Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/301

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JEFFERSON CITY 245 JEFFREYS Jefferson was a member of the 2d Con- gress, in 1775, and of the 3d, in 1776. He was appointed chairman of a special committee of five, to prepare a declara- tion of independence. Jefferson wrote the draft, and it was adopted by the com- mittee, with very few changes, to become one 01 the immortal documents of his- tory. He resigned his seat in Congress to assist in framing the Virginia consti-- tution. In 1779 he was elected governor of Virginia. In 1783 he was returned to Congress, where he secured the adop- tion of the decimal system of coinage, and assisted in other important meas- ures. In 1784, with Franklin and Adams, he was instrumental in making important treaties with Prussia and Morocco. In 1785 he was made minister to France, where he served during the stormiest period of the French Revolu- tion. The liberal and destructive spirit of that revolution had great influence upon him, and his subsequent views and actfs were more or less shaped by it. He floated the French tricolor at his home at Monticello, and greeted his neighbors with the title "citizen." In 1789 he was made Secretary of State by Washington. Here he was recognized as the leader of the Republican party, the other members of the Cabinet and Washington himself being Federalists. In 1794 he retired to his estate, and passed three years in study and leisure. In 1797 he was chosen Vice-President with Adams, and in 1801 was elected President by the House of Representatives. In 1805 he was re-elected. His administrations were marked by the war with Tripoli, the admission of Ohio to the Union, the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, the naval episode between the " Chesapeake " and the " Leopard," the Embargo act, the trial of Aaron Burr for treason, and the prohibition of the slave trade. In 1809 he retired finally to private life, where he devoted himself to study and to philanthropic enterprises, his chief un- dertaking being the establishment of the University of Virginia. He was stead- ily democratic in his views, and a cham- pion of the rights of the States, as against centralization in government. He died in Monticello, Va., July 4, 1826, on the same day of John Adams's death, and the 50th anniversary of the famous Declaration that he had penned. JEFFERSON CITY, a city, capital of the State of Missouri, and county-seat of Cole CO.; on the Missouri river, the Chicago and Alton, the Missouri, Kansas and Pacific and the Missouri Pacific railroads; 125 miles W. of St. Louis. It is the farming and manufacturing trade center for Cole and adjacent counties; has manufactories of flour, shoes, farm- ing implements, and wagons, and iron foundries. It has the State Capitol, St. Mary's Hospital, Lincoln Institute, and other public buildings. It has gas and electric light plants, a National bank, daily, weekly, and monthly periodicals. Pop. (1910) 11,850, (1920) 14,490. JEFFERSONIA (-so'-) (named in honor of President Jefferson), a genus of plants, order Berberidacess. The species J. diphylla, the twin-leaf, or rheumatism-root, is found in woods from Western New York to Wisconsin and S. The leaves, which are only two and bi- partite, rise immediately from a hori- zontal root-stock borne on long petals, and enfolding a handsome white flower, not unlike that of the blood-root, and ap- pearing in April and May. This plant has in the West the reputation of being a stimulant, diaphoretic, and antispas- modic. JEFFERSONVILLE, a city and county-seat of Clark co., Ind.; on the Ohio river, and the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern, the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis, and several other railroads; 50 miles E. of Evansville; and opposite Louisville, Ky., with which it is connected by railroad bridges. It contains the Southern State Penitentiary, High School, Public Library; is the seat of an extensive government depot of sup- plies; and has waterworks, gas and elec- tric lights, street railways, large car works. National banks, daily, weekly, and monthly periodicals. Pop. (1910) 10,- 412, (1920) 10,098. JEFFREY, FRANCIS, a British critic and essayist; born in Edinburgh in 1773. After graduating at the universi- ties of Glasgow, and Oxford, Jeffrey, in 1794, was admitted to the Scottish bar. In 1802 he became editor of the Edin- burgh "Review." In 1813 he married a grand-niece of John Wilkes, crossing to the United States to bring her home. From 1816 till he ceased to practice Jeffrey was the acknowledged leader of the Scottish bar. He died in 1850. JEFFREYS, or JEFFERIES, GEORGE, LORD, an English jurist: born in Acton, England, in 1648. By attaching himself to the Duke of York he obtained the appointment of Welsh judge, the honor of knighthood, and the chief - justiceship of Chester. In 1683 he was appointed Chief-Justice of the King's Bench, and, in 1685, Lord (Chancellor. His cruelties on the Western circuit to- ward the deluded followers of the Duke