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THOMAS JEFFERSON 591 alliance with France, he took his seat in the Virginia house in October, 1776. He com- menced at once by obtaining leave to bring in bills for cutting off entails, and for a general revision of the laws of the commonwealth. A committee of revision was appointed, and Jef- ferson placed at the head of it, with Edmund Pendleton and other distinguished lawyers for colleagues. The work employed the committee for mope than two years, and was arduous in the extreme. To Jefferson were allotted the common law and statutes to the 4th of James I. ; and he applied himself with zeal to the re- vision. To the more important bills which he brought in, the opposition was resolute and bitter. The explanation of this fact may be found in a few sentences of his memoir : " I considered four of these bills as forming a sys- tem by which every fibre would be eradicated of ancient or future aristocracy. . . . The re- peal of the laws of entail would prevent the accumulation and perpetuation of wealth in select families. . . . The abolition of primo- geniture, and equal partition of inheritances, removed the feudal and unnatural distinctions which made one member of every family rich and all the rest poor. . . . The restoration of the rights of conscience relieved the people from taxation for the support of a religion not theirs, for the establishment was truly the re- ligion of the rich." The latter reference is to the bill " for establishing religious freedom." On the adoption of this, and the proposition to cut off entails and abolish the right of primo- geniture, took place the determined stand which has been mentioned. From the peculiar charac- ter of Virginia society at the period, no mea- sures could have been more revolutionary. The dominant class was essentially aristocratic, and the law of primogeniture represented their deliberate views of social order ; the establish- ment was dear to them as the church of their ancestors, and as the bulwark of Protestant Christianity against heresy and superstition. The contest was prolonged for years, and en- listed all the ability of the commonwealth. The advocates and opponents of the measures fought with the desperation of men who were contending for the dearest prizes of existence. The bills all finally passed, and the reorganiza- tion was complete. When Jefferson drew up the epitaph to be inscribed upon his tomb, he added to the words, " author of the Declara- tion of Independence," those others, " and of the statute of Virginia for religious freedom." In addition to these radical measures, Jefferson was the author of others of importance, for the establishment of courts of law, and a complete system of elementary and collegiate education. He continued to sit in the house in 1777 and 1778. In the former year he strongly opposed the alleged scheme for appointing Patrick Henry dictator. In the latter year he proposed and procured the passage of a bill forbidding the future importation of slaves. In the spring of 1770 he was bttsily employed in ameliorating the condition of the British prisoners at Char- lottesville. On June 1 he was elected governor of Virginia. He entered upon office at a gloomy period in the history of the country. The last campaign had not been encouraging to the American arms, and the enemy were about to carry the war into the south. Jefferson found the commonwealth almost defenceless. Vir- ginia had nearly 10,000 troops in the army of the United States, and the steady drain upon her other resources had so greatly enfeebled her that there was little prospect of her being able to resist an enemy. The southern cam- paign began in Georgia and the Carolinas, and the resources of the colonies were laid under a heavy tax for raising supplies. Virginia was so profuse in contributions of men, arms, horses, and provisions, that she was soon completely exhausted. Her extended coast and the banks of her great rivers were wholly unfortified. A few small vessels and gunboats, imperfectly manned and equipped, were all that she could oppose to the approach of an enemy's fleet. Gen. Leslie easily took possession of Hampton and Portsmouth, and Arnold ascended James river almost unresisted with fewer than 2,000 men. He entered Richmond, which had re- cently become the capital, on Jan. 5, 1781. The public functionaries, including the gov- ernor, retired before the enemy; but Jefferson remained until they entered the lower part of the town, and afterward busied himself in their immediate vicinity in attempts to protect the public stores. Arnold ravaged the place, burned some buildings, and then dropped down the river again. In April Gen. Phillips ascended the river and threatened Richmond ; but re- ceiving orders from Cornwallis, who had en- tered Virginia from the south, he joined the main army, then advancing in pursuit of La- fayette toward the Rapidan. Lafayette escaped, and Cornwallis determined to capture or dis- perse the legislature, which had adjourned to meet in Charlottesville. Tarleton was des- patched upon this enterprise, and by a forced march he fell upon the body almost before they knew of his approach. They were dispersed, but without any captures ; and Tarleton de- tached several of his troop to take the governor prisoner at Monticello, which was in sight of the town. Jefferson received intelligence of their approach, and hastily sent off his family. Having secured his more important papers, he followed on horseback, just in time to escape the party sent to take him. Tarleton rejoined Cornwallis, burning and ravaging on his way. Among other estates laid waste was Elk Hill, belonging to Jefferson, where a large amount of property was wantonly destroyed. The events attending this inroad of the enemy formed subsequently the basis of violent dia- tribes against Jefferson, who was declared to have received warning of the danger from Washington, but to have wantonly disregarded it, and neglected to put the state in a posture of defence. Additional charges were made, 451 VOL. IX. 3