University of Virginia Library

Another Loan Pursued

After the new year the supporters of the university in the General Assembly accelerated
their efforts to gain passage of a bill authorizing the university to borrow an additional
$60,000 dollars. Jefferson accordingly prepared the visitors for a special meeting in the
event the bill passed into law so that the workmen could be engaged "before they undertake
other work for the ensuing season."[549] Madison replied a week later that he surely would
not fail to join the visitors upon "receiving the expected notice from Mr. Cabell, if the
weather & my health will permit: but I am persuaded it will be a supernumerary attendance,
if the money be obtained, and the sole question be on its application to the new Edifice."[550]
"The object of the meeting," Jefferson told Cabell, "will be to authorise the commencement
of the building, and to talk over some ulterior measures, which however cannot be finally
concluded till April."[551] Senator Cabell agreed with Madison that the entire board would
confirm the loan without hesitancy,[552] and so Jefferson, elated that "the University is
advanced to that point, from which it must & will carry itself through; and it will strengthen
daily," decided to put off engaging the workmen till the April meeting of the Board of
Visitors.[553] In early February, Cabell wrote to inform Jefferson, with "the most heartfelt
pleasure . . . that there is now no doubt of the success of our Loan Bill." At the same time it
became apparent to Cabell that adding an amendment to release the university from the
debts owed to the Literary Fund would only hinder the loan bill, so he wisely left that matter
for the next session of the legislature.[554] A week later the senator told Jefferson that "We
have done much; but much, very much, remains to be done. In the course of the ensuing
year, we must avail ourselves of the press. This Assembly has gone as far as the public mind
will now bear. It is necessary to bring up the people to the level of the age."[555]

The impact of the loan bill's passage on Jefferson was immediately obvious. "The late good
news of a further loan to the University of 60,000$ was recieved with heart felt pleasure by
Mr. J.," Alexander Garrett told John Hartwell Cocke. "his manner, conversation, and
countenance, all depict the joy of a father on the birth of a first and long-wished for son; the
day after recieveing the news he rode to the University (for the first time he had been on
horse back since breaking his wrist)[.] I met with him on his return, when he remarked, that
he had recieved from Mr. Cabell the welcome news of a further loan to the U. of 60,000$
and he hoped the workmen would prepare immediately for the rotundo; so you see the big
house is still his first object."[556] "Mr Jefferson seems in high spirits in consequence of the
mony granted by the Asembly," John Neilson told Cocke on 22 February, "he said he should
write to the Visitors for them to sanction his measures, and fall to work imediately. I beleive
he would be anxious that Dinsmore and my self would undertake the carpenter work but I
avoided the subject being resolved to be guided entirely by your judgement. He is full of
brickmaking ideas at present, he said they had or would engage Mr Thorn (a brick-layer
who came here in partnership with Mr [Richard] Ware) as superintendent of the brick-
yard[,] Mr Jefferson being better pleased with the colour of his brick in No 2 and 4 than he
is with other that was made here."[557]