A. Character
1. Character
a) To THE SECRETARY OF STATE, Philadelphia, March 3, 1797.
“I have thought it expedient to notice the publication of certain forged letters which first appeared in the year 1777,…Another crisis in the affairs of America having occurred, the same weapon has been resorted to, to wound my character and deceive the people.”
b) To REVEREND ISRAEL EVANS, Head Qrs. Valley-forge, March 13, 1778.
“It is more especially incumbent upon me to thank you for the honorable, but partial mention you have made of my character; and to assure you, that it will ever be the first wish of my heart to aid your pious endeavours to inculcate a due sense of the dependance we ought to place in that all wise and powerful Being on whom alone our success depends.”
c) To GOVERNOR JONATHAN TRUMBULL, September 21, 1775.
“It gives me real concern to observe yours of the 15th Inst. that you should think it Necessary to distinguish between my Personal and Public Character and confine your Esteem to the former.”
d) To BROWN & FRANCIS, Philadelphia, January 7, 1792.
“In my public capacity you will readily see that such a thing could not be done; and abroad, it would be almost impossible to separate my private from my official character, in a case of this kind.”
2. Deeds
a) To MAJOR GENERAL JOHN SULLIVAN, December 15, 1779.
“A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man, that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of his friends, and that the most liberal professions of good will are very far from being the surest marks of it.”
b) To PATRICK HENRY, January 15, 1799.
“The views of men can only be known, or guessed at, by their words or actions.”
B. Education
1. Education
a) To GOVERNOR ROBERT BROOKE, Philadelphia, March 16, 1795.
“It is with indescribable regret, that I have seen the youth of the United States migrating to foreign countries, in order to acquire the higher branches of erudition, and to obtain a knowledge of the Sciences. Altho’ it would be injustice to many to pronounce the certainty of their imbibing maxims, not congenial with republicanism; it must nevertheless be admitted, that a serious danger is encountered, by sending abroad among other political systems those, who have not well learned the value of their own. The time is therefore come, when a plan of Universal education ought to be adopted in the United States.”
b) To DAVID HUMPHREYS, July 25, 1785.
“If I had the talents for it, I have not leisure to turn my thoughts to Commentaries [on the Revolutionary War]. A consciousness of a defective education, and a certainty of the want of time, unfit me for such an undertaking.”
c) To NICHOLAS PIKE, June 20, 1786.
“In my opinion, every effort of genius, and all attempts towards improving useful knowledge ought to meet with encouragement in this country.”
d) To ALEXANDER HAMILTON, September 1, 1796
“Education generally [is] one of the surest means of enlightening and giving just ways of thinking to our citizens.”
2. Ignorance
a) To JOHN JAY, May 18, 1786. “Ignorance and design are difficult to combat. Out of these proceed illiberal sentiments, improper jealousies, and a train of evils which oftentimes in republican governments must be sorely felt before they can be renewed.”
3. Knowledge
a) CIRCULAR TO THE STATES Head Quarters, Newburgh, June 8, 1783.
“The foundation of our Empire was not laid in the gloomy age of Ignorance and Superstition, but at an Epocha when the rights of mankind were better understood and more clearly defined, than at any former period, the researches of the human mind, after social happiness, have been carried to a great extent, the Treasures of knowledge, acquired by the labours of Philosophers, Sages and Legislatures, through a long succession of years, are laid open for our use, and their collected wisdom may be happily applied in the Establishment of our forms of Government; the free cultivation of Letters, the unbounded extension of Commerce, the progressive refinement of Manners, the growing liberality of sentiment, and above all, the pure and benign light of Revelation, have had ameliorating influence on mankind and increased the blessings of Society. At this auspicious period, the United States came into existence as a Nation, and if their Citizens should not be completely free and happy, the fault will be entirely their own.”
4. Reading
a) To JAMES MCHENRY, May 29, 1797.
“… in this detail no mention is made of any portion of time allotted for reading; the remark would be just, for I have not looked into a book since I came home, nor shall I be able to do it until I have discharged my Workmen; probably not before the nights grow longer; when possibly, I may be looking in doomsday book.”
b) To REVEREND BOUCHER, July 9, 1771.
“I conceive a knowledge of books is the basis upon which other knowledge is to be built.”
c) To GEORGE WASHINGTON PARKE CUSTIS, November 13, 1796.
“Light reading (by this, I mean books of little importance) may amuse for the moment, but leaves nothing solid behind.”
5. Students
a) To TOBIAS LEAR, Mount Vernon, November 7, 1790.
“I lay it down as a maxim, that if the number of the pupils is too great for the tutors, justice cannot be done, be the abilities of the latter what they will. What the due proportion, beyond which it ought not to go, is in some measure matter of opinion, but an extreme must be obvious to all.”
