be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide, whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.  But I should mean, that every man should receive those papers, and be capable of reading them.  I am convinced that those societies (as the Indians), which live without government, enjoy in their general mass an infinitely greater degree of happiness, than those who live under the European governments.  Among the former, public opinion is in the place of law, and restrains morals as powerfully as laws ever did any where.  Among the latter, under pretence of governing, they have divided their nations into two classes, wolves and sheep.  I do not exaggerate.  This is a true picture of Europe.  Cherish, therefore, the spirit of our people, and keep alive their attention.  Do not be too severe upon their errors, but reclaim them by enlightening them.  If once they become inattentive to the public affairs, you, and I, and Congress, and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves.  It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions:  and experience declares, that man is the only animal which devours his own kind; for I can apply no milder term to the governments of Europe, and to the general prey of the rich on the poor.  The want of news has led me into disquisition instead of narration, forgetting you have every day enough of that.  I shall be happy to hear from you sometimes, only observing, that whatever passes through the post is read, and that when you write what should be read by myself only, you must be so good as to confide your letter to some passenger, or officer of the packet.  I will ask your permission to write to you sometimes, and to assure you of the esteem and respect with which I have the honor to be,

Dear Sir, your most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER XLIV—­TO JAMES MADISON, January 30, 1787 *

TO JAMES MADISON.

Paris, January 30, 1787.

[* The latter part of this letter is in cipher; but appended to the copy preserved, are explanatory notes, which have enabled us to publish it entire, except a few words, to which they afford no key.  These are either marked thus * * *, or the words, which the context seemed to require, inserted in italics.]

Dear Sir,

My last to you was of the 16th of December; since which I have received yours of November the 25th and December the 4th, which afforded me, as your letters always do, a treat on matters public, individual and economical.  I am impatient to learn your sentiments on the late troubles in the Eastern States.  So far as I have yet seen, they do not appear to threaten serious consequences.  Those States have suffered by the stoppage of the channels of their commerce,