foundation laid for a government truly republican. These laws he thus culogizes. "The repeal of the laws of entail would prevent the accumulation and perpetuation of wealth, in select families, and preserve the soil of the country from being daily more and more absorbed in mortmain. The abolition of primogeniture, and equal partition of inheritances, removed the feudal and unnatural distinctions which made one member of every family rich, and all the rest poor; substituting equal partition, the best of all Agrarian laws. The restoration of the rights of conscience relieved the people from taxation for the support of a religion not theirs; for the establishment was truly the religion of the rich, the dissenting sects being entirely composed of the less wealthy people; and these, by the bill for a general education, would be qualified to understand their rights, to maintain them, and to exercise with intelligence their parts in self-government: and all this would be effected, without the violation of a single natural right of any one individual citizen. To these, too, might be added, as a further security, the introduction of the trial by jury into the chancery courts, which have already ingulfed, and continue to ingulf, so great a proportion of the jurisdiction over our property."

In the beginning of this year, the removal of the troops captured at Saratoga, under General Burgoyne, from Boston to Virginia, afforded Mr. Jefferson an opportunity of exhibiting liberality towards the enemies of his country, and, in the exercise of the rites of hospitality, of softening the rigours of captivity. These troops had reached Albemarle early in 1779, and were stationed five miles north of Charlottesville. Some deviation from the courtesy of modern warfare might have been excusably withheld from these prisoners, from the odiousness of the cause in which they were engaged, but humane and generous sentiments prevailed, and the interchange of civility begat a kindness of feeling which in some cases ripened into friendship. He contributed to make the situation of all the prisoners more comfortable, and those officers who were recommended by their manners, taste for letters, or music, were often his guests. The merit of these attentions was enhanced by the delicacy which VOL. I.-16

1

accompanied them. In reply to a card from Major-General Phillips, Mr. Jefferson says: "The great cause which divides our countries is not to be decided by individual animosities. The harmony of private societies cannot weaken national efforts. To contribute by neighbourly intercourse and attention to make others happy, is the shortest and surest way of being happy ourselves. As these sentiments seem to have directed your conduct, we should be as unwise as illiberal, were we not to preserve the same temper of mind."

*

To Major-General Reidésel, who commanded the Hessian troops, he wrote: "The little attentions you are pleased to magnify so much, never deserved a mention or thought. Opposed as we happen to be in our sentiments of duty and honour, and anxious for contrary events, I shall nevertheless sincerely rejoice in every circumstance of happiness and safety which may attend you personally." The example of Mr. Jefferson was followed by most of the wealthier inhabitants of the county, and many of the officers, both English and German, have borne grateful testimony to the polite and hospitable character of the Virginians, and of Mr. Jefferson, in particular.

These troops had not been long in Albemarle before it was proposed to remove them to some place where it would be easier to furnish them with the necessary supplies, and where it would be found less practicable for the prisoners to desert. On hearing this, Mr. Jefferson addressed a long letter to Governor Henry, in which he set forth so many strong reasons against their removal from Albemarle, that they were permitted to remain. He

*The lady of this officer, who was a German baron, after her return to her own country, published the letters she had written to her friends, during her residence in Albemarle, which were translated by Mr. Wallenstein, of the Russian Legation, about ten years ago, and thus republished in Philadelphia. She is still recollected, or lately was, by some of the oldest inhabitants, as a handsome, agreeable woman, but somewhat of an Amazon in stature, dress, and in riding, according to the fashion in Germany, like a man.

The letters are amusing-not the less, perhaps, for a seasoning of scandal-and bear grateful testimony to Mr. Jefferson's hospitalities. The General lived at Collé, then the property of the well known Mazzei, and where his vineyard was then in the course of experiment.

urged the healthiness of the spot, its central position, equally secure from attacks from the east and the west, and that the prisoners themselves would be deprived of those comforts which they had now gathered around them.

A part of this document seems to deserve transcribing, not only for its liberal sentiments, in strict accordance with its author's conduct towards the prisoners, but also for the pleasing picture it exhibits of the efforts made by the troops to beguile the tedium of inaction, and the irksomeness of captivity.

"It is for the benefit of mankind to mitigate the horrors of war as much as possible. The practice, therefore, of modern nations of treating captive enemies with politeness and generosity, is not only delightful in contemplation, but really interesting to all the world, friends, foes, and neutrals. Let us apply this: the officers, after considerable hardships, have all procured quarters, comfortable and satisfactory to them. In order to do this, they were obliged, in many instances, to hire houses for a year, certain, and at such exorbitant rents, as were sufficient to tempt independent owners to go out of them, and shift as they could. These houses, in most cases, were much out of repair. They have repaired them at a considerable expense. One of the general officers has taken a place for two years, advanced the rent for the whole time, and been obliged, moreover, to erect additional buildings, for the accommodation of a part of his family, for which there was not room in the house rented. Independent of the brick work, for the carpentry of these additional buildings, I know he is to pay fifteen hundred dollars. The same gentleman, to my knowledge, has paid to one person three thousand six hundred and seventy dollars, for different articles, to fix himself commodiously. They have, generally, laid in their stocks of grain, and other provisions; for it is well known that officers do not live on their rations. They have purchased cows, sheep, &c.; set into farming; prepared their gardens, and have a prospect of quiet and comfort before them. To turn to the soldiers-the environs of the barracks are delightful, the ground cleared, laid off in hundreds of gardens, each inclosed in its separate paling; these well prepared, and

exhibiting a fine appearance. General Reidésel alone laid out upwards of two hundred pounds in garden seeds for the German troops only. Judge what an extent of ground these seeds would cover. There is little doubt, that their own gardens will furnish them with a great abundance of vegetables through the year. Their poultry, pigeons, and other preparations of that kind, present to the mind the idea of a company of farmers, rather than a camp of soldiers. In addition to the barracks built for them by the public, and now very comfortable, they have built great numbers for themselves, in such messes as fancied each other; and the whole corps, both officers and men, seem now happy and satisfied with their situation. Having thus found the art of rendering captivity itself comfortable, and carried it into execution, at their own great expense and labour, their spirits sustained by the prospect of gratifications rising before their eyes, does not every sentiment of humanity revolt against the proposition of stripping them of all this, and removing them into new situations, where, from the advanced season of the year, no preparations can be made for carrying themselves comfortably through the heats of summer; and when it is known that the necessary advances for the conveniences already provided, have exhausted their funds, and left them unable to make the like exertions anew?"

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CHAPTER VI.

Mr. Jefferson elected Governor of Virginia. Difficulties of his situation. George Rogers Clarke. Retaliation on Governor Hamilton and others. Its effects. Claims of Virginia to the Western Territory. Resisted by other States. Her cession of the Territory. Difficulty of providing military supplies and of transporting them. Arnold's predatory incursion. Its success explained. Abortive attempts to capture Arnold. Invasion under Phillips and Arnold. Their operations. Correspondence between the Governor and General Phillips. Meeting of the Legislature. It adjourns to Charlottesville. Lord Cornwallis invades Virginia. The Governor declines a re-election. His motives. Tarlton detached to Charlottesville. Mr. Jefferson and the members of Assembly narrowly escape capture.

1779-1781.

BUT Mr. Jefferson was now about to enter on a new field of public service, for some of the duties of which he was little qualified by his previous habits and pursuits. On the 1st of June he was elected Governor of the state; Mr. Henry having served as long as the Constitution allows. It was not, however, an uncontested honour, as his friend, Mr. Page, was his competitor. This gentleman had been a member of the Council of State under the regal government; but as, on the breaking out of the disturbances, he had taken sides with his country, he had thereby acquired great popularity, and the greater, from the contrast which his course presented to that of some of his associates. It is gratifying to know, that the delicate position in which Mr. Jefferson and he were now placed by others, produced no interruption to their friendship.

It was, however, for the time, painful and embarrassing to