University of Virginia Library

TO A. B. WOODWARD

Dr. Sir, I have recd. & return my thanks for the
printed communications accompanying your note
of the 4th inst.

To appreciate your proposed expedient for a
standard of measures & weights would require more
time than I can apply, & more mathematical Science
than I retain. Justice will doubtless be done to it
by competent Judges.

I have given a hasty perusal to the observations
"addressed to the Individual Citizen." Altho' I
cannot concur in some of them, I may say of all that
they merit every praise for the perspicuity, the
precision, & the force, with which they are presented
to the public attention.

You have fallen into a mistake in ascribing the
Constitution of Virga. to Mr. Jefferson, as will be
inferred from the animadversions on it in his "Notes
on Virginia." Its origin was with George Mason,
who laid before the Committee appointed to prepare

a plan a very broad outline,[70] which was printed by
the Come. for consideration, & after being varied
on some points & filled up, was reported to the
Convention where a few further alterations, gave it
the form in which it now stands. The Declaration
of rights was subsequently from the same hand.
The Preamble to the Constitution was probably derived
in great measure if not wholly from the funds
of Mr. Jefferson, the richness of which in such materials
is seen in the Declaration of Independence
as well as elsewhere. The plan of Mr. Jefferson
annexed to one of the Editions of his "Notes on
Virga." was drawn up after the Revoly. war, with a
view to correct the faults of the existing Constitution,
as well as to obtain the authentic sanction of the
people.

Your love of truth will excuse this little tribute
to it, or rather would not excuse its omission.
With esteem & good wishes