Jefferson's conduct, and so much the more
honorable, as themselves had been witnesses to it. And Mr. George
Nicholas took a conspicuous occasion afterwards, of his own free will,
and when the matter was entirely at rest, to retract publicly the
erroneous opinions he had been led into on that occasion, and to make
just reparation by a candid acknowledgment of them.
LETTER XXV.--TO DOCTORS ROGERS AND SLAUGHTER, March 2, 1806
TO DOCTORS ROGERS AND SLAUGHTER.
Washington, March 2, 1806.
Gentlemen,
I have received the favor of your letter of February the 2nd, and read
with thankfulness its obliging expressions respecting myself. I regret
that the object of a letter from persons whom I so much esteem, and
patronized by so many other respectable names, should be beyond the
law which a mature consideration of circumstances has prescribed for my
conduct. I deem it the duty of every man to devote a certain portion of
his income for charitable purposes; and that it is his further duty to
see it so applied as to do the most good of which it is capable. This
I believe to be best insured, by keeping within the circle of his own
inquiry and information, the subjects of distress to whose relief his
contributions shall be applied. If this rule be reasonable in private
life, it becomes so necessary in my situation, that to relinquish it
would leave me without rule or compass. The applications of this kind
from different parts of our own, and from foreign countries, are far
beyond any resources within my command.
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