University of Virginia Library

TO THOMAS RITCHIE.

Dr Sir Your favor of Aug 7 is so full & satisfactory
an answer to my request of July 2, that I
ought not to withhold my thanks for it. The delay
was immaterial. But I lament most sincerely the
afflicting causes of it.

With much esteem & friendly respects

Confidential

The Enquirer of the 6th, very properly animadverts
on the attempts to pervert the historical circumstances
relating to the Draught of the Declaration
of Independence.[37] The fact that Mr. Jefferson was
the author and the nature of the alterations made
in the Original, are too well known and the proofs
are too well preserved, to admit of successful misrepresentation.

In one important particular, the truth, tho' on
record, seems to have escaped attention; and justice
to be so far left undone to Virga. It was in obedience
to her positive instruction, to her Delegates in Congs.
that the motion for Independence was made. The
instruction passed unanimously in her Convention
on the 15 of May, 1776[38] and the Mover was of
course, the Mouth only of the Delegation, as the
Delegation was of the Convention. Had P. Randolph

the first named not been cut off by Death,
the motion wd. have been made by him. The
duty, in consequence of that event devolved on
the next in order R. H. Lee, who had political merits
of a sort very different from that circumstantial
distinction.