who have so committed themselves, that pride, if no other passion, will prevent their coalescing.  We must be easy with them.  The eastern States will be the last to come over on account of the dominion of the clergy, who had got a smell of union between Church and State, and began to indulge reveries which can never be realized in the present state of science.  If, indeed, they could have prevailed on us to view all advances in science as dangerous innovations, and to look back to the opinions and practices of our forefathers, instead of looking forward, for improvement, a promising groundwork would have been laid.  But I am in hopes their good sense will dictate to them, that since the mountain will not come to them, they had better go to the mountain:  that they will find their interest in acquiescing in the liberty and science of their country, and that the Christian religion, when divested of the rags in which they have enveloped it, and brought to the original purity and simplicity of its benevolent institutor, is a religion of all others most friendly to liberty, science, and the freest expansion of the human mind.

I sincerely wish with you, we could see our government so secured as to depend less on the character of the person in whose hands it is trusted.  Bad men will sometimes get in, and, with such an immense patronage, may make great progress in corrupting the public mind and principles.  This is a subject with which wisdom and patriotism should be occupied.

I pray you to accept assurances of my high respect and esteem.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CCLXXXI.—­TO WILLIAM B. GILES, March 23, 1801

TO WILLIAM B. GILES.

Washington, March 23, 1801.

Dear Sir,

I received two days ago your favor of the 16th, and thank you for your kind felicitations on my election:  but whether it will be a subject of felicitation permanently, will be for chapters of future history to say.  The important subjects of the government I meet with some degree of courage and confidence, because I do believe the talents to be associated with me, the honest line of conduct we will religiously pursue at home and abroad, and the confidence of my fellow-citizens dawning on us, will be equal to these objects.

But there is another branch of duty which I must meet with courage too, though I cannot without pain; that is, the appointments and disappointments as to offices.  Madison and Gallatin being still absent, we have not yet decided on our rules of conduct as to these.  That some ought to be removed from office, and that all ought not, all mankind will agree.  But where to draw the line, perhaps no two will agree.  Consequently, nothing like a general approbation on this subject can be looked for.  Some principles have been the subject of conversation, but not of determination; e.g. all appointments to civil offices during pleasure, made after the event of the