1Bills for a Revised State Code of Laws, [31 October] 1785 (Madison Papers)
A bill, “for the more general diffusion of knowledge.”
2From James Madison to Joel K. Mead, 16 October 1820 (Madison Papers)
JM referred here to a bill drafted by Thomas Jefferson entitled “A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge,” which was introduced into the Virginia General Assembly in 1778, 1780, 1785 (by JM), and 1786, and considered but defeated each time (
3From James Madison to William T. Barry, 4 August 1822 (Madison Papers)
appointed to revise the laws in order to adapt them to the genius of Republican Government. It made a part of a “bill for the more general diffusion of knowledge”