Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-07-20
From the Richmond Enquirer.

n
THOMAS JEFFERSON was born
on the Cd of April, l749, in the county
Of Abemarle, at Shadwell, country
seat which now belongsto his grandson,
and within half mile of his Rivanna
mills. He was of course in the Saith
year of his age He received the high
est honors at the college of William and
Mary; and studied the law under the
celebrated George Wythe, late Chan
cellor Of Virginia. Before he attained
his 25th year. he was distinguished
member of the Virginia legislature, and
took an active part in all the measures
which they adopted in opposition to the
usurpatons of Great Britain. In l775,
he is said to have been the author of the
protest against the propositions OF Lord
North. He was subsequently transfer
red to the General Congress at Phla-
delphia, where he distinguished himself
by the lirmness OF his sentiments, and
the energy of his compositions, OF
these qualifications no other evidence
could be required than the imPerishable
Document which declares US free, So
vereign and independent States"
From l777 to 10 {for certain por
tons of those years. he was occupied
with Wythe and Pendleton, in revi-
sing the Laws of Virginia. In 1879, he
succeeded Patrick Henry as Governor
of the State. In 1881, he composed his
'Notes on Virginia." than which no
work of equal dimensions has ever at
tanned to greater reputation. In the
summer of 1882, he was in Congress at
the moment when the Virginia Legisla,
ture' were framing State Constitution.
The draught OF the Instrument, which
he transmitted on that occasion, was
not received till the day when the COM
mittee were to report the result of their
labors They were so much pleased
with his preamble, that they adopted it
as part of theirreport; so, that it is now
well understood, orr bill of Rights and
the Constitution were from the pen of
George Mason; the preamble was L.
Jefferson's. IN 1884, he left the Uni
ted States, being associated in a 49,
potentiary commission with Franklin
and Adams, addressed to the several
powers of Europe, for the purpose Of
concluding treaties of Commerce. In
October, 1889, he obtained leave to
return home, and on his arrival was
made the first Secretary of State under
Gen. Washington. His correspon-
dence with the French and English
Ministers is proud monument of his
genius; he alternately rebukcd the cold
cunning of Liston and the rash ardour
of Genet. His Reports on money and
weights and measures; on the fisheries.
and on the restrictions of commerce
are ample attestations of the enlarged
views of the Philosopher and the finan-
cier.
In 1907, he was elected Vice. Presi-
dent; and four years after, PIE sident
of the U. S. For eight years he conduc-
ted the government with strength of
talent, purity of purposes, respect
to Constitutional principles, which,
might serve as model TO his successors
His acquisitions of LOUISIANA alone now
calls down the loudest praises from eve
ry one.
But what is deficient in the preceding
narrative must be made up from Gu
rious and authentic Memoir, now lay
ing before US in the hand writing of Mr.
Jefferson. He was called on by par
tfcular occasion to state some ct the cir
cumstances and services of his life-and
from this cnri Gus document, for which
we are indeb ted TO the kindness of a
friend, we lay the following Extract
before our readers. 1t furnishes some
information, in that touching style for
which the author was so remarkable
which, now that the great man has de-
scended to his tomb, it may not be i'm
proper to lay before the public;
Il came Of age in 1864, and was soon
nut into the nomination of Justices oil
the county in which live, and at the
first election following, became one
ofits representatives ia the legislature.
Il was thence sent 10 the Old! Congress
Then employed two years with Mr.
Pendleton and Mr.. Wythe, on the re-
vissl and reduction TO single Code, OF
the whole body of the British statutes,
the acts, of our Assembly, and certain
parts of the com mon law