The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-07-20
THOMAS JEFFERSON.

of
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
| He was born on the I'd Of April, 1913, in
the county of Albemarle, ,at Shadwell, a coun-
try seat, which DOW belongs to his grandson,
within short distance Of Monticello, and
within half mile of his Rivanna Mills. lie
was, of course, in the saith year of his age.
| He received the highest hnnours at the Col
! lege of William and Navy; and studied the
law under the celebrated George Wythe,
late Chancellor Of Virginia. Before he had
attained his 25th year, he was distinguish
ed member of the Virginia Legislature, and
/ took III active part in all the measures which
they adoptt',.l in opposition to the usurpations
Iot Great Britain. In 177J, he is said to have
1 been the author of the protest against the
propositions Of Lord North. lie was subse-
iquently transferred 20 the General Congress
! at Philadelphia, where he distinguished him
scit Nv the Grmness Of his sentiments, and
i the energy Of his compositions. Of these
iqna!iiicatons no other evidence could be re
qarrl than the impcrishaIle Document
which declared US free, sovereign and in
llepcpdeit states"
From i7TT to '79 (for certain portions of
th 'sr Ycars) he WAS occnpcd, with Wythe
and Peadietnn, IL revising the laws Of Nir
7! ginl. in i2T9. he succeeded Patrick Henry
as Governor Of the State. In 1881, he COM
posed his +" Notes on Virginia; than which
no Wort, Of equal dimensions has ever attain
| cd 70 greater reputation. In the summer of
! 1882. lie was i'll Congress at the time when
the Virginia Legislature were framing IA
State Constitution. The draught Of the in
stlumrnt, which he transmitted on that oc-
caS'an, was not received till the day when
the committee were to report the result Of
their labors. They were SO much pleased
with his Preamble that they adopted it as a
part of their Report; So that it is now well
understood, our Ril of Rights and Constitu-
tion, were from the pen Of Mr.. George Ma
son; and the Preamble was Thomas Jeifer.
sous.
In .-S;, he left the u. States, being asso-
ciated ii 4 plenipoten.iarv commission with
Franklin and ADAMS, addressed to the scve.
raj bowers Of Europe, for the purpose of con-
Gliding treaties Of commerce. In October
1859, lie obtained leave to return home; and
on his arrival was made the first Secretary
OF State under Gen. Washington. His cor
respondcnce with the French and English
Ministers, is {. proud monument OF genius
he alternately rehuked the cold cunning oi
l4iston, and the rash arllour of Genet. His
Reports on money, and weights, and meas
ures; on the fisheries, and Oh the restrictions
Of commerce, arc ample attestations of the
enlarged views of the Philosopher and the f.
nancier.
In 1877. he was elected Nice-P President
and four Years after, President of the u. S
For eight years he conducted the govern
ment with strength of talent, purity o
purposes, respect to Constitutional Princi.
pies, which might serve AS a model to his
successors. His acquisition of Louisiana a.
lone now calls down the loudest praises from
ever. one.
But what is deficient in the preceding mar
rativc, must be madcup from an authentic me
mor now lsF!ng before us in the hand writing
Of Nh. j. He was called on by particular
occasion to state some of the circumstance.
and services of his iie--and from tins curl.
GUS document, for which we are indebted IL
the Kindness Of friend, we lay the follow
ing Extract before onr readers: 1t furnishe.
some information in that touching style fol
which the author was SO remarkable, which
, now that the great man has descended to hi
tomb, II may not be improper to lay befor,
the public:
!" came of age in 1864, and was soon pu
into the nomination of Justices of the count,
) in which live, and at the first election fol
lowing, ! became one of it's representative
in the Legislature.
81 was thence sent to the Old Congress.
"Thcn employed two years with Mr. Pen
, dleton and Mr.. Wythe, on the revisal an
reduction to a single code. of the whole be
dy of the British statutes, the acts of ou
: Assembly, and certain parts of the commo
y law.
!, "'Thcn elected Governor.
Next to the Legislature, and to Congress
y again.
i Sent to Europe as Minister Pcnipoten
J tiary.
c "Appointed Secretary of State to the ne
government.
Effected Nice-President and then Pres
z: dent.
" And lastly, Visitor and Rector of the I
a University.
re "In these different Offices, with scarce
" an interval between them, have been in I'll
te public service now 81 years; and during Il
II, tar greater part OF the time in foreign coul
re tries, or IN other States.
IN "lf legislative services are worth mention
a. ing, and the stamp of liberahty and equal
S which was necessary to be impressed on o'
A. Y l.. ....L