congrtlns ″

wth. yos t. nt yet ralld t. ye same point, ′ ye dispsn t. d. so is gaing. strength. ″—facts r piercg yro ye veil drawn ovr ym ′

& or. doubtg. brethrn. wll. at length see, ′ yt ye mas of yr f. c. wth. whm. y. cn.t. yet reslve t. act † as to princples. and measures12 ynk as y. ynk & desre. wt y. desre. ″

yt or wsh as well as yrs is, ′ yt ye pblc. efrts. m. b. dirct.d. honestly. t. ye pblc. good: † yt peace b. cultvd. ′ civl. & religs. libty. unassailed ′

law & ordr. preservd. ′ equalty. of rts. maintn.d. ′ & yt sta. of propty. eql. or uneql. wch reslts. t. evry. mn frm. hs own industry. or yt of hs. fathers. ″

whn. satsfd. of yse views, ′ it is nt. in humn. natre. yt y. shd nt aprove & suprt ym. ″

in ye mean ti. let us chersh. ym wth. patient afectn. † lt us d. ym justce. & more yn justce. ′ in all competns. of interest: †

& w. need nt doubt ′ yt trth. reasn. & yr own interests wll. at length13 prevail, † wll gathr ym int. ye fold of yr country: †

& wll. complte. yt entire union of opn ′ wch gives t. a natn. ye blesg. of harmny. & ye beneft. of al it’s strength. ″

I shll. now entr. on ye duts. t. wch. my f. c. hve agn. cald. m. † & shll. proced in ye spirt of yos princples. ′ wch y. hve aprovd. ″

I fear nt. yt an. motves. of intst. ′ m. lead m. astray. ″—I am sensble. of n. pasn. ′ wch. cd. sedce. m. knowg.ly. frm ye path of justce. ″

bt. ye weaknss.s. of humn. natre. & ye limts. of m. own undstd.g. ′ wll. prodce. errs. of jdmt somtis. ′ injurs. t. your interests. ″

I shll need yrf. al ye indulgce. ′ wch I hve heretofre. experd. frm. m. constt.nts. †—ye want of it wll. certnly. nt. lessen ′ wth. increasg. years. ″

I shll. need too ye favr. of yt beg. ′ in whse. hnds. w. r ″ who led or. fathrs. ′ as Israel of old frm. yr natve. land †

wh. plantd. ym in a country ′ flowg wth al ye necesries. of life: † wh. hs. covd or infancy. wth his provd.ce. ′ & or ripr yrs. wth hs wisdm. & powr. †

& t. whse. godnss. I ask y. ′ t. join wth. m. in suplcns † yt h. wll. s. enlightn. ye mnds. of yr. servts. ′ guide yr councls. ′ & prospr yr measures †

yt wt-soevr. y. d. shll. result in yr. good, ′ & shll. secre. t. y. ye peace, frdshp, & aprobn of all nations. ″

MS (DLC: TJ Papers, 147:25716); in TJ’s hand; undated; words in block printing shown in small capitals.

1Word interlined in place of “law.”

2Word interlined.

3Preceding two words interlined.

4Word interlined in place of “fear” (see Document XIII).

5TJ here canceled “ye licents. violnce. of” (see Document XIII).

6Preceding two words interlined in place of “yr own bod” (see Document XIII).

7Word interlined in place of “indd.” (see Document XIII).

8Word interlined.

9Word written over “[tried].”

10TJ first wrote “sentence †”; he canceled the word and substituted “verdict” at the end of the line (see Document XIII).

11Preceding two words interlined.

12Preceding five words interlined.

13Preceding two words interlined.

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