Between May 27 and mid-June, Jefferson attended sessions of Congress, but gave most of his attention to his plans for the Virginia Constitution, his thoughts drifting southward to Williamsburg--and to Monticello, where his wife Patsy was suffering through a debilitating pregnancy.
On June 7, however, the focus shifted decisively to Congress. Jefferson's colleague, Richard Henry Lee, acted on instructions from the Virginia Assembly to introduce a resolution of independence. The members appointed a drafting committee to produce an instrument of independence. This included its most passionate advocate, John Adams; the colonies' most famous figure, Benjamin Franklin; Robert Livingston, scion of one of New York's most powerful political clans; the sensible, phlegmatic Connecticut statesman, Roger Sherman, and Jefferson. His appointment was somewhat surprising: he was the youngest member of the committee, and the least experienced in continental affairs. But he had gained substantial recognition for his powerful pamphlet, A Summary View of the Rights of British Americans, which laid out a thoughtful theoretical case for American self-government. Moreover, he had already manifested the quality that many who met him would comment on: a compelling charisma that drew men to him, and made them feel part of something larger than themselves.
John Adams was not a humble man. But weeks of jousting with more timid and more skeptical congressmen at Philadelphia had given the canny, crusty New Englander a clear understanding of his liabilities as a spokesman for independence, as well as his strengths. This is why he knew that the tall, taciturn, red-headed Virginian should be the one to draft the language of the Declaration. He outlined the causes that impelled him to such a conclusion: “Reason first—You are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second—I am obnoxious, suspected and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third—You can write ten times better than I can.”
Adams's first reason requires some investigation. He did not need to place a Virginian figurehead as the drafter of the document for purposes of sectional balance or appearances; Washington's appointment as General in Chief had accomplished this. And anyway, outside of Congress, few would know, and fewer would care, what particular individual had penned the first draft of the Declaration, or what state he hailed from. Why, then, was it important to place a Virginian "at the head of this business?"
On June 7, however, the focus shifted decisively to Congress. Jefferson's colleague, Richard Henry Lee, acted on instructions from the Virginia Assembly to introduce a resolution of independence. The members appointed a drafting committee to produce an instrument of independence. This included its most passionate advocate, John Adams; the colonies' most famous figure, Benjamin Franklin; Robert Livingston, scion of one of New York's most powerful political clans; the sensible, phlegmatic Connecticut statesman, Roger Sherman, and Jefferson. His appointment was somewhat surprising: he was the youngest member of the committee, and the least experienced in continental affairs. But he had gained substantial recognition for his powerful pamphlet, A Summary View of the Rights of British Americans, which laid out a thoughtful theoretical case for American self-government. Moreover, he had already manifested the quality that many who met him would comment on: a compelling charisma that drew men to him, and made them feel part of something larger than themselves.
John Adams was not a humble man. But weeks of jousting with more timid and more skeptical congressmen at Philadelphia had given the canny, crusty New Englander a clear understanding of his liabilities as a spokesman for independence, as well as his strengths. This is why he knew that the tall, taciturn, red-headed Virginian should be the one to draft the language of the Declaration. He outlined the causes that impelled him to such a conclusion: “Reason first—You are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second—I am obnoxious, suspected and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third—You can write ten times better than I can.”
Adams's first reason requires some investigation. He did not need to place a Virginian figurehead as the drafter of the document for purposes of sectional balance or appearances; Washington's appointment as General in Chief had accomplished this. And anyway, outside of Congress, few would know, and fewer would care, what particular individual had penned the first draft of the Declaration, or what state he hailed from. Why, then, was it important to place a Virginian "at the head of this business?"
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