Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1903 — A NEW JEFFERSON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

A NEW JEFFERSON LETTER.

Company of Soldier* Thanked For Offer of Service* In 1807. Charles Witherspoon, a well know* resident of Petersburg, Va., lately found among the papers of his grandfather, the late Commodore Harrisoix Cocke, a letter written by Thomas Jefferson, who at the time was president of the United States. The following Is a copy of the letter: To Captain John D. Burk and the Petersburg Company of Kiilemen: The offer of your services in support of the rights of your country merits and meets the highest praise, and whenever the moment arrives in which their rights must appeal to the public arm for support, the spirit front which your offer (lows, that which animates our emotion, will be their sufficient safeguard. To the legislature will bo rendered & faithful account of the events which have so justly excited the sensibilities of our county, of the measures taken to obtain reparation and of their result*, and to their wisdom will belong the course to be ultimately pursued, in the meantime It Is our duty to pursue that furnished by the existing laws, (he authority of these having been recently and grossly outraged In the state of Virginia. The governor will employ such portionof the militia as in eo-operatton with tha forces of the United States In the same quarter may protect the country, it* cltl»ens and property from violence. Toward this your services are accepted under hip direction. I tender for your country the thank* you so justly deserve. THOMAS JEFFERSON. Washington, July 19. 1807 “The events which have so justly excited the sensibilities of our country”" were the filing on the United States steamship Chesapeake by the British man-of-war Despard and associated incidents which occurred In Virginia waters.