not less patriotic, wing of Congress. The concluding paragraphs of Dickinson's draft, however, are substantially copied from Jefferson. One passage from Jefferson's portion of the address is often quoted by historians on account of the ominous import of one of its words. "We mean not to dissolve that union which has so long and so happily subsisted between us, and which we sincerely wish to see restored. Necessity has not yet driven us into that desperate measure."

In July, 1775, Congress, by ballot, chose Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and R. H. Lee as a committee to report on Lord North's "Conciliatory Proposition." Jefferson had already drawn Virginia's answer to the overture, and his colleagues on the committee requested him to draft the reply of Congress also. This he did to the satisfaction of the committee, and his report with slight emendations was promptly adopted by Congress. In this reply of Congress he necessarily followed quite closely the form of reply drawn up by himself for the House of Burgesses of Virginia. The tone of the document was sullen and defiant. It held firmly to a denial of Parliament's right to "intermeddle with our provisions for the support of civil government. But while Parliament

pursues its plan of civil government within its own jurisdiction, we hope also to pursue our own without molestation." In a few weeks hard work and an aggressive and fearless nature had brought Jefferson to the front in Congress. "He was so prompt, frank, explicit, and decisive upon committees and in Convention," said John Adams, "that he soon seized upon my heart."

Congress adjourned in August, 1775, and Jefferson returned to Richmond to take his seat as the representative of Albemarle in the Virginia Convention. Immediately he was elected to represent the colony in the next Congress. The election was by ballot, with the following result: Peyton Randolph 89 votes, R. H. Lee 88, Thomas Jefferson 85, Benjamin Harrison 83, Thomas Nelson 66, Richard Bland 61, George Wythe 58. A question came before the Convention at this time that had for Jefferson a most abiding interest. It was a question of religious

liberty-a thing as yet unheard of in Virginia. A petition was presented by the Baptists asking that Baptist ministers be allowed to preach to Baptist soldiers. The Convention passed a resolution granting their request. Jefferson's vote for the resolution was his first act in a movement directed by himself which led to the disestablishment of the church in Virginia, and to a general separation of Church and State in America.

After a few days' attendance upon the Convention, Jefferson sought his beloved Monticello, the scene of so much joy and sorrow in his life. This time sorrow darkened his stay. His second child, Jane, died in September. A letter written by him. about this time to John Randolph, a kinsman whose interests had caused him to leave America at the outbreak of hostilities and take up his residence in England, reflects in clear light Jefferson's views upon the troublous questions of the hour. “I would rather be in dependence on Great Britain, properly limited," he writes in this letter, "than on any nation on earth, or than on no nation. But I am one of those, too, who rather than submit to the rights of legislating for us assumed by the British Parliament, would lend my hand to sink the whole island.". This could mean but one thing-separation.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

Jefferson returned to Philadelphia in September to find that the temper of Congress accorded with his own. The king had spurned the petition of the Americans, had not deigned even to listen to it, and was making active military preparations for the coercion of the colonists. The Americans, on the other hand, were taxing all their resources in their preparation for resistance. Philadelphia, where the companies were drilling twice a day, was more like a camp than a peaceful Quaker town. News came from the North that Boston was evacuated and Ticonderoga captured; from the South, that Norfolk, the largest city of Virginia, was burned by the British. Congress sat with closed doors but its members were not deaf to the alarming state

of affairs without. They saw it was only left to them to declare a war that public sentiment had already declared. Necessity demanded an ally, and wistful eyes were cast towards England's historic foe. An agent of France was in Philadelphia charged with the mission of offering the good services of his government to the colonies. Congress deputed Jay, Franklin and Jefferson as a committee to confer with the envoy. The conference was successful, and was the first in a chain of events that led to the French alliance and to Jefferson's diplomatic career in France. Jefferson remained in Congress for three months serving on numerous committees and taking an active part in all proceedings. In December he left Philadelphia for Monticello. During this absence from Congress Jefferson's mother died, and it is generally thought that it was her illness that called him away from his post of duty. In May, 1776, he returned to Philadel phia and entered energetically into the work of Congress. He found all things tending to revolution. On the day of his return Congress passed resolutions advising the colonies to form governments for themselves; five days after his return news came that the Virginia Convention had passed a resolution instructing its delegates in Congress to support a motion declaring the "United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from all allegiance or dependence upon the Crown or Parliament of Great Britain." This resolution was reported by Archibald Cary, a kinsman of Jefferson and the man who reported for him the reply to the "Conciliatory Proposition" of Lord North. This circumstance, and the additional fact that Jefferson was in Virginia, and probably at the capital at the time of the passage of the resolution, have been used as the basis of a conjecture that he had a hand in the drafting and passing of this most important act of the Convention. If it should ever be proved that Jefferson was the author of that resolution, there will be no occasion for surprise, for it was his custom never to appear himself in a legislative measure when he could get some one else to appear for him.

Congress promptly took up the question presented to it by the Virginia resolution. On June 7th R. H. Lee moved that

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the colonies be declared independent. The debate on the motion continued for two days; it was then deemed wise to postpone action for twenty days. The reason given by Jefferson for the delay was that "the colonies of New York, New Jersey, Maryland and South Carolina were not yet mature for falling from the parent stem, but that they were fast advancing to that state." Delay, it was thought, would give public opinion in these lukewarm colonies time to crystallize in favor of independence. The form of the declaration was deemed highly important, and in order that there might be no haste, Congress at once (June 10th) appointed a committee consisting of Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston to draft the instrument. Upon Jefferson devolved the agreeable task of writing the declaration. He had three weeks to spend upon it, and it appears that he bestowed upon its composition the greatest pains. While he was thus engaged his name came up before the Virginia Convention for re-election, and he barely escaped defeat, being next to the lowest upon the list of successful delegates. On the 28th of June he brought the Declaration before Congress. He had previously submitted it to the committee, who adopted it after two or three slight alterations had been made by John Adams and one or two by Franklin. It was read and laid on the table. On the first of July the original motion of the Virginia delegation for independence was carried by the vote of nine colonies. New York and Pennsylvania were against independence on this vote; Delaware was divided, and South Carolina wanted time. Time was granted, and when the question was put to a vote on the next day, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Delaware threw their votes for independence. New York did not consent until July 9th. Having resolved upon independence Congress at once took up Jefferson's form of declaration.*

The document was roughly handled, the criticism sometimes being so acrimonious as to cause Jefferson to wince. During the overhauling some of Jefferson's fine phrases were expunged;

*See Independence, Declaration of, page 257.

which was, of course, a good thing. At the same time, some of his finest sentiments were expunged; which, perhaps, was not so fortunate. Jefferson hated slavery, and he had inserted in the declaration a round denunciation of George III. for his part in the encouragement of the slave trade. Congress regarded this in bad taste, inasmuch as the colonies, north and south, profited by their participation in that trade. So, through shame, the noblest paragraph in the declaration was omitted. In the original draft was an expression of hatred for the English, whose inhuman act of securing mercenaries of other countries to send against their American brethren "gave the last stab to agonizing affection, and manly spirit bids us to renounce forever these unfeeling brethren. We must endeavor to forget our former love for them, and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends." This was expunged as being uncalled for. Congress made several interpolations, but did not in this way materially alter the document. It is generally conceded that the few changes made by Congress, both those of addition and omission, improved the Declaration.

The debate continued for three days, with the prospect at times of it being interminable and fruitless. Jefferson became gloomy and anxious. At last, in the afternoon of the fourth of July, a comical circumstance brought the discussion to an end. Near the hall in which Congress sat was a livery stable (the story is Jefferson's), from which on that afternoon a swarm of vicious flies issued, and, entering through the open windows, attacked the thinly-covered legs of the members. Resistance was made with handkerchief and fan, but to little effect. The biting became unendurable, and the dignified body, goaded to distraction, hurried on to a swift and ridiculous conclusion of the momentous question. To escape the flies a vote was taken! The Declaration was adopted, four members voting against it and New York withholding its vote. It was signed at once by John Hancock, the President of Congress, and Charles Thompson, Secretary. The remaining signatures that appear upon the engrossed copy which is to be seen in old Independence Hall, Philadelphia, were affixed on August 2nd, 1776. Of the