1John Holmes to Thomas Jefferson, 12 April 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Allow me to enclose you a communication to my constituents on the late momentous question. If it should interfere with the important subjects which crowd upon your consideration, I beg you to lay it by with many other trifles which are probably are not unfrequently, obtruded on your pr e cious time & excuse the officiousness of RC ( DLC: TJ Papers , 217:38772); subjoined to enclosure ;...
2Enclosure: John Holmes to the People of Maine, 10 April 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
A representative of the people ought generally to expect that his constituents would understand the reasons of his conduct from the arguments which each subject invites. Apologies or justifications are extraordinary efforts, and calculated to excite suspicion. A premature defence betrays a consciousness of error, or implies an indirect censure of those from whom we differ. With these...