1820. Octr 18 Spanish liberticide measures 10 Letter 2. Public Discussion 10

Where there is no ignorance there is no […?]

In secresy in this case there is danger. True, but is that reason sufficient for

prohibiting it? By no means. Throughout the whole field of government throughout

the whole field of thought and action, look where you will you may see. Do what

is proposed there is danger forbear doing it there is still danger. Do any thing

or do nothing to avoid danger is impossible. The uncertain mischief with which

the supposed danger is pregnant is it greater in value than the certain mischief

of the proposed remedy? behold in this a question which should not ever be out

of mind.

Looking to the United States, where you may meet and form political schemes and

be all the while as secret as you please, I see all this supposed danger at its

height for forty years and not a grain of mischief from it in all that time: if

forty years if this experience be not enough for you, look at any one of the

original thirteen States or of the […?] two and twenty states, and see whether

from the very birth of them the case has not been every where the same.

True it is that if upon this part of the field of thought and action I were to

feel myself under the weight of introducing regulation coercion and prohibition,

this circumstance of secresy would be the first subject I should be for applying

them.