1898.] MINUTES. 83 



the latter dated from Chantilly, his residence in Virginia, as 

 to the Jefferson-Lee document. 



Dr. Hays asked if this is the facsimile copy which Dr. 

 Morris took out of the Librarian's desk last autumn under the 

 impression that it was an unknown, orig^inal, Jefferson auto- 

 graph draught of the Declaration of Independence. 



Dr. Morris replied that it was the same copy. 



Dr. Hays stated that tl^i-s, facsimile is catalogued on page 

 573 of the printed catalogue of the Society's library, and had 

 the library officials had any intimation of Dr. Morris' inten- 

 tion to take it he would have been informed that it was only 

 0, facsimile of the well-known rough draught, which has been 

 reproduced in almost every edition of Jefferson's works. It 

 has all the appearances of having been torn out of a copy of 

 Randolph's edition and possesses no special value. 



Mr. Edmunds asked where the original of ihi^ facsimile is. 



Dr. Morris replied that it is in the possession of the Uni- 

 versity of Virginia. 



Dr. Hays expressed surprise at this statement, as he was 

 not aware that the University of Virginia had ever possessed 

 it. The United States claimed to have acquired it fifty years 

 ago, with the other Jefferson papers from the Jefferson heirs, 

 who, by the terms of their sale to the United States, agreed 

 to convey "all the papers and manuscripts" of Thomas 

 Jefferson in their possession. In the Department of State at 

 Washington there is framed under glass and kept in a fire- 

 proof safe a manuscript which is said to be this original. ^ 



Mr. James Douglas presented an obituary notice of Dr. 

 Thomas Sterry Hunt. 



The following communications were presented : 



B}^ Prof. Edward H. Williams, Jr., " N'otes on Kansan 

 Drift in Pennsylvania." 



By Mr. John Van Denburgh, " Herpetological Xotes." 



By Dr. I. Minis Hays, "A IS'ote on the History of the 



^ Dr. Hays has since verified tlie statement that this original is in the 

 Department of State at Washington. 



