Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 1

by Thomas Jefferson

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, Politics

694 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2007

About the author

Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Following the American Revolutionary War and prior to becoming president in 1801, Jefferson was the nation's first U.S. secretary of state under George Washington and then the nation's second vice president under John Adams. Jefferson was a leading proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, and produced formative documents and decisions at the state, national, and international levels. His writings and advocacy for human rights, including freedom of thought, speech, and religion, served as substantial inspirations to the American Revolution and subsequent Revolutionary War in which the Thirteen Colonies succeeded in breaking from British America and establishing the United States as a sovereign nation.
During the American Revolution, Jefferson represented Virginia at the Second Continental Congress and served as the second governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1781. In 1785, Congress appointed Jefferson U.S. minister to France, where he served from 1785 to 1789. President Washington then appointed Jefferson the nation's first secretary of state, where he served from 1790 to 1793. During this time, in the early 1790s, Jefferson and James Madison organized the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose the Federalist Party during the formation of the nation's First Party System. Jefferson and Federalist John Adams became both friends and political rivals. In the 1796 U.S. presidential election between the two, Jefferson came in second, which made him Adams' vice president under the electoral laws of the time. Four years later, in the 1800 presidential election, Jefferson again challenged Adams, and won the presidency. In 1804, Jefferson was reelected overwhelmingly to a second term.
As president, Jefferson assertively defended the nation's shipping and trade interests against Barbary pirates and aggressive British trade policies, promoted a western expansionist policy with the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the nation's geographic size, and was able to reduce military forces and expenditures following successful negotiations with France. In his second presidential term, Jefferson was beset by difficulties at home, including the trial of his former vice president Aaron Burr. In 1807, Jefferson implemented the Embargo Act to defend the nation's industries from British threats to U.S. shipping, limiting foreign trade and stimulating the birth of the American manufacturing industry. Presidential scholars and historians praise Jefferson's public achievements, including his advocacy of religious freedom and tolerance, his peaceful acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France, and his leadership in supporting the Lewis and Clark Expedition; they give radically differing interpretations of his views on and relationship with slavery.
Jefferson is ranked by both scholars and in public opinion among the upper-tier of American presidents.

Reviews

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

From his contradictory ethics and hints of the personal motivations for them, the attempts to act as a diplomat between England and the colonies followed by the revolutionary resolution which resulted from them, the efforts to guide a young United States of America from a rebel state few countries took seriously to one that could take its place in the world in politics and trade, these letters and memoirs give a sense of the brilliance, strengths, flaws, and vulnerabilities of one of America’s founding fathers, offered up by the pen of Thomas Jefferson himself. This volume gives the reader insight into his character, his actions in the form of a first hand account of the early days of America. Giving dry accounts a pretty turn of phrase and a touch of liveliness, Thomas Jefferson speaks to the reader over the centuries, showing us a little of the times he lived in and the concerns which worried him when America was young. Some of the glamour is polished away, giving a clearer look of Jefferson as a human being, letting us all become better acquainted with the man, his strengths, and his shortcomings, helping us understand a little better, and inspiring speculation about what he may not have dared to voice. For all of this qualities, I give this four stars.

[John Payton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

**

About the Author

Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd president of the United States. William Peden is professor emeritus of English at the University of Missouri.

[Damien Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The formal nature of correspondence at the time does not reveal much of Thomas Jefferson's personal emotions, or indeed personality, though there are times when it is possible to detect a certain passion beneath the still surface of a letter.

Still, there can be no doubt that Jefferson was a scrupulously honest person, with strong ideas about fairness, freedom and responsibilities. As someone with only a basic familiarity with U.S history, the idea of the emancipation of slaves is one firmly anchored on Lincoln, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that Jefferson was already a strong proponent at the inception of the United States.

[Schuyler Lystad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having only read the memoir, I feel less like I know about Jefferson and more about the French Revolution. I'm sure the rest is informative.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to see that politically there are a lot of things that haven't changed much and aren't really new ideas.