drop you, and the people, in that case, will perhaps not take you up.  Suppose a scission should take place.  The Priests and Nobles will secede, the nation will remain in place, and, with the King, will do its own business.  If violence should be attempted, where will you be?  You cannot then take side with the people in opposition to your own vote, that very vote which will have helped to produce the scission.  Still less can you array yourself against the people.  That is impossible.  Your instructions are indeed a difficulty.  But to state this at its worst, it is only a single difficulty, which a single effort surmounts.  Your instructions can never embarrass you a second time, whereas an acquiescence under them will re-produce greater difficulties every day, and without end.  Besides, a thousand circumstances offer as many justifications of your departure from your instructions.  Will it be impossible to persuade all parties, that (as for good legislation two Houses are necessary) the placing the privileged classes together in one House, and the unprivileged in another, would be better for both than a scission?  I own I think it would.  People can never agree without some sacrifices; and it appears but a moderate sacrifice in each party, to meet on this middle ground.  The attempt to bring this about might satisfy your instructions, and a failure in it would justify your siding with the people, even to those who think instructions are laws of conduct.  Forgive me, my dear friend, if my anxiety for you makes me talk of things I know nothing about.  You must not consider this as advice.  I know you and myself too well to presume to offer advice.  Receive it merely as the expression of my uneasiness, and the effusion of that sincere friendship, with which I am, my dear Sir, yours affectionately,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CXCVII.—­TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL, May 8, 1789

TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

Paris, May 8, 1789.

Dear Sir,

Your favor of January the 26th, to March the 27th, is duly received, and I thank you for the interesting papers it contained.  The answer of Don Ulloa, however, on the subject of the canal through the American isthmus, was not among them, though mentioned to be so.  If you have omitted it through accident, I shall thank you for it at some future occasion, as I wish much to understand that subject thoroughly.  Our American information comes down to the 16th of March.  There had not yet been members enough assembled of the new Congress, to open the tickets.  They expected to do it in a day or two.  In the mean time, it was said from all the States, that their vote had been unanimous for General Washington, and a good majority in favor of Mr. Adams, who is certainly, therefore, Vice-President.  The new government would be supported by very cordial and very general dispositions in its favor from the people.  I have not yet seen a list of the new Congress.