- [Note - Adam Wishaupt (or Weishaupt) was a professor
in Ingolstadt. The Illuminati, organized shortly after 1776, were an offshoot
of Freemasonry. They were banned in Bavaria in 1785. Wishaupt and the Illuminati
are the stock in trade villains of generations of ultra-right conspiracy
buffs, who see them as ongoing plotters for a world government. Also, the
Bishop James Madison that Jefferson wrote to is not the James Madison who
is known as 'the Father of the Constitution.' - LB]
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- I have received your favor of the 17th, & communicated
it to Mr. Smith. I lately forwarded your letter from Dr. Priestley, endorsed
'with a book'; I struck those words through with my pen, because no book
had then come. It is now received, & shall be forwarded to Richmond
by the first opportunity: but such opportunities are difficult to find;
gentlemen going in the stage not liking to take charge of a packet which
is to be attended to every time the stage is changed. The best chance will
be by some captain of a vessel going round to Richmond. I shall address
it to the care of Mr. George Jefferson there.
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- I have lately by accident got a sight of a single volume
(the 3d.) of the Abbe Barruel's 'Antisocial conspiracy,' which gives me
the first idea I have ever had of what is meant by the Illuminatism against
which 'illuminate Morse' as he is now called, & his ecclesiastical
& monarchical associates have been making such a hue and cry. Barruel's
own parts of the book are perfectly the ravings of a Bedlamite. But he
quotes largely from Wishaupt whom he considers as the founder of what he
calls the order. As you may not have had an opportunity of forming a judgment
of this cry of 'mad dog' which has been raised against his doctrines, I
will give you the idea I have formed from only an hour's reading of Barruel's
quotations from him, which you may be sure are not the most favorable.
Wishaupt seems to be an enthusiastic Philanthropist. He is among those
(as you know the excellent Price and Priestley also are) who believe in
the indefinite perfectibility of man. He thinks he may in time be rendered
so perfect that he will be able to govern himself in every circumstance
so as to injure none, to do all the good he can, to leave government no
occasion to exercise their powers over him, & of course to render political
government useless. This you know is Godwin's doctrine, and this is what
Robinson, Barruel & Morse had called a conspiracy against all government.
Wishaupt believes that to promote this perfection of the human character
was the object of Jesus Christ. That his intention was simply to reinstate
natural religion, & by diffusing the light of his morality, to teach
us to govern ourselves. His precepts are the love of god & love of
our neighbor. And by teaching innocence of conduct, he expected to place
men in their natural state of liberty & equality. He says, no one ever
laid a surer foundation for liberty than our grand master, Jesus of Nazareth.
He believes the Free masons were originally possessed of the true principles
& objects of Christianity, & have still preserved some of them
by tradition, but much disfigured. The means he proposes to effect this
improvement of human nature are 'to enlighten men, to correct their morals
& inspire them with benevolence. Secure of our success, sais he, we
abstain from violent commotions. To have foreseen the happiness of posterity
& to have prepared it by irreproachable means, suffices for our felicity.
The tranquility of our consciences is not troubled by the reproach of aiming
at the ruin or overthrow of states or thrones.' As Wishaupt lived under
the tyranny of a despot & priests, he knew that caution was necessary
even in spreading information, & the principles of pure morality. He
proposed therefore to lead the Free masons to adopt this object & to
make the objects of their institution the diffusion of science & virtue.
He proposed to initiate new members into his body by gradations proportioned
to his fears of the thunderbolts of tyranny. This has given an air of mystery
to his views, was the foundation of his banishment, the subversion of the
masonic order, & is the colour for the ravings against him of Robinson,
Barruel & Morse, whose real fears are that the craft would be endangered
by the spreading of information, reason, & natural morality among men.
This subject being new to me, I have imagined that if it be so to you also,
you may receive the same satisfaction in seeing, which I have had in forming
the analysis of it: & I believe you will think with me that if Wishaupt
had written here, where no secrecy is necessary in our endeavors to render
men wise & virtuous, he would not have thought of any secret machinery
for that purpose. As Godwin, if he had written in Germany, might probably
also have thought secrecy & mysticism prudent. I will say nothing to
you on the late revolution of France, which is painfully interesting. Perhaps
when we know more of the circumstances which gave rise to it, & the
direction it will take, Buonaparte, its chief organ, may stand in a better
light than at present. I am with great esteem, dear sir,
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- your affectionate friend.
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- Th. Jefferson
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