Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/162

 128 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS ten days in the governor s house at Elk Hill, a hun dred miles down the James, where he destroyed all the growing crops, burned the barns, carried off the horses, killed the colts, and took away twenty- seven slaves. During the public disasters of that time there was the usual disposition among a por tion of the people to cast the blame upon the ad ministration, and Jefferson himself was of the opinion that, in such a desperate crisis, it was best that the civil and the military power should be intrusted to the same hand. He therefore declined a re-election to a third term, and induced his friends to support Gen. Thomas Nelson, commander-in- chief of the militia, who was elected. The capture of Cornwallis in November, 1781, atoned for all the previous suffering and disaster. A month later Jefferson rose in his place in the legislature and declared his readiness to answer any charges that might be brought against his administration of the government ; but no one responded. After a pause, a member offered a resolution thanking him for his impartial, upright, and attentive discharge of his duty, which was passed without a dissenting voice. On September 6, 1782, Jefferson s wife died, to his unspeakable and lasting sorrow, leaving three daughters, the youngest four months old. Dur ing the stupor caused by this event he was elected by a unanimous vote of congress, and, as Madison