Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

IT appears by the vote of the assembly of Virginia, respecting the conduct of Mr. Jefferson, while governor of that state, that "there had been popular rumours against him, which had gained some degree of credence by more pointed accusations, and which had rendered it necessary to make an enquiry into his conduct."

The accusation was that, on the approach of a few British troopers, the governor of Virginia, betrayed a want of firmness, and, by his flight, caused great injury to the state in the loss of records, &c.

The verdict of the assembly of Virginia, departing altogether from the charge, acquits Mr. Jefferson of that of which he had not been accused, namely, want of ability and integrity, but gives no verdict on the charge of want of firmness. This is not unlike the proceeding of some masters, when they give a character to a discharged servant who has been dismissed for drunkenness, and whom they describe as having been very faithful, industrious and honest. This assembly of Virginia has been at all times remarkable for their votes of thanks. The late Richard Henry Lee, a senator in congress from that state, had acquired the severe displeasure of all the republicans in Virginia, (and we know that it abounds with them) for having proposed in the senate in the first session the title of his highness for the President of the United States. It was never ascertained whether he was sincere in making the motion, or only wished to disparage the federal constitution by such a manoeuvre. Certain however it is that he lost his former popularity in Virginia, and therefore thought proper to decline being a candidate at the expiration of his term; yet strange to tell, the assembly of Virginia gave him an unanimous vote of thanks for his faithful services in the senate of the United States. A short time after the assembly of Virginia passed a vote of thanks to Mr. Giles for having instituted an enquiry into the conduct of the Secretary of the Treasury Mr. Hamilton, when it was universally known, that the whole was a party business, contrived merely to get Mr. Hamilton out of office. -In 1794, the assembly of Virginia, after having voted that governor Lee had abandoned his post, as governor, by assuming the command of the Western army (which certainly would have been a very reprehensible act) gave him an unanimous vote of thanks for his meritorious conduct, in having abandoned his post. Last year, the assembly of Virginia wished to vote thanks to the President for his conduct, but the two houses could not for a long while agree on the proper wording of the vote; the lower house were willing to applaud his integrity and his firmness, but would not acknowledge his wisdom; the senate insisted on his wisdom, and after much debate, the President's wisdom was carried in the lower house, by a majority of two votes. But here, in voting thanks to Washington, the assembly of Virginia were not unanimous!!

These votes of thanks in the state legislatures are becoming so cheap, and so much a thing of course that very little value is now annexed to them. They frequently pass nem. con. because those who are opposed to them, conceive that a debate would annex some importance to the person who is to receive thanks. I remember hearing of an instance in a state legislature, where a vote of thanks was just about to pass, and the clerk was enquiring whether it was to be entered unanimously, when the sudden arrival and opposition of a member brought on a debate, and the vote was rejected by a large majority.

CIVIS.