Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I have been long intending to address a few lines to you, on some of those objects of public interest, in which, it has been my good fortune in to cooperate, successfully, with you, for the common benefit, I trust, of our [. . .] fellow citizens at large.

It is an unquestionable fact, that the proceedings of the Virginia legislature, for the last three years, and, especially, during its last session, have elevated the character of our state, both, at home, and abroad. It becomes an object of peculiar interest to you, My Dear Sir, to whom, we are all so much indebted, for the improvement in our national feelings, and expectation, to preserve what you have acquired for us: and it must be equally obvious, that, to do so, the legislature must not be permitted to recede from the ground which it has magnanimously assumed. If any [. . .] narrow and sordid policy, and or any contracted notions of economy shall undo or supspend our labours, we shall sink below the level from which we have risen, and deservedly excite the contempt of these who have been loudest in our applause. We shall do worse: we shall discourage all future efforts for the public weal and diffuse among our own constituents, our fellow citizens at large, a mortifying and debasing sense of their, or our incompetency to carry in to effect the most obvious dictates of sound policy. Excuse me, if I write with more animation on this subject, than may seem to become me: and least of all impute it, either to arrogance in me, or want of confidence in you. You have the whole Commonwealth before you. My eye is on a part of it only. I have leisure for combinations of thought, which may not have presented themselves to you; and, especially, to indulge my feelings, in a review of the past operation of our government, and in looking into futurity. After this long preamble; or apology, if you will; let me ask you, if you have written for information respecting Baldwin’s character? I would have saved you this trouble had I not perceived that your enquiries would lead to information, much more satisfactory to the Board, than any which I could present to them. It appears to me, to be of the first importance to fill this office, before the meeting of the Legislature.

I am very glad to hear that you sent for Godfrey to design a plan, for the improvement of the public square. By this mail, I have written to Mr Nolan to forward to you, a sketch of the state house square, and an enclosure within this city, and an estimate of the cost of the enclosure; the materials and some general idea of which, I verbally described to you, when last in Richmond. My friend in Philadelphia, has since been at the pains to prepare and forward to me (tho since I commenced my present journey) a very exact representation of the plan, and as an authentic statement of the expense of its execution. Upon this subject, I know you agree with me that it is essential to the preservation of the law [. . .] of the last session that it should be executed, before the commencement of the next.

I was pained, and mortified, while last in Richmond, to understand that a delay was likely to arise, on the part of the Executive Council, in executing another law which next to that, incorporating our Pt & Board of Public Works, has most contributed to draw forth and towards your administration, and the Commonwealth, over which you preside, tho applause of all intelligent strangers, whether men of science or of ordinary practical sense. I mean the “Act providing an accurate Chart of each County, and a General. Map of the Commonwealth.” I could not complain, at what I heard, and regret that a measure which would not have been thought unworthy the reign of Alfred of England, & Peter in Russia; which it has cost four years assiduous exertion, to prepare our legislature for; which was carried, at last, with no little difficulty, should be so unworthily lost—I state these particulars to you, to explain a promise which I have given to Colo Love of Fauquier to recommend him to you as a fit person to undertake the maps of Loudoun, Fauquier, Prince William, and Fairfax, or any one of them; and an assurance at with which I, also, accompanied my promise, but certainly without authority, for it could have none, that that, if he would undertake the maps of Loudoun and Fauquier, for 1800$ viz. 1000—for Fauquier, and 800 for Loudoun, the Executive would confirm the contract. The County Court of Fauquier are willing, I hear, to give more, and so, are probably the justices of Loudoun: but I prevailed on Colo Love to accept the contracts for the two counties, at the above sums, first, by satisfying him, that they would afford him a reasonable compensation for his labours in fulfiling them, and next, by telling him, that I was persuaded you would not agree to allow more.

You will perceive, on looking upon the map of Virginia, that these are both, very large counties, and I need not remind you that in population, in water courses, roads, villages, & mills, they are not surpassed by any county, except perhaps Frederick, in the Commonwealth.

Deneale, a man of great ingenuity, and of excellent character, has, I hear, contracted to furnish the maps of Prince William, at the moderate price of 500$; and, if a contract can be procured, for Fairfax we shall have, at least, a compact map of a highly interesting section of our state. Col: Love proposes to have it hereafter engraved, and I have offered to aid him, with funds, if necessary, and at all events with my personal services, in rendering it [. . .] profitable to him. I need not add, that he is an excellent surveyor and a most upright, and repectable citizen of Fauquier.—Tomorrow I proceed towards Ballston.