Title:  A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Section 3 (of 4) of Volume 1:  Thomas Jefferson

Author:  Edited by James D. Richardson

Release Date:  January 31, 2004 [EBook #10893]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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A COMPILATION OF THE MESSAGES AND PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS.

BY JAMES D. RICHARDSON

Thomas Jefferson

March 4, 1801, to March 4, 1809

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was born at Shadwell, Albemarle County, Va., on April 2 (old style), 1743.  He was the oldest son of Peter Jefferson, who died in 1757.  After attending private schools, he entered William and Mary College in 1760.  In 1767 began the practice of the law.  In 1769 was chosen to represent his county in the Virginia house of burgesses, a station he continued to fill up to the period of the Revolution.  He married Mrs. Martha Skelton in 1772, she being a daughter of John Wayles, an eminent lawyer of Virginia.  On March 12, 1773, was chosen a member of the first committee of correspondence established by the Colonial legislature.  Was elected a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1775; was placed on the Committee of Five to prepare the Declaration of Independence, and at the request of that committee he drafted the Declaration, which, with slight amendments, was adopted July 4, 1776.  Resigned his seat in Congress and occupied one in the Virginia legislature in October, 1776.  Was elected governor of Virginia by the legislature on June 1, 1779, to succeed Patrick Henry.  Retired to private life at the end of his term as governor, but was the same year elected again to the legislature.  Was appointed commissioner with others to negotiate treaties with France in 1776, but declined.  In 1782 he was appointed by Congress minister plenipotentiary to act with others in Europe in negotiating a treaty of peace with Great Britain.  Was again elected a Delegate to Congress in 1783, and as a member of that body he advocated and had adopted the dollar as the unit and the present system of coins and decimals.  In May, 1784, was appointed minister plenipotentiary to Europe to assist John Adams and Benjamin Franklin in negotiating treaties of commerce.  In March, 1785, was appointed by Congress minister at the French Court to succeed Dr. Franklin, and remained in France until September, 1789.  On his arrival at Norfolk, November 23, 1789, received a letter from Washington offering him the appointment of Secretary of State