nd was
beginning to recover its tone, and he gladly accepted it. It was deemed
necessary that the new Confederacy should make treaties with the various
governments of Europe, and as soon as the envoys reached Paris, they drew
up a treaty such as they hoped might be negotiated. It has been described
as "the first serious attempt ever made to conduct the intercourse of
nations on Christian principles;" and, on that account, it failed. To this
failure there was, however, one exception. "Old Frederick of Prussia," as
Jefferson styled him, "met us cordially;" and with him a treaty was soon
concluded.

In May, 1785, Franklin returned to the United States, and Jefferson was
appointed minister. "You replace Dr. Franklin," said the Count of
Vergennes when Jefferson announced his appointment. "I succeed,--no one can
replace him," was the reply.

Jefferson's residence in Paris at this critical period was a fortunate
occurrence. It would be a mistake to suppose that he derived his political
principles from France:--he carried them there; but he was confirmed in
them by witnessing the injustice and misery which resulted to the common
people from the monarchical governments of Europe. To James Monroe he
wrote in June, 1785: "The pleasure of the trip [to Europe] will be less
than you expect, but the utility greater. It will make you adore your own
country,--its soil, its climate, its equality, laws, people, and manners.
My God! how little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are
in possession of and which no other people on earth enjoy! I confess I had
no idea of it myself."

To George Wythe he wrote in August, 1786: "Preach, my dear sir, a crusade
against ignorance; establish and improve the law for educating the common
people. Let our countrymen know that the people alone can protect us
against these evils; and that the tax which will be paid for this purpose
is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings,
priests, and nobles, who will rise up among us if we leave the people in
ignorance." To Madison, he wrote in January, 1787: "This is a government
of wolves over sheep." Jefferson took the greatest pains to ascertain the
condition of the laboring classes. In the course of a journey in the south
of France, he wrote to Lafayette, begging him to survey the condition of
the people for himself. "To do it most effectually," he said, "you must be
absolutely incognito; you must ferret the people out of t