University of Virginia Library

Thomas Jefferson to James Madison

Your favor of Mar. 29. did not come to hand until the 4th. instant. only mr Cabell, Genl.
Cocke and myself attended. messrs. Johnson and Taylor were retained in Richmond on
Lithgow's case, and Genl. Breckenridge hindered by business. it was not material as there
was not a single thing requisite to act on. we have to finish the 4. rows and appendages this
summer which will be done and then to rest on our oars. the question of the removal of the
seat of government has unhappily come athwart us, and is the real thing now entangling us.
Staunton & Richmond are both friendly to us as an University, but the latter fears that our
Rotunda will induce the legislature to quit them, & Staunton fears it will stop them here. you
will recollect that our brother Johnson has opposed constantly every proposition in the board
to begin that building, and moved himself in the late session to suspend interest with an
express Proviso that no money should be applied to that building; and mr Harvie one of he
zealous friends to the University, in a Philijyric against the Rotunda declared he would
never vote another Dollar to the University but on condition that it should not be applied to
that building. our opinion, and a very sound one has been from the beginning never to open
the institution until the buildings shall be compleat; because as soon as opened, all the funds
will be absorbed by salaries Etc. and the buildings remain for ever incompleat. we have
thought it better to open it fully, altho' a few years later, than let it go on for ever in an
imperfect state. I learn from those who were present at the last proceedings of the legislature
that there was a general regret even with the opposition itself, when they found that they had
done absolutely nothing at all for the institution. our course is a plain one, to pursue what is
best, and the public will come right and approve us in the end. this bugbear of the seat of
government will be understood at the next session, and we shall be enabled to proceed. the
establishment is now at that stage at which it will force itself on. we must manage our
dissenting brother softly; he is of too much weight to be given up. I inclose you his letter
and two from mr Cabell which will inform you more particularly of the state of things. be so
good as to return them when perused. ever & affectionately yours

Th: Jefferson

ALS, DLC:JM, 2p, with JM docket "Jefferson Ths."; polygraph copy, DLC:TJ. Jefferson
made the copy on a coversheet addressed to "Thomas Jefferson esqr. Monticello Virginia"
and postmarked at Boston on 8 November. Jefferson wrote James Breckenridge a similar
letter on 9 April, omitting the references to Chapman Johnson, and urging Breckenrige to
"give us the benefit of your firm and enlarged views" and declaring that "our motto should
be `be not wearied with well-doing'" (DLC:TJ).