To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 30 January 1821
From Thomas Jefferson
Monticello Jan. 30. 21.
Dear Sir
The inclosed letter to mr. Cabell1 so fully explains it’s object, and the grounds on which your signature to the paper is proposed if approved, that I will spare my stiffening & aching wrist the pain of adding more than the assurance of my constant & affectte. friendship.
Th: Jefferson
[Enclosure]
We the subscribers, visitors of the University of Virginia being of opinion that it will be to the interest of that institution to have an occasional meeting of the visitors, by special call, on the 1st. day of April next, do therefore appoint that day for such meeting, and request the attendance of the sd. Visitors accordingly; personal notice being to be given to them respectively one week at least before the said day. Witness our hands on the several days affixed to our respective signatures.
Th: Jefferson rector. Jan. 30. 1821.
James Madison Feby. 3. 1821
C. Johnson 10th. Feby. 1821
Joseph C. Cabell 10 Feb: 1821
James Breckinridge 10 Feb. 1821
Robert Taylor Feby 13th. 1821
RC (ViU: Special Collections; on loan from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Montpelier, 1985) and enclosure (ViU: Jefferson Papers, Special Collections). Enclosure in Thomas Jefferson’s hand.
1. Jefferson’s letter to Joseph C. Cabell, 30 Jan. 1821 (DLC: Jefferson Papers), sought concurrence from the board of visitors to schedule a special meeting in order that Chapman Johnson, who had yet to attend a meeting of the board, should not fall victim to the law requiring a visitor’s commission to be vacated for “failure to act for the space of one year.” The action of signing the call for a special meeting, in Jefferson’s opinion, was a “visitorial act,” thus satisfying the law in question.