CHAP. XII.] CHARACTER OF NEW ENGLAND CLERGY.

649

which, in his judgment, involved the moral interests of his flock. He watched, he warned, he fulminated. Restless and unceasing was his vigilance against that dreadful adversary who prowled around his flock, now in the guise of Indian foes-now in the more dangerous one of a brother dissenter, differing from his own and consequently the infallible standard in the administration of some holy rite-now listened to the incantations of weird old women and brought dire ailments on God's chosen people-now concealed himself under the broad brim of a Quaker-now with golden ringlets and flying feet allured youths to the dance and other carnal amusements, which caused them to make idols of the things of this world, and diverted them from that holy contemplation which was the constant duty of sojourners in this vale of tears, when not engaged in providing for the necessary wants of the body.

To guard against this subtle foe, it was necessary to meet him everywhere-to meet him on the threshold of the fold. His first insidious approach must be descried, and the lambs of the flock taught to penetrate all his disguises. The secret forbidden amusements must be discovered and prevented. The first uttering or listening to profane or heterodox ideas must be sedulously repressed. Improper attachments, intimacies with carnal selfseekers or those of unsound faith, following of vain babblers, preferences for magistrates not chosen of the church and zealous unto slaying, must be known and weeded out before they acquired dangerous strength. All this required perfect knowledge of and a constant interference in the most private domestic and individual concerns. All this the zealous spiritual guide knew and interfered in. He admonished in private, and if this failed, he resorted to that pulpit denunciation which soon rendered the persisting offender a sorrow and a scorn to his nearest kindred. He thus controlled the social as well as the religious and civil organization.

The New England Calvinist, towards the close of the eighteenth century, had put off the austerity and bigotry of the Puritan. Royal governors had made destructive inroads on the hierophantic authority. Republican commonwealths had succeeded to royal governors. The civil administration haċ ceased to be absorbed in and entirely dependent on the church The authority of the spiritual guide was no longer paramount. Still it was powerful.

650

CHARACTER OF NEW ENGLAND CLERGY.

[CHAP. XII.

Still the New England clergy were able, energetic men, educated well in their profession, and versed in the art of controlling associations of men. The iron New England industry and the compact New England mind, would endure neither drones nor weak expounders of the word. New England utilitarianism would have "the worth of its money" even from the pulpit. Still the New England clergyman, by tradition and custom, was in all things the moral adviser of his people.

How could it be otherwise among such precedents, and with a clergy thus constituted? In performing the daily duties of their charge with patient and unslacking zeal—in watching over and entreating the young-in fearlessly admonishing the old— in undauntedly attacking vice in high places—in guarding the rights and administering to the wants of the poor and the fatherless-in protecting the orphans of their people-in braving squalor and pestilence to stand over the bed-side of the dyingin advancing within the dangerous verge of the battle, or braving the winter tempest, to save the life of the bleeding soldier or the stranded mariner, or to administer the consolations of religion to the perishing-in promoting intellectual as well as moral culture—in establishing useful institutions of learning— in founding noble charities-in inculcating a resolute patriotism, and a sound, vigorous moral system-no clergy ever did or ever can excel that of the Puritan church of New England.

Never did Mr. Jefferson err more palpably than when he charged these men with being the foes of science. Should the history of every college and academy in New England be investigated (and New England has as many and as well supported institutions of these kinds as any equal number of people on the globe), we venture to assert that it will be ascertained that in more than four cases out of five, they owed their foundation to the efforts of clergymen.

But these men had their disagreeable qualities and their rough side. They were thick, gnarled New England oaks, which had rooted in the crevices of the rocks, and grown up under bleak skies and amidst wintry tempests-not the tall, graceful palms of the tropics. They lacked the finishing touches of that elegant culture which softens while it polishes. They lacked the amenities and delicacies of high social refinement. They retained a good deal of the dogmatism and contentiousness of the Puritan. They felt the importance of their profession, and

СНАР. ХІІ.] THEIR HOSTILITY TO JEFFERSON.

651

wielded its custom-established prerogatives rather as rights than as indulgences. They were clannish in their church, in their local, in their political, and even in their personal feelings. When they went up into the temple they were disposed to thank God that they were not born out of New England or out of its dominant church. To depart from either of these standards was to incur their pitying disapprobation. To directly oppose either, was to provoke their vehement and simultaneous attack. And when the signal sounded, and some thousand New England pulpits took the same side, and invoked the people to take a particular course as one they owed to moral duty, no resistance in New England had ever stood up successfully against them, or could prevent the election in that entire section of the Union of a nearly compact body of civil officers, from the highest to the lowest, State and federal, who represented the same views and the same spirit.

Mr. Jefferson had given the New England clergy special causes of offence. He was of the opposite party. He was a candidate against a New England candidate. He was the head of the "Virginia dynasty," which struggled for supremacy with "New England influence" in the national councils. He was the leader of the agricultural interest, which contested various points of public policy with the maritime and commercial interests of the eastern States. He belonged to the party which sympathized with France, and therefore he was certainly a Jacobin, and, presumably, an infidel. He had ventured to offer scientific cosmic explanations and suggestions, and consequently he had questioned the Mosaic record, and was an "atheist." He had "invited" "Tom Paine" over to America in a national vessel, and this was undeniable proof he meditated an aggressive attack on the rights and even the existence of the church!

No one can complain at this period of wide sweeping infidelity, that the church made a special and determined effort to maintain its ground. No one can complain or wonder that the church champions gave as well as took rough and resolute blows. Buttoned foils are not the weapons to be relied on against sharp swords and in pressing extremity.

But the New England clergy attacked Mr. Jefferson personally-attacked his moral and religious character-without a particle of aggressive provocation and without any real

652

MUTUAL MISTAKES.

[CHAP. XII. knowledge concerning him in these particulars. If they acted unjustly, we have no doubt they acted sincerely. They completely misunderstood him. He equally misunderstood them, and the motives of their attack. This state of things continued throughout the life of that generation, and there are not wanting representatives and successors of both the parties, who appear anxious to perpetuate it through all time by fiercely reiterating invectives unproven and improbable when first uttered -absurd even in the mouths of enraged combatants—and despicable and purely malicious when kept up by men in cold blood who had no connection with the original dispute.

CHAPTER XIII.

1801-1802.

Changes called for in the Scale of our Narrative-The first important Question to be determined by the Administration-Appointments and Removals-Jefferson to Dr. Rush on the Subject-His Moderation not relished by all of his own Party-His Policy considered-Its Success-Federal Murmurs-The Removal of Goodrich-Memorial of New Haven Merchants thereon and President's Reply-Spirit of Connecticut Federalism exemplified-Correspondence between General Knox and the President-President lays down a Rule in regard to appointing his Relatives to Office-His Letter to Samuel Adams-To Gerry-He visits Home-Domestic affairs-Letters to Mrs. Eppes-He returns to Washington-Commodore Dale sent with a Fleet to the MediterraneanInsults of the Barbary Powers-President's Letter to Foreign-born Citizens-Forms and Maxims of Administration established-Anecdote of Abolition of Levees-Letters to Mrs. Eppes-President passes the Unhealthy Season at home-His inofficial Letter to Livingston on the Subjects of his Mission-Letter to Short on the Impropriety of long Diplomatic Tenures-Rules of Official Intercourse between President and Cabinet established-Letter to Monroe in respect to colonizing Insurgent Blacks of Virginia— Letters to Mrs. Eppes-Result of State Elections of 1801-Meeting of Congress-Distinguished Members-Organization-President discontinues Executive Speeches-The Days of State Ceremonials passed-President's first Annual Message-Its Mode of making Recommendations to Congress-Its Contents attacked by the Federalists-The published Strictures of Hamilton-His Positions and Manner of treating the President— His Eulogium on the Constitution which he accuses Jefferson of attacking-His private Denunciation of the Constitution within two months of same date-First Struggle of Parties in Congress on admitting Reporters-Breckenridge moves the Repeal of Judiciary Act of preceding Session-The Constitutional Power to repeal-President's Attitude on the Question-Opposition of the Federalists-Passage of the Bill-A second Judiciary Bill-The Census, and the Apportionment Bill-Military Peace Establishment -Diminution of Civil Officers and Reduction of Salaries-Internal Taxes abolishedThe Naturalization Laws restored to their former Footing-Redemption of the Public Debt-Law to regulate Indian Trade and Intercourse-The general Change in the Spirit of the Government-The Nolo Episcopari of the President carried out-Randolph's Tribute on this subject-Sightless Cyclops in the ascendant, and Wise Ulysses grumbling among elderly Ladies and writing History.

Ir would perhaps be expected, in the ordinary course of biography, that having reached the period of Mr. Jefferson's own administration of our government, our narrative of public events, of Cabinet and Congressional affairs, and of the political history of the times generally, would become more minute than