The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
PUBLIC SERVICE / VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
When the famous Resolutions of 1765, against the Stamp-act, were
proposed, I was yet a student of law in Williamsburg. I attended the
debate, however, at the door of the lobby of the House of Burgesses,
and heard the splendid display of Mr. Henry's talents as a popular
orator. They were great indeed; such as I have never heard from any
other man. He appeared to me to speak as Homer wrote. Mr. Johnson, a
lawyer, and member from the Northern Neck, seconded the resolutions,
and by him the learning and the logic of the case were chiefly
maintained. My recollections of these transactions may be seen page 6o
of the life of Patrick Henry, by Wirt, to whom I furnished them.
In May, 1769, a meeting of the General Assembly was called by the
Governor, Lord Botetourt. I had then become a member; and to that
meeting became known the joint resolutions and address of the Lords
and Commons, of 1768-9, on the proceedings in Massachusetts.
Counter-resolutions, and an address to the King by the House of
Burgesses, were agreed to with little opposition, and a spirit
manifestly displayed itself of considering the cause of Massachusetts
as a common one. The Governor dissolved us: but we met the next day in
the Apollo of the Raleigh tavern, formed ourselves into a voluntary
Convention, drew up articles of association against the use of any
merchandise imported from Great Britain, signed and recommended them
to the people, repaired to our several counties, and were re-elected
without any other exception than of the very few who had declined
assent to our proceedings.
Nothing of particular excitement occurring for a considerable time,
our countrymen seemed to fall into a state of insensibility to our
situation; the duty on tea, not yet repealed, and the declaratory act
of a right in the British Parliament to bind us by their laws in all
cases whatsoever, still suspended over us. But a court of inquiry held
in Rhode Island in 1762, with a power to send persons to England to be
tried for offences committed here, was considered, at our session of
the spring of 1773, as demanding attention. Not thinking our old and
leading members up to the point of forwardness and zeal which the
times required, Mr. Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Francis L. Lee, Mr. Carr
and myself agreed to meet in the evening, in a private room of the
Raleigh, to consult on the state of things. There may have been a
member or two more whom I do not recollect. We were all sensible that
the most urgent of all measures was that of coming to an understanding
with all the other colonies, to consider the British claims as a
Common Cause to all, and to produce a unity of action: and, for this
purpose, that a committee of correspondence in each colony would be
the best instrument for inter-communication: and that their first
measure would probably be, to propose a meeting of deputies from every
colony, at some central place, who should be charged with the
direction of the measures which should be taken by all.
The origination of these committees of correspondence between
the colonies has been since claimed for Massachusetts . The Boston
port bill, by which that port was to be shut up on the 1st of June,
1774, arrived while we were in session in the spring of that year. The
lead in the House, on these subjects, being no longer left to the old
members, Mr. Henry, R. H. Lee, Fr. L. Lee, three or four other
members, whom I do not recollect, and myself, agreeing that we must
boldly take an equivocal stand in the line with Massachusetts,
determined to meet and con-suit on the proper measures, in the
council-chamber, for the benefit of the library in that room. We were
under conviction of the necessity of arousing our people from the
lethargy into which they had fallen, as to passing events; and thought
that the appointment of a day of general fasting and prayer would be
roost likely to call up and alarm their attention. No example of such
a solemnity had existed since the days of our distresses in the war of
'55, since which a new generation had grown up. With the help,
therefore, of Rushworth, whom we rummaged over for the revolutionary
precedents and forms of the Puritans of that day, preserved by him, we
cooked up a resolution, somewhat modernizing their phrases, for
appointing the 1st day of June, on which the port-bill was to
commence, for a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, to implore
Heaven to avert from us the evils of civil war, to inspire us with
firmness in support of our rights, and to turn the hearts of the King
and Parliament to moderation and justice.
The Governor dissolved us, as usual. We retired to the Apollo, as
before, agreed to an association, and instructed the committee of
correspondence to propose to the corresponding committees of the other
colonies, to appoint deputies to meet in Congress at such place,
annually, as should be convenient, to direct, from time to
time, the measures required by the general interest: and we declared
that an attack on any one colony, should be considered as an attack on
the whole. This was in May. We further recommended to the several
counties to elect deputies to meet at Williamsburg, the 1st of August
ensuing, to consider the state of the colony, and particularly to
appoint delegates to a general Congress, should that measure be
acceded to by the committees of correspondence generally. It was
acceded to; Philadelphia was appointed for the place, and the 5th of
September for the time of meeting. We returned home, and in our
several counties invited the clergy to meet assemblies of the people
on the 1st of June, to perform the ceremonies of the day, and to
address to them discourses suited to the occasion. The people met
generally, with anxiety and alarm in their countenances, and the
effect; of the day, through the whole colony, was like a shock of
electricity, arousing every man, and placing him erect and solidly on
his centre. They chose, universally, delegates for the convention.
Being elected one for my own county, I prepared a draught of
instructions to be given to the delegates whom we should send to the
Congress, which I meant to propose at our meeting.
I set out for Williamsburg some days before that appointed for
our meeting, but was taken ill of a dysentery on the road, and was
unable to proceed. I sent on, therefore, to Williamsburg, two copies
of my draught, the one under cover to Peyton Randolph, who I knew
would be in the chair of the convention, the other to Patrick Henry.
Whether Mr. Henry disapproved the ground taken, or was too lazy to
read it (for he was the laziest man in reading I ever knew) I never
learned: but he communicated it to nobody. Peyton Randolph informed
the convention he had received such a paper from a member, prevented
by sickness from offering it in his place, and he laid it on the table
for perusal. It was read generally by the members, approved by many,
though thought too bold for the present state of things; but they
printed it in pamphlet form, under the title of "A Summary View
of the Rights of British America." It found its way to England,
was taken up by the opposition, interpolated a little by Mr. Burke so
as to make it answer opposition purposes, and in that form ran rapidly
through several editions. This information I had from Parson Hurt, who
happened at the time to be in London, whither he had gone to receive
clerical orders; and I was informed afterwards by Peyton Randolph,
that it had procured me the honor of having my name inserted in a long
list of proscriptions, enrolled in a bill of attainder commenced in
one of the Houses of Parliament, but suppressed in embryo by the hasty
step of events, which warned them to be a little cautious.
The convention met on the 1st of August, renewed their association,
appointed delegates to the Congress, gave them instructions very
temperately and properly expressed, both as to style and matter; and
they repaired to Philadelphia at the time appointed. The splendid
proceedings of that Congress, at their first session, belong to
general history, are known to every one, and need not therefore be
noted here. They terminated their session on the 26th of October, to
meet again on the 10th of May ensuing. I took my seat with them on the
21st of June. On the 24th, a committee which had been appointed to
prepare a declaration of the causes of taking up arms, brought in
their report (drawn I believe by J. Rutledge) which, not being liked,
the House recommitted it, on the 26th, and added Mr. Dickinson and
myself to the committee. On the rising of the House, the committee
having not yet met, I happened to find myself near Governor W.
Livingston, and proposed to him to draw the paper. He excused himself
and proposed that I should draw it. On my pressing him with urgency, "we
are as yet but new acquaintances, sir," said he, "why are
you so earnest for my doing it?" "Because," said I, "I
have been informed that you drew the Address to the people of Great
Britain, a production certainly, of the finest pen in America." "On
that," says he, "perhaps, sir, you may not have been
correctly informed." I had received the information in Virginia
from Colonel Harrison on his return from that Congress. Lee,
Livingston, and Jay had been the committee for that draught. The
first, prepared by Lee, had been disapproved and recommitted. The
second was drawn by Jay, but being presented by Governor Livingston,
had led Colonel Harrison into the error. The next morning, walking in
the hall of Congress, many members being assembled, but the House not
yet formed, I observed Mr. Jay speaking to R. H. Lee, and leading him
by the button of his coat to me. "I understand, sir," said
he to me, "that this gentleman informed you, that Governor
Livingston drew the Address to the people of Great Britain." I
assured him, at once, that I had not received that information from
Mr. Lee, and that not a word had ever passed on the subject between
Mr. Lee and myself; and after some explanations the subject was
dropped. These gentlemen had had some sparrings in debate before, and
continued ever very hostile to each other.
from Notes for an Autobiography, 6 January 1821
|