America was conquered, and her settlements made and firmly established, at the expence of individuals, and not of the British public. their own blood was spilt in acquiring lands for their settlement, their own fortunes expended in making that settlement effectual. for themselves they fought, for...

it is neither our wish nor our interest to separate from her.

Thos Jefferson 157 acres Form pages George the third &c To all &c Know ye that for divers good Causes and Considerations but more especially for and in Consideration of the Sum of Twenty Shillings of good and lawful Money for our use paid to our Receiver General of our Revenues in this...

our attachment to no nation on earth should supplant our attachment to liberty.

I am sincerely one of those, & would rather be in dependance on Gr. Br. properly limited than on any nation upon earth, or than on no nation. but I am one of those too who rather than submit to the right of legislating for us assumed by the British parl. & which late experience has shewn...

beleive me Dear Sir there is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a Union with Gr. Britain than I do.

Mr Jefferson had the Reputation of a masterly Pen.

From Jefferson’s First Draft no freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms. From Jefferson’s Second Draft No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms [within his own lands or tenements]. From Jefferson’s Third Draft No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms [within his own lands or...

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

That our civil rights have no dependance on our religious opinions, any more than on our opinions in physicks or geometry. ... We the General Assembly of Virginia do enact, that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious Worship, place or Ministry whatsoever, nor shall be...

experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large,...

we shall divert through our own Country a branch of commerce which the European States have thought worthy of the most important struggles and sacrifices, and in the event of peace on terms which have been contemplated by some powers we shall form to the American union a barrier against the...