their schemes, and announced in the presence of the two houses the measures they intended to pursue, in order to reduce the colonies to subjection.

They pronounced that the province of Massachusetts was found in a state of rebellion; and it was proposed that in the address of the king it should be declared that rebellion existed in the province of Massachusetts, and that it was supported and fomented by illegal combinations and criminal compacts with the other colonies, to the great detriment of many subjects of his majesty. This proposition of the ministers was put to vote, and carried by a majority of two thirds of the house.

Lord North then proposed a new bill, the object of which was to restrict the commerce of New England. to Great Britain, Ireland, and the West India islands, and prohibit, at the same time, the fishery of Newfoundland. This bill was also approved by a great majority. The opposition protested; the ministers scarcely deigned to perceive it.

But the counsels of the ministers ended not here. Wishing to blend with rigour a certain clemency, and also to prevent new occasions of insurrection in the colonies, they brought forward the project of a law, purporting that when in any province or colony, the Governour, Council, Assembly, or General Court, should propose to make provisions according to their respective conditions, circumstances and faculties, for contributing their proportion to the common defence; such proportion to be raised under the authorities of the General Court or Assembly in each province or colony, and disposable by Parliament; and should engage to

make provision also for the support of the civil government, and the administration of justice in such province or colony; it would be proper, if such proposal should be approved by the King in his Parliament, and for so long as such provision should be made accordingly, to forbear, in respect of such province or colony, to impose any duties, taxes, or assessments, except only such as might be thought necessary for the regulation of commerce. This likewise received the usual large majority in its favour, with directions to lay it before the respective provincial legislatures. It was at least hoped that if the scheme did not finally succeed, it might produce disunion or discontent.

Accordingly, on the first of June, 1775, this resolution was presented by Lord Dunmore, the Governour, to the legislature of Virginia; and Mr. Jefferson was selected by the committee, to whom it was referred, to frame the reply. This was done with so much force of argument, enlarged patriotism, and sound political discretion, that it will ever be considered as a document of the highest order. It concludes in these words:

"These, my Lord, are our sentiments on this important subject, which we offer only as an individual part of the whole empire. Final determination we leave to the General Congress now sitting, before whom we shall lay the papers your Lordship has communicated to us. For ourselves, we have exhausted every mode of application which our invention could suggest as proper and promising. We have decently remonstrated with Parliament: they have added new injuries to the old. We have wearied our King with supplications: he has not deigned to answer us. We have

appealed to the native honour and justice of the British nation their efforts in our favour have hitherto been ineffectual. What, then, remains to be done? That we、 commit our injuries to the even-handed justice of that Being who doth no wrong, earnestly beseeching him to illuminate the councils, and prosper the endeavours of those to whom America hath confided her hopes; that, through their wise directions, we may again see reunited the blessings of liberty, prosperity, and harmony with Great Britain.”

When this address had been passed, Mr. Jefferson immediately proceeded to Congress, which was then in session, and gave them the first notice they had of it. It was highly approved of by them. He had been elected on the twenty-seventh of March, 1775, one of the members to represent Virginia in the General Congress already assembled at Philadelphia, but had delayed his departure until now at the request of Mr.Randolph, who was fearful the draughting of the address alluded to would, in his absence, have fallen into feebler hands. An elegant biographer asserts: " When about to leave the colony, a circumstance is stated to have occurred to him, and to Mr. Harrison and Mr. Lee, his fellow delegates, that conveyed a noble mark of the unbounded confidence which their constituents reposed in their integrity and virtue. A portion of the inhabitants, who, far removed from the scenes of actual tyranny which were acted in New England, and pursuing uninterruptedly their ordinary pursuits, could form no idea of the slavery impending over them, waited on their three representatives, just before their departure, and addressed them in the following terms:

"You assert that there is a fixed design to invade our rights and privileges; we own that we do not see this clearly, but since you assure us that it is so, we believe the fact. We are about to take a very dangerous step; but we confide in you, and are ready to support you in every measure you shall think proper to adopt." On the twenty-first of June, 1775, Mr. Jefferson appeared, and took his seat in the Continental Congress. In this new capacity he persevered in the decided tone which he had assumed, always maintaining that no accommodation should be made between the two countries, unless on the broadest and most liberal principles; and here, as elsewhere, he soon rendered himself conspicuous among the most able and distinguished men of the day. On the twenty-fourth of the same month, a committee which had been appointed to prepare a declaration setting forth the causes and necessity of resorting to arms, brought in their report, (drawn up, as it was believed, by J. Rutledge,) which, not being approved of, the house recommitted it, and added Mr. Dickinson and Mr. Jefferson to the committee. It is on this occasion that Mr. Jefferson relates the following circumstance: "On the rising of the house, the committee having not yet met, I happened to find myself near Governour W. Livingston, and proposed to him to draw the paper. He excused himself, and proposed that I should draw it. On my pressing him with urgency, 'We are as yet but new acquaintances, sir,' said he, 'why are you so earnest for my doing it?' 'Because,' said I, 'I have been informed that you drew the address to the people of Great Britain, a production, certainly, of the finest pen in America.'

'On that,' says he, 'perhaps, sir, you may not have been correctly informed.' I had received the information in Virginia, from Colonel Harrison, on his return from that Congress. Lee, Livingston, and Jay, had been the committee for the draught. The first, prepared by Lee, had been disapproved and recommitted. The second was drawn by Jay, but being presented by Governour Livingston, had led Colonel Harrison into the The next morning, walking in the Hall of Congress, many members being assembled, but the house not yet formed, I observed Mr. Jay speaking to R. H. Lee, and leading him by the button of his coat to me. 'I understand, sir,' said he to me, 'that this gentleman informed you, that Governour Livingston drew the address to the people of Great Britain.'

errour.

I assur

ed him at once that I had not received that information from Mr. Lee, and that not a word had ever passed on the subject between Mr. Lee and myself; and after some explanations, the subject was dropped. These gentlemen had had some sparrings in debate before, and continued ever very hostile to each other."

Mr. Jefferson prepared the draught of the declaration committed to them. It was drawn with singular ability, and exhibited his usual firmness and discretion; but it was considered as too decided by Mr. Dickinson. He still nourished the hope of a reconciliation with Great Britain, and was unwilling it should be lessened by what he considered as offensive statements. He was so honest a man, says Mr. Jefferson, and so able a one, that he was greatly indulged even by those who could not feel his scruples. He was therefore requested to take the paper and put it in a form he could ap