and are looking to you as their last hope to save them from the effects of the avarice and corruption of the first agent, the revolutionary machinations of others, and the incomprehensible acquiescence of the only honest man who has assented to it.  I wish that his honesty and his political errors may not furnish a second occasion to exclaim, ’Curse on his virtues, they have undone his country.’  Cold weather, mercury at twenty degrees in the morning.  Corn fallen at Richmond to twenty shillings; stationary here.  Nicholas sure of his election, R. Jouett and Jo.  Monroe in competition for the other vote of the county.  Affection to Mrs. M. and yourself.  Adieu.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CXCIII.—­TO JAMES MADISON, April 19, 1796

TO JAMES MADISON.

Monticello, April 19, 1796.

Dear Sir,

Yours of the 4th instant came to hand the day before yesterday.  I have turned to the Conventional history, and enclose you an exact copy of what is there on the subject you mentioned.  I have also turned to my own papers, and send you some things extracted from them, which show that the recollection of the President has not been accurate, when he supposed his own opinion to have been uniformly that declared in his answer of March the 30th.  The records of the Senate will vouch for this.  My respects to Mrs. Madison.  Adieu affectionately.

Th:  Jefferson.

     [The papers referred to in the preceding.]

Extract, verbatim, from last page but one and the last page.

’Mr. King suggested that the journals of the Convention should be either destroyed, or deposited in the custody of the President.  He thought, if suffered to be made public, a bad use would be made of them by those who would wish to prevent the adoption of the constitution.

’Mr. Wilson preferred the second expedient.  He had at one time liked the first best:  but as false suggestions may be propagated, it should not be made impossible to contradict them.

’A question was then put on depositing the journals and other papers of the Convention in the hands of the President, on which New Hampshire, aye, Massachusetts, aye, Connecticut, aye, New Jersey, aye, Pennsylvania, aye, Delaware, aye, Maryland, no, Virginia, aye, North Carolina, aye, South Carolina, aye, and Georgia, aye.  This negative of Maryland was occasioned by the language of the instructions to the Deputies of that State, which required them to report to the State the proceedings of the Convention.

’The President having asked what the Convention meant should be done with the journals, &c. whether copies were to be allowed to the members, if applied for, it was resolved nem. con., “that he retain the journals and other papers subject to the order of the Congress, if ever formed under the constitution.”

‘The members then proceeded to sign the instrument,’ &c.