Name
Jay, John, 1745-1829 (Author)
Beers, William Pitt, 1766-1810 (Addressee)
Title
[Document, 1807 April 18]
Abstract
Recvd Beers' of the 2nd by Mr. Isaacs. Leads Jay to expect Beers. Beers' remarks relative to Public Affairs well founded: "Every modification of Sovereignty has its Inconveniences...There is no other than a relative Perfection in any of them." Party factions are serious evils; during "the full tide of Democracy mere Reason will find it difficult to correct [the evils] because the majority of Every People are deficient in Virtue and Knowledge." Demagogues motivated by self interest. Government power that of circumstance usually, not that of wisdom's influence on the people. Rulers "in democratic Republics are generally men of more Talents than morals...At present Democracy prevails too much." Ensuing Election for Governor: Fed Candidate should have been named or at least that party should have objected to all named or should have supported one candidate. Cannot conjecture the results of the election and its effect on the party.
Subjects
United States--History--Constitutional period, 1789-1809; Jay, John, 1745-1829
Format
correspondence
Genre
correspondence
Date
April 18, 1807
Physical Description
2 pages
Language
English
Library Location
Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University
Browse Location’s Digital Content
Also In
The papers of John Jay
Persistent URL
https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/c6zt-9d16