51Message Accepting Election as Governor, [2 June 1779] (Jefferson Papers)
The honour which the General Assembly have been pleased to confer on me, by calling me to the high office of Governour of this commonwealth, demands my most grateful acknowledgments, which I desire through you Gentlemen, to tender to them with the utmost respect. In a virtuous and free state, no rewards can be so pleasing to sensible minds, as those which include the approbation of our fellow...
52Bill for Lessening the Evils of Securityship, [before June 1779?] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas the laws permitting one person to become bound for another have been found in experience to be of more harm than help to the citizens of this commonwealth, by encouraging merchants and others to extend credits beyond the abilities of their debtors to pay, by giving fatal facilities to thoughtless and unprincipled spendthrifts to continue their extravagant courses till they have not...
53Bill for Allowing Salaries to Certain Officers of Government, [May 1779] (Jefferson Papers)
Be it enacted by the General assembly that from the 1st day of Jan. which shall be in the year of our lord 17—there shall be paid the following salaries to the officers of government herein after named, viz. to the Governor 153,000 ℔ of nett tobo. by the year to each of the judges of the High Court of Chancery, General court and court of Admiralty 60,000 ℔ of like tobo. by the year to the...
54Bill Amending Act for Fixing the Allowance of Members of the General Assembly, [31 May 1779] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas by an act intituled ‘an act for fixing the allowance of the members of general assembly’ passed at this present session by authority from the body of the people it was provided that the said allowances should be of 50. pounds of neat tobacco by the day for attendance on assembly, two pounds of the like tobacco for every mile they must necessarily travel going to or from the same,...
55Bill for the Removal of the Seat of Government of Virginia, [29 May 1779] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Williamsburg, 29 May 1779 .] This Bill is substantially the same as that drawn by TJ in 1776 and summarily rejected on its first reading (q.v., under date of 11 Nov. 1776). TJ had made the proposal in 1776 because of the exposure of Williamsburg to an invading enemy and also because of its inconvenient distance from the western inhabitants; by 1779 danger of invasion was great and the power...
56Bill for Giving the Members of the General Assembly an Adequate Allowance, [12 December 1778] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas it is just that the members of General assembly, delegated by the people to transact for them the legislative business, should, while attending that business, have their reasonable sustenance defrayed, dedicating to the public service their time and labors freely and without account: and it is also expedient that the public councils should not be deprived of the aid of good and able...
57II. Depositions concerning Claims to Lands under Purchases from the Indians, [April 1777–October 1778] (Jefferson Papers)
In pursuance of a Resolution of the last General Convention of Virginia appointing us Paul Carrington, Bennet Goode and Joseph Speed Commissioners for taking depositions touching Claims to Lands within the Territory of Virginia under Deeds and purchases from the Indians, We have this day met at the Court House of Mecklenburg County after twenty days notice being given to Richard Henderson and...
58Bill to Amend the Act Establishing a General Court, [27 October 1778] (Jefferson Papers)
[Be it enacted by the general Assembly] That instead of the Days heretofore set apart for the Trial of Criminal Causes in the General Court held in the months of March and October the said Court shall at the Commencement of the said Terms enter upon the Trial thereof as null those for capitol offences as others setting apart the four first Days, for that Purpose, but the Judges may direct the...
59Bill to Amend an Act for Raising a Supply of Money, [14 October 1778] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas the Taxes Collected by virtue of the Act intituled “an Act for raising a supply of money for Public Exigencies” are not sufficient to answer the purposes of the said Act and Whereas great inequality and injustice have arisen from the various opinions of Assessors in their valuation of Taxable property, and greater evils are still likely to arise if the same mode of Taxation is pursued....
60Bill to Attaint Josiah Philips and Others, [28 May 1778] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas a certain Josiah Philips labourer of the parish of Lynhaven and county of Princess Anne together with divers others inhabitants of the counties of Princess Anne and Norfolk and citizens of this commonwealth contrary to their fidelity associating and confederating together have levied war against this Commonwealth, within the same, committing murders, burning houses, wasting farms and...