The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
BONAPARTE, NAPOLEON / ASSESSMENT OF
Should it be really true that Bonaparte has usurped the government
with an intention of making it a free one, whatever his talents may be
for war, we have no proof that he is skilled in forming governments
friendly to the people. Wherever he has meddled we have seen nothing
but fragments of the old Roman government stuck into materials with
which they can form no cohesion: we see the bigotry of an Italian to
the ancient splendor of his country, but nothing which bespeaks a
luminous view of the organization of rational government.
to T.M. Randolph, 2 February 1800
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