November 23

[On November 23, 1821, I wrote to Nathaniel Macon, a powerful North Carolina Senator and one of my most loyal congressional allies, to authorize the limited sharing of a previous confidential letter, while strongly urging him to ultimately burn it. I confessed my exhaustion with political opponents leaking my private correspondence for profit, yet stated I would rather risk occasional betrayal than live in cold suspicion of my friends. While I was explicitly telling Macon to "throw it into the fire" to protect my privacy, I was writing to an ally who revered my legacy too much to destroy my words, ensuring that this very complaint about public exposure would be preserved forever in the historical record.]

Absence at an occasional but distant residence, prevented my receiving your friendly letter of October 20th till three days ago. A line from my good old friends is like balm to my soul. You ask me what you are to do with my letter of September 19th? I wrote it, my dear Sir, with no other view than to pour my thoughts into your bosom. I knew they would be safe there, and I believed they would be welcome. But if you think, as you say, that "good may be done by showing it to a few well-tried friends," I have no objection to that, but ultimately you cannot do better than to throw it into the fire.

My confidence, as you kindly observed, has been often abused by the publication of my letters for the purposes of interest or vanity, and it has been to me the source of much pain to be exhibited before the public in forms not meant for them. I receive letters expressed in the most friendly and even affectionate terms, sometimes, perhaps, asking my opinion on some subject. I cannot refuse to answer such letters, nor can I do it dryly and suspiciously. Among a score or two of such correspondents, one perhaps betrays me. I feel it mortifyingly, but conclude I had better incur one treachery than offend a score or two of good people. I sometimes expressly desire that my letter may not be published; but this is so like requesting a man not to steal or cheat, that I am ashamed of it after I have done it.