to keep it out.  But it will come, and drive before it the foggy mists of Platonism which have so long obscured our atmosphere.  I am in hopes that some of the disciples of your institution will become missionaries to us, of these doctrines truly evangelical, and open our eyes to what has been so long hidden from them.  A bold and eloquent preacher would be no where listened to with more freedom than in this State, nor with more firmness of mind.  They might need a preparatory discourse on the text of ’Prove all things, hold fast that which is good,’ in order to unlearn the lesson that reason is an unlawful guide in religion.  They might startle on being first awaked from the dreams of the night, but they would rub their eyes at once, and look the spectres boldly in the face.  The preacher might be excluded by our hierophants from their churches and meeting-houses, but would be attended in the fields by whole acres of hearers and thinkers.  Missionaries from Cambridge would soon be greeted with more welcome, than from the tritheistical school of Andover.  Such are my wishes, such would be my welcomes, warm and cordial as the assurances of my esteem and respect for you.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CLXVI.—­TO JOHN ADAMS

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Monticello, November 1, 1822.

Dear Sir,

I have racked my memory and ransacked my papers, to enable myself to answer the inquiries of your favor of October the 15th; but to little purpose.  My papers furnish me nothing, my memory, generalities only.  I know that while I was in Europe, and anxious about the fate of our seafaring men, for some of whom, then in captivity in Algiers, we were treating, and all were in like danger, I formed, undoubtingly, the opinion that our government, as soon as practicable, should provide a naval force sufficient to keep the Barbary States in order; and on this subject we communicated together, as you observe.  When I returned to the United States and took part in the administration under General Washington, I constantly maintained that opinion; and in December, 1790, took advantage of a reference to me from the first Congress which met after I was in office, to report in favor of a force sufficient for the protection of our Mediterranean commerce; and I laid before them an accurate statement of the whole Barbary force, public and private.  I think General Washington approved of building vessels of war to that extent.  General Knox, I know, did.  But what was Colonel Hamilton’s opinion, I do not in the least remember.  Your recollections on that subject are certainly corroborated by his known anxieties for a close connection with Great Britain, to which he might apprehend danger from collisions between their vessels and ours.  Randolph was then Attorney General; but his opinion on the question I also entirely forget.  Some vessels of war were accordingly built and sent into the Mediterranean.