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Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Ed. by T.j. Randolph (1)
Memoirs Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson Ed by Tj Randolph - 1 Author:Thomas Jefferson Volume: 1 General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1829 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a m... more »illion books for free. Excerpt: CORRESPONDENCE. TO DR. WILLIAM SMALL. May 7, 1775. Dear Sia, Within this week we have received the unhappy news of an action of considerable magnitude, between the King's troops and our brethren of Boston, in which, it is said, five hundred of the former, with the Earl of Percy, are slain. That such an action has occurred, is undoubted, though perhaps the circumstances may not have reached us with truth. This accident has cut off our last hope of reconciliation, and a phrenzy of revenge, seems to have seized all ranks of people. Jt is a lamentable circumstance, that the only mediatory power, acknowledged by both parties, instead of leading to a reconciliation Ills divided people, should pursue the incendiary purpose of still blowing up the flames, as we find him constantly doing, in every speech and public declaration. This may, perhaps, be intended to intimidate into acquiescence, but the effect has been most unfortunately otherwise. A little knowledge of human nature, and attention to its ordinary workings, might have foreseen that the spirits of the people here were in a state, in which they were more likely to be provoked, than frightened, by haughty deportment And to fill up the measure of irritation, a proscription of individuals has been substituted in the room of just trial. Can it be believed, that a grateful people will suffer those to be consigned to execution, whose sole crime has been the developing and asserting their rights ? Had the Parliament possessed the power of reflection, they would have avoided a measure as impotent as it was inflammatory. When I saw Lord Chatham's ...« less