Why did Thomas Jefferson leave off the part about "acquiring and possessing property...?"

[Damien Shoemake]

An interesting piece of history… The Declaration of Rights for Virginia, written by George Mason, was actually a model for the Declaration of Independence. It included the phrase: "the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property... and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."

But why did Jefferson leave off the part about Property when he wrote: "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" ?

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/virginia_declaration_of_rights.html

[Bill Gulley]

Happiness is acquiring property, so it was redundant. They were also short on ink. :)