While the presidential election was taking place in the house of representatives， amid scenes of great excitement， strife andintrigue， which was to decide whether jefferson or burr should be the chief magistrate of the nation， jefferson was stopped oneday， as he was coming out of the senate chamber， by governormorris， a prominent leader of the federalists.

Mr. morris said， “I wish to have an earnest talk with you， Mr. jefferson， on the alarming situation of things.”

“I am very glad， ”said jefferson， “to talk matters over with you.”

“As you well know，” said Mr.morris，“I have been stren-uously opposing you， as have also the large majority of the states.”

“To be frank with you， ”he continued， “We are very much afraid of you. We fear， first， that you will turn all the federalists out of office;second， that you will put down the navy;third， that you will wipe off the public debt. Now， if you will declare， or authorize your friends to declare that you will not take these steps， your election will be made sure.”

Mr.jefferson replied， “governor morris， I naturally want to be president， and yet I cannot make any terms to obtain the? position. I shall never go into the office by capitulation. I cannot have my hands tied by any conditions which would hinder me from pursuing the measures which i deem best for the public good. I must be perfectly free. The world canjudge my future course by that which I have hitherto followed. I am thankful to you for your interest， but I cannot make the slightest promise.”

當總統(tǒng)選舉正在眾議院進行的時候，在決定到底應該是杰斐遜還是博爾作國家總統(tǒng)的異常激烈而又充滿斗爭和陰謀的一幕幕當中，一天，正當杰斐遜走出參議院的時候，他被莫里斯州長，一個卓越的北部聯(lián)邦同盟盟員的領導人攔住了。

莫里斯先生說：“杰斐遜先生，我想就這一令人擔憂的形勢和你進行一次誠懇的交談。”

“我非常愿意，”杰弗遜說，“和你討論這些問題?！?/p>

“正像你所熟知的那樣，” 莫里斯先生說，“我一直都在堅決反對你，就象美國的絕大多數(shù)人那樣。我們都很怕你。我們擔心，第一，你會把所有的聯(lián)邦主義者趕出政府。第二，你會削減海軍。第三，你會了結公債?，F(xiàn)在，如果你宣布，或者授權你的朋友們宣布你將不采取這些措施，那么你的選舉就會得到保證?！?/p>

杰斐遜先生回答道：“莫里斯州長，我自然想當總統(tǒng)，然而我不能為獲得這一職位而達成任何協(xié)議。我將永遠也不會通過投降而就職的。我的雙手不能被任何將妨礙我追求那些我認為對公眾利益最有利的措施的情況所束縛。我必須完全自由。世界可以判斷迄今為止我一直在遵循的未來的路線。我感謝你對此的興趣，但我不能做絲毫的承諾?！?/p>