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for sixty years past。 A fever of more than twenty…four hours I have
not had above two or three times in my life。 A periodical headache
has afflicted me occasionally； once； perhaps； in six or eight years；
for two or three weeks at a time； which seems now to have left me；
and except on a late occasion of indisposition； I enjoy good health；
too feeble； indeed； to walk much； but riding without fatigue six or
eight miles a day； and sometimes thirty or forty。 I may end these
egotisms； therefore； as I began； by saying that my life has been so
much like that of other people； that I might say with Horace； to
every one _〃nomine mutato； narratur fabula de te。〃_ I must not end；
however； without due thanks for the kind sentiments of regard you are
so good as to express towards myself； and with my acknowledgments for
these； be pleased to accept the assurances of my respect and esteem。
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
_To Samuel Adams Wells_
_Monticello； May 12； 1819_
SIR； An absence of some time at an occasional and distant
residence must apologize for the delay in acknowledging the receipt
of your favor of April 12th。 And candor obliges me to add that it
has been somewhat extended by an aversion to writing； as well as to
calls on my memory for facts so much obliterated from it by time as
to lessen my confidence in the traces which seem to remain。 One of
the inquiries in your letter； however； may be answered without an
appeal to the memory。 It is that respecting the question whether
committees of correspondence originated in Virginia or Massachusetts？
On which you suppose me to have claimed it for Virginia。 But
certainly I have never made such a claim。 The idea； I suppose； has
been taken up from what is said in Wirt's history of Mr。 Henry； p。
87； and from an inexact attention to its precise term。 It is there
said 〃this house ＇of burgesses of Virginia＇ had the merit of
originating that powerful engine of resistance； corresponding
committees _between the legislatures_ of the _different colonies_。〃
That the fact as here expressed is true； your letter bears witness
when it says that the resolutions of Virginia for this purpose were
transmitted to the speakers of the different Assemblies； and by that
of Massachusetts was laid at the next session before that body； who
appointed a committee for the specified object： adding； 〃thus in
Massachusetts there were two committees of correspondence； one chosen
by the people； the other appointed by the House of Assembly； in the
former； Massachusetts preceded Virginia； in the latter； Virginia
preceded Massachusetts。〃 To the origination of committees for the
interior correspondence between the counties and towns of a State； I
know of no claim on the part of Virginia； but certainly none was ever
made by myself。 I perceive； however； one error into which memory had
led me。 Our committee for national correspondence was appointed in
March； '73； and I well remember that going to Williamsburg in the
month of June following； Peyton Randolph； our chairman； told me that
messengers； bearing despatches between the two States； had crossed
each other by the way； that of Virginia carrying our propositions for
a committee of national correspondence； and that of Massachusetts
bringing； as my memory suggested； a similar proposition。 But here I
must have misremembered； and the resolutions brought us from
Massachusetts were probably those you mention of the town meeting of
Boston； on the motion of Mr。 Samuel Adams； appointing a committee 〃to
state the rights of the colonists； and of that province in
particular； and the infringements of them； to communicate them to the
several towns； as the sense of the town of Boston； and to request of
each town a free communication of its sentiments on this subject〃？ I
suppose； therefore； that these resolutions were not received； as you
think； while the House of Burgesses was in session in March； 1773；
but a few days after we rose； and were probably what was sent by the
messenger who crossed ours by the way。 They may； however； have been
still different。 I must therefore have been mistaken in supposing
and stating to Mr。 Wirt； that the proposition of a committee for
national correspondence was nearly simultaneous in Virginia and
Massachusetts。
A similar misapprehension of another passage in Mr。 Wirt's
book； for which I am also quoted； has produced a similar reclamation
of the part of Massachusetts by some of her most distinguished and
estimable citizens。 I had been applied to by Mr。 Wirt for such facts
respecting Mr。 Henry； as my intimacy with him； and participation in
the transactions of the day； might have placed within my knowledge。
I accordingly committed them to paper； and Virginia being the theatre
of his action； was the only subject within my contemplation； while
speaking of him。 Of the resolutions and measures here； in which he
had the acknowledged lead； I used the expression that 〃Mr。 Henry
certainly gave the first impulse to the ball of revolution。〃 ＇Wirt；
p。 41。＇ The expression is indeed general； and in all its extension
would comprehend all the sister States。 But indulgent construction
would restrain it； as was really meant； to the subject matter under
contemplation； which was Virginia alone； according to the rule of the
lawyers； and a fair canon of general criticism； that every expression
should be construed _secundum subjectam materiem_。 Where the first
attack was made； there must have been of course； the first act of
resistance； and that was of Massachusetts。 Our first overt act of
war was Mr。 Henry's embodying a force of militia from several
counties； regularly armed and organized； marching them in military
array； and making reprisal on the King's treasury at the seat of
government for the public powder taken away by his Governor。 This
was on the last days of April； 1775。 Your formal battle of Lexington
was ten or twelve days before that； which greatly overshadowed in
importance； as it preceded in time our little affray； which merely
amounted to a levying of arms against the King； and very possibly you
had had military affrays before the regular battle of Lexington。
These explanations will； I hope； assure you； Sir； that so far
as either facts or opinions have been truly quoted from me they have
never been meant to intercept the just fame of Massachusetts； for the
promptitude and perseverance of her early resistance。 We willingly
cede to her the laud of having been （although not exclusively） 〃the
cradle of sound principles；〃 and if some of us believe she has
deflected from them in her course； we retain full confidence in her
ultimate return to them。
I will now proceed to your quotation from Mr。 Galloway's
statements of what passed in Congress on their declaration of
independence； in which statement there is not one word of truth； and
where； bearing some resem