The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Introduction
• Itinerary and Chronology of Thomas Jefferson 1743–1770. 1
• Autobiography 1743–1790
• The Anas 1 1791–1806
• Correspondence and Miscellaneous Writings 1760–1774
• 1760 - to John Harvey 1
• 1762 - to John Page 1
• 1763 - to John Page
• To John Page
• To William Fleming 1
• To John Page
• 1764 - to John Page
• To John Page
• To William Fleming 1
• To John Page
• Whether Christianity Is Part of the Common Law? 1
• 1768 - to Colonel William Preston 2
• 1769 - Resolutions of the Virginia House of Burgesses. 2
• 1770 - to John Page
• Argument In the Case of Howell Vs. Netherland 2
• To Thomas Adams, 1 Merchant
• To Peyton Randolph

RESOLUTIONS OF THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF BURGESSES.2

Monday, the 8th of May, 9th GEO. III., 1769.

Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That a most humble and dutiful Address be presented to his Excellency the Governor, returning Thanks for his very affectionate Speech at the Opening of the Session;

Expressing our firm Attachment to his Majesty’s sacred Person and Government, and a lively Sense of his Royal Favour, manifested by frequent Approbations of our former Conduct; by extending his Paternal Regard to all his Subjects, however remote; and, by his gracious Purpose, that our Chief Governor shall, in future, reside among us;

Declaring, that we esteem, as a peculiar Mark of his Attention to our Happiness, the Appointment of his Lordship to preside over this Colony; and, that his Virtues and Abilities, manifested ever since his Arrival here, are to us the firmest Assurance, that Wisdom and Benevolence will distinguish his Administration;

Joining, in Congratulations on the Birth of another Princess, and the happy Restoration of her Majesty’s Health;

Assuring his Excellency, that we shall, with Candour, proceed to the important Business on which we are met in General Assembly; and that, if in the Course of our Deliberations, any Matters shall arise, which may in any wise affect the Interests of Great-Britain, these shall ever be discussed on this ruling Principle, that her Interests, and ours, are inseparably the same; And finally, offering our Prayers, that Providence, and the Royal Pleasure, may long continue his Lordship the happy Ruler of a free and happy People.

[2 ]From the Journal of the House of Burgesses for 1769, p. 4. It is the first of Jefferson’s public papers, and in a letter to Wirt (Aug. 5, 1815) he writes of it: “On receiving the Governor’s [Botetourt] speech it was usual to move resolutions as heads to an address. Mr. Pendleton asked me to draw the resolutions which I did. They were accepted by the House, and Pendleton, Nicholas, myself and some others were appointed a committee to prepare the address. The committee desired me to do it, but when presented it was thought to pursue too strictly the diction of the resolutions, and that their subjects were not amplified. Mr. Nicholas chiefly objected to it, and was desired by the committee to draw one more at large, which he did with amplification enough, and it was accepted. Being a young man as well as a young member, it made on me an impression proportioned to the sensibility of that time of life.”