Notes On The State Of Virginia
contributor: Eric Lease Morgan (Infomotions, Inc.)
creator: Jefferson, Thomas
date: 0000-00-00
extent: 406289
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language: en
publisher: Eris Etext Project
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subject: miles
subject: river
subject: america
subject: government
subject: country
subject: state
subject: notes
subject: virginia
subject: thomas
subject: jefferson
subject: advertisement
subject: following
subject: written
subject: american
subject: literature
type: text
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sort title: Notes On The State Of Virginia
full text: NOTES ON THE STATE OF VIRGINIA by Thomas Jefferson _ADVERTISEMENT_ The following Notes were written in Virginia in the year 1781, and somewhat corrected and enlarged in the winter of 1782, in answer to Queries proposed to the Author, by a Foreigner of Distinction, then residing among us. The subjects are all treated imperfectly; some scarcely touched on. To apologize for this by developing the circumstances of the time and place of their composition, would be to open wounds which have already bled enough. To these circumstances some of their imperfections may with truth be ascribed; the great mass to the want of information and want of talents in the writer. He had a few copies printed, which he gave among his friends: and a translation of them has been lately published in France, but with such alterations as the laws of the press in that country rendered necessary. They are now offered to the public in their original form and language. Feb. 27, 1787. QUERY I _An exact description of the limits and boundaries of the state of Virginia?_ Limits Virginia is bounded on the East by the Atlantic: on the North by a line of latitude, crossing the Eastern Shore through Watkins's Point, being about 37 degrees.57' North latitude; from thence by a streight line to Cinquac, near the mouth of Patowmac; thence by the Patowmac, which is common to Virginia and Maryland, to the first fountain of its northern branch; thence by a meridian line, passing through that fountain till it intersects a line running East and West, in latitude 39 degrees.43'.42.4" which divides Maryland from Pennsylvania, and which was marked by Messrs. Mason and Dixon; thence by that line, and a continuation of it westwardly to the completion of five degrees of longitude from the eastern boundary of Pennsylvania, in the same latitude, and thence by a meridian line to the Ohio: On the West by the Ohio and Missisipi, to latitude 36 degrees.30'. North: and on the South by the line of latitude last-mentioned. By ad…