...are an important primary source into his thinking, especially as he got older. I find them a fascinating window into the mind of the author of our Declaration of Independence.
I like this quote from a letter to John Cartwright, dated June 5, 1824, especially as I grew up under the New England Town Meeting form of local government.
"Among other improvements, I hope they will adopt the subdivision of our counties into wards. The former may be estimated at an average of twenty-four miles square; the latter should be about six miles square each, and would answer to the hundreds of your Saxon Alfred.
"In each of these might be,
1st. An elementary school.
2nd. A company of militia, with its officers.
3rd. A justice of the peace and constable.
4th. Each ward should take care of their own poor.
5th. Their own roads.
6th. Their own police.
7th. Elect within themselves one or more jurors to attend the courts of justice;
and
8th. Give in at their Folk-house, their votes for all functionaries reserved to their election.
2nd. A company of militia, with its officers.
3rd. A justice of the peace and constable.
4th. Each ward should take care of their own poor.
5th. Their own roads.
6th. Their own police.
7th. Elect within themselves one or more jurors to attend the courts of justice;
and
8th. Give in at their Folk-house, their votes for all functionaries reserved to their election.
"Each ward would thus be a small republic within itself, and every man in the State would thus become an acting member of the common government, transacting in person a great portion of its rights and duties, subordinate indeed, yet important, and entirely within his competence. The wit of man cannot devise a more solid basis for a free, durable and well administered republic."
Note: the county works out to 576 square miles, divided into 16 wards of 36 square miles each.
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