February 3

[In this letter dated February 3, 1809, written from Washington during the final weeks of my second term as President of the United States, I address M. Amelot de la Croix, a French military officer and author residing in Boston. This communication occurs during a period of extreme international tension, as my controversial Embargo Act had failed to halt British and French maritime aggression, forcing Congress to authorize additional troops in anticipation of an imminent war. Thanking la Croix for sending me his manuscript of a theatrical tragedy about the execution of Louis XVI, I validate his portrayal of the late king's sincere patriotism and virtuous character, which I observed firsthand during my years in Paris before the French Revolution. I explicitly predict that if war breaks out, the United States will be forced to abandon its isolationist military policy of only hiring American citizens as officers, planning to hand la Croix's military papers directly to my successor, James Madison, so the next administration can capitalize on foreign battlefield experience to defend the nation.]

I received in due time your favor of December 28th, covering the tragedy of the unfortunate Louis XVI., and I am sure you are too reasonable not to have ascribed the delay of answer which has intervened, to its true cause, the never-ceasing pressure of business which cannot be deferred. I have read the piece with great satisfaction. I recognize in Louis that purity of virtue and sincere patriotism which I knew made a part of his real character. The sound good sense and exalted sentiments he is made to utter, were proper to his character, whether actually a part of it or not. I say nothing of style, not doubting its merit, and conscious I am no judge of it in a foreign language. I believe it impossible, in any but our native tongue, to be so thoroughly sensible of the delicacy of style, which constitutes an essential merit in poetical composition, as to criticise them with correctness.

I wish that, in the prefatory piece, the character which is the subject of it, did not fall still further short of its representation than that of the principal personage in the main piece. I have never claimed any other merit than of good intentions, sensible that in the choice of measures, error of judgment has too often had its influence; and with whatever indulgence my countrymen as well as yourself, have been so kind as to view my course, yet they would certainly not know me in the picture here drawn, and would, I fear, say in the words of the poet, "Praise undeserved is satire in disguise." Were, therefore, the piece to be prepared for the press, I should certainly entreat you to revise that part with a severe eye.

I believe I mentioned to you, on a former occasion, that the late act of Congress for raising additional troops required that the officers should all be citizens of the United States. Should there be war, however, I am persuaded this policy must be abandoned, and that we must avail ourselves of the experience of other nations, in certain lines of service at least. In that expectation I shall leave with my successor the papers in my possession, from which he may be sensible of the benefits he may receive from your aid.