The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
FOREIGN RELATIONS / EUROPEAN WAR
You have understood that the revolutionary movements in Europe had,
by industry and artifice, been wrought into objects of terror even to
this country, and had really involved a great portion of our
well-meaning citizens in a panic which was perfectly unaccountable,
and during the prevalence of which they were led to support measures
the most insane. They are now pretty thoroughly recovered from it, and
sensible of the mischief which was done, and preparing to be done, had
their minds continued a little longer under that derangement. The
recovery bids fair to me complete, and to obliterate entirely the line
of party division which had been so strongly drawn. Not that their
late leaders have come over, or ever can come over. But they stand, at
present, almost without followers. The principal of them have
retreated into the judiciary as a stronghold, the tenure of which
renders it difficult to dislodge them.
to Joe Barlow,14 March 1801
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