251VIII. Notes on Heresy, 11 October–9 December 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
A heretic is an impugner of fundamentals. what are fundamentals? the protestants will say those doctrines which are clearly & precisely delivered in the holy scriptures. Dr. Waterland would say the Trinity. but how far this character [of being clearly delivered?] will suit the doctrine of the Trinity I leave others to determine. it is no where expressly declared by any of the earliest fathers,...
252IX. Miscellaneous Notes on Religion, 11 October–9 December 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
* * N ( DLC ). Miscellaneous fragments, described in textual notes below. Partly illegible. Brackets in MS . This Act was passed in the session of 1659/60 ( Hening, William W. Hening, The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia I, 532–3); the parts within brackets, indicating illegible or mutilated portions of the MS , are supplied from the Act itself. The foregoing...
253Bill for the Naturalization of Foreigners, [14 October 1776] (Jefferson Papers)
For the encouragement of < Foreign Protestants > foreigners to settle in this Countrey Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Delegates of Virginia now met in General Assembly That all < Foreign Protestants > < foreigners > < now settled > persons born in other countries and now residing in this < Colony and not naturalized > Commonwealth, and all who may hereafter migrate into the same, who...
254Bill to Enable Tenants in Fee Tail to Convey Their Lands in Fee Simple, [14 October 1776] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas the perpetuation of property in certain families by means of gifts made to them in fee-tail is contrary to good policy, tends to deceive fair traders who give a credit on the visible possession of such estates, discourages the holder thereof from taking care of and improving the same, and sometimes does injury to the morals of youth by rendering them independent of, and disobedient to,...
255Bill for the Revision of the Laws, [15 October 1776] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas on the late change which hath of necessity been introduced into the form of government in this country it is become also necessary to make corresponding changes in the laws heretofore in force, many of which are inapplicable to the powers of government as now organised, others are founded on principles heterogeneous to the republican spirit, others which, long before such change, had...
256Editorial Note: Bills for Dividing Fincastle County (Jefferson Papers)
The involved and at times impenetrable legislative history of these two Bills requires special comment. For this was not merely another county division: it was the first great collision between Jefferson and the powerful land speculators. During the two years preceding this session of the Assembly, Jefferson’s statements in the Summary View , in his correspondence with Pendleton, and in his...
257I. Bill for Dividing the County of Fincastle into Two Distinct Counties, [15 October 1776] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas from the great extent of the County of Fincastle many inconveniences attend the more distant Inhabitants thereof on account of their remote situation from the Courthouse of the said County and many of the said Inhabitants have petitioned this present General Assembly that the same may be divided, Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of the Common Wealth of Virginia and it is...
258II. Bill for Dividing the County of Fincastle into Three Distinct Counties, [26 October 1776] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas from the great extent of the County of Fincastle, many inconveniencies attend the more distant inhabitants thereof on account of their remote situation from the Court house of the said County, and many of the said inhabitants have petitioned this present General Assembly for a division of the same—Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and it...
259Additional Instructions by Congress to Franklin, Deane, and Jefferson, 16 October 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
Additional instructions to B F, S D, and T J, commissioners from the united states of America to the king of France. Whilst you are negotiating the affairs you are charged with at the court of France you will have opportunities of conversing frequen[t]ly with the ministers and agents of other european princes and states residing there. You shall endeavour, when you find occasion fit and...
260Bill for Raising Six Additional Battalions of Infantry, [28 October 1776] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas it has been thought necessary by the American Congress that the armies of the United States should be augmented to eighty eight battalions, to be enlisted to serve during the continuance of the present war unless sooner discharged, and that fifteen of the said battalions should be furnished by this Commonwealth; and the said Congress by their resolutions have engaged to give to every...