n. There is one subject which will not admit a
delay till I see you. Mr. T. M. Randolph is, I believe, determined to
retire from Congress, and it is strongly his wish, and that of all here,
that you should take his place. Never did the calls of patriotism more
loudly assail you than at this moment. After excepting the federalists,
who will be twenty-seven, and the little band of schismatics, who
will be three or four (all tongue), the residue of the House of
Representatives is as well disposed a body of men as I ever saw
collected. But there is no one whose talents and standing, taken
together, have weight enough to give him the lead. The consequence is,
that there is no one who will undertake to do the public business, and
it remains undone. Were you here, the whole would rally round you in an
instant, and willingly co-operate in whatever is for the public good.
Nor would it require you to undertake drudgery in the House. There are
enough, able and willing to do that. A rallying point is all that is
wanting. Let me beseech you then to offer yourself. You never will have
it so much in your power again to render such eminent service.

Accept my affectionate salutations and high esteem.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XL.--TO JAMES MONROE, March 21, 1807

TO JAMES MONROE.

Washington, March 21, 1807.

Dear Sir,

A copy of the treaty with Great Britain came to Mr. Erskine's hands
on the last day of the session of Congress, which he immediately
communicated to us; and since that, Mr. Purviance has arrived with
an original. On the subject of it you will receive a letter from
the Secretary of State, of about this date, and one more in detail
hereafter. I should not have written, but that I perceive uncommon
efforts, and with uncommon wickedness, are making by the federal papers
to produce mischief between myself, personally, and our negotiators; and
also to irritate the British government, by putting a thousand speeches
into my mouth, not one word of which I ever uttered. I have, therefore,
thought it safe to guard you, by stating the view which we have given
out on the subject of the treaty, in conversation and otherwise; for
ours, as you know, is a government which will not tolerate the being
kept entirely in the dark, and especially on a subject so interesting
as this treaty. We immediately stated in conversation, to the members
of the legislature and others, that having, by a letter received in
January, perceived