The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-28
CHARACTER AND PUBLIC CAREER
OF PATRICK iESEE.
COMMENTS UPON MIR. JEFTERSON'S
LETTER.
CHARLOTTE COURTHOUSE, VA, !
November 22. 1867. {

To the Editor Of the Richmond Dispatch:
Dear Sir,-Some days after its appear
ancc, my attention was called TO an article
in Your paper of tie 25th July last, copied
from the Philadelphia tiye, which pur-
ported to be q manuscript OF Thomas JEFF
ferSon containing "reminiscences OF Patrick
Henry.
The article contained many statements
derogatory 70 the reputation of Mr.. Henry,
in whose viDdication feel it my duty to
publish this reply. Although the manu-
script contains many misstatements OF
fact, il is doubtless from the pen Of Mr..
Jefferson, and is evidently the communi-
cation furnished Mr.. Writ while he was
preparing the life Of Honry-as | notice
that author, when referring to Mr. Jetfer-
son as authority, quotes in many instances
the very words Of the article You publish
ed, and 10 other portions of his work seems
to be combating the charges therein made
by Mr.. Jefferson. Taking the manuscript,
then, to be genuine, I can only account for
its existence by remembering that it was
penped at a period of Mr.. Jeilerson's life
when the heat engendercd by party strife
had fixed in his mind distorted views OF
his political opponents.
The statement that Mr.. Henry first came
into public notice as burgess about the
wear 1862 is incorrect. He was elected for
the first time III May, l7G5, and during that
month made the attack spoken Of upon the
proposition for public loan office. (Wirl's
Sketches Of Henry, p. 81, ct seq During
the same month the famous resolutions
against the Stamp Act were offered by Mr..
Henry and passed by the House. Mr.
Jefferson states that these resolutions were
drawn by George Johnston, a lawyer from
the Northern Neck, who seconded them. In
reply to this, need only refer to the state
ment of Mr.. Writ (p. ~, that Mr.. Henry
left amongst his private papers, in his own
handwriting, Il copy of these resolutions,
with an endorsement stating the crcum-
stances under which they were offered, in
which endorsement he says: " That alone,
unadylscd aud unasSisted, on a blank leaf
of an old law book, | wrote the within"
This paper was found sealed up and di-
rected TO his executors, and comes to us
as bis dying declaration. 1t is still in eX-
is,encc at Rcd Hill.
Mr.. Jefferson was at the time a student
AZ " liiam and Mary, and heard the de-
:, NO STATEMENT as 10 VINO wrote
'he RESOLUTIONS cannot be weighed amo-
ment against the solemn declaration II
Mr.. Henry. Nor can credit Mr. .Iea.r
son when he says that Mr.. Henry wac !.
very inefficient member of deliIer,ti,a
bodies in ordinary business, and had NOT
accuracy enough Of idea in his head ~
oraw e. bill on the most simple subiec,
"h'ch would bear legal criticism. Hcwas
conn,; neauehtly placed upon important
One of these was the stand
ing COMMITTEES of Correspondence be-
a; MGen ."e ool 30 appointed by the Vir-
1913, which was selected from ,hn h un,
material III the Colony, and wLin, va
eventually to a Colona! Congress, W.
nave also the testimony of q very ah,<,
contemporary as to this matter. Gaoraa
Mason, In a letter to Mr. Cockbur dated
Williamsburg, 2C,h May, I774, Virginia
Historical Register, January 1850, y. o.