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To Bishop James Madison Philadelphia, Jan. 31, 1800
DEAR SIR, -- 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.
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,
your affectionate friend.
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