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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution
Collection: Classics of Liberty

to the pennsylvania convention 1 - Thomas Jefferson, The Works, vol. 2 (1771-1779) [1905]

Edition used:

The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Federal Edition (New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904-5). Vol. 2.

Part of: The Works of Thomas Jefferson, 12 vols.

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to the pennsylvania convention1

j. mss.

Sir,

—The honble the convention of Virga attending to the inconveniencies which may arise from an unsettled jurisdn in the neighborhood of fort pitt, have instructed us to propose to your honorable house to agree on some temporary boundary which may serve for preservation of the peace in that territory until an amicable and final determination may be had before arbiters mutually chosen. Such temporary settlement will from its nature do predjudice to neither party when at any future day a complete informn of facts shall enable them to submit the doubt to a just & final decision. We can assure you that the colony of Virga does not entertain a wish that one inch should be added to theirs from the territory of a sister colony & we have a perfect confidence that the same just sentiments prevails in your house. Parties thus disposed can scarcely meet with difficulty in adjusting either a temporary or a final settlement. The decision, whatever it be, will not annihilate the lands. They will remain to be occupied by Americans & whether these be counted in the numbers of this or that of the United States will be thought a matter of little moment. We shall be ready to confer on this subject with any gentleman you may please to appoint for that purpose & am Sir, with every sentiment of respect.

[1 ]This is copied from a rough draft, which has no address but the following note from the Minutes of the Convention, as printed in the Philadelphia Evening Post of August 6, 1776, shows to whom it was written: “A letter was read from the Delegates of the state of Virginia, now in Congress, proposing ‘a temporary line’; the same being considered, it was ordered ‘that further consideration thereof be deferred.’ ” Nor does the proposition ever seem to have been voted upon.