a small army against a great one, their exhausted means supplied by his
talents, their enemies finally forced to that spot whither their allies
and confederates were collecting to receive them, and a war which had
spread its miseries into the four quarters of the earth thus reduced
to a single point, where one blow should terminate it, and through the
whole, an implicit respect paid to the laws of the land; these are facts
which would illustrate any character, and which fully justify the warmth
of those feelings, of which I have the honor, on this occasion, to be
the organ.

It would have been more pleasing to me to have executed this office in
person, to have mingled the tribute of private gratitude with that of my
country, and, at the same time, to have had an opportunity of presenting
to your honorable body, the homage of that profound respect which I have
the honor to bear them. But I am withheld from these grateful duties,
by the consequences of a fall, which confine me to my room. Mr. Short,
therefore, a citizen of the State of Virginia, and heretofore a member
of its Council of State, will have the honor of delivering you this
letter, together with the resolution of the General Assembly of
Virginia. He will have that, also, of presenting the bust at such time
and place, as you will be so good as to signify your pleasure to receive
it. Through him, I beg to be allowed the honor of presenting those
sentiments of profound respect and veneration, with which I am,
Gentlemen, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.