Notes toward a bibliography of Dr. Cornelius Camden Blatchly, with links and a letter from Thomas Jefferson:
- C. C. Blatchly to James Madison, May 6, 1815.
- Some causes of popular poverty, in The pleasures of contemplation: being a desultory investigation of the harmonies, beauties, and benefits of nature. Philadelphia : Eastwick & Stacy, 1817.
- —. in The Beauties of Philanthropy. New York, 1839.
- An essay on fasting, and on abstinence. New-York : Printed by C.S. Van Winkle, 1818.
- [1819 request to Common Council of the City of New York regarding taxes assessed in lieu of military service. (1)(2)]
- Minutes of the Common Council of the City of New York, 1784-1831 [report of communication from Blatchly]
- An essay on common wealths. New York : New-York Society for Promoting Communities, 1822
- “The aim of Antimasons and the Working Man are Similar.” Working Man’s Advocate, Dec. 5, 1829.
- Sabbath Mail Concern. Working Man’s Advocate, Dec. 19, 1829.
- “Caution Against the Golden Bible.” New York Telescope, New-York, Saturday, February 20, 1830.
- Sunday tract. Philadelphia?, 1828.
- Barton, Michael H. Something New, Comprising a New and Perfect Alphabet Containing 40 Distinct Characters, Calculated to Illustrate All the Various Sounds of the Human Voice. Boston, 1833. [contains 2 pages of communications with Blatchly.]
Letter of Thomas Jefferson To Cornelius Camden Blatchly.
Monticello, October 21, 1822.
SIR
I return thanks for the pamphlet you have been so kind as to send me on the subject of commonwealths. Its moral principles merit entire approbation, its philanthropy especially, and its views of the equal rights of man. That, on the principle of a communion of property, small societies may exist in habits of virtue, order, industry, and peace, and consequently in a state of as much happiness as Heaven has been pleased to deal out to imperfect humanity, I can readily conceive, and indeed, have seen its proofs in various small societies which have been constituted on that principle. But I do not feel authorized to conclude from these that an extended society, like that of the United States, or of an individual State, could be governed happily on the same principle. I look to the diffusion of light and education as the resource most to be relied on for ameliorating the condition, promoting the virtue, and advancing the happiness of man. That every man shall be made virtuous, by any process whatever, is, indeed, no more to be expected, than that every tree shall be made to bear fruit, and every plant nourishment. The brier and bramble can never become the vine and olive; but their asperities may be softened by culture, and their properties improved to usefulness in the order and economy of the world. And I do hope that, in the present spirit of extending to the great mass of mankind the, blessings of instruction, I see a prospect of great advancement in the happiness of the human race; and that this may proceed to an indefinite, although not to an infinite degree. Wishing every success to the views of your society which their hopes can promise, and thanking you most particularly for the kind expressions of your letter towards myself, I salute you with assurances of great esteem and respect.
