©2004, Cumberland House Publishing, 254 pp. in paperback

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson continue to be presidents of great interest and study some two centuries after their presidencies. Although George Washington, like most people of his generation, did not want political parties, during his presidency political parties were initiated. Two members of his cabinet, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, became leaders of rival parties.  Jefferson was a opponent of a strong central government, while Hamilton favored such a government.

This biography of Jefferson was first published in 1898. It focuses on his political career and thinking.

Jefferson was a native Virginian. His father died when Thomas was fourteen years old, leaving the boy with many responsibilities on the family farm. He graduated from William and Mary College and entered law professionally. He became a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1768 and with others opposed what he considered to be overbearing English laws. Although he did not initially want to separate from England, he did not want to be ruled by Parliament. In 1776, as a Virginia representative to the Second Continental Congress,  Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence.

As a Virginia politician he pursued the individual freedom of the citizen. He introduced bills that ultimately ended the aristocratic laws in Virginia. As many know he was a strong proponent of religion freedom.

The author does not hesitate to point out Jefferson’s weaknesses and subsequent failures while in political office. As governor and later as president he moved too slowly in the face of the threats of naval attacks by England.  As minister to France from the new nation, he supported the French citizens’ pursuit of freedom in the months leading up to the French Revolution. Support for the French continued, while he served as Secretary of State, when France declared war on England. The author points out that few colonists had much love for their recently defeated foe, England.

Our lives take amazing twists and turns in the providence of God. The 1800 presidential election, a process very different from our current method of election, was thrown into the House of Representatives for resolution due to a tie vote. Ultimately, Jefferson’s arch political foe, Hamilton, used his influence to gain the presidency for Jefferson.

Jefferson’s reputation as a man of principle regarding a weak central government met a great challenge when he served as President. His most famous act in office – the purchase of the Louisiana Territory – had no constitutional support. He also saw the need for and supported national internal improvements, which earlier he had believed to be unconstitutional.

This book is well-written. The intrigue of early American politics is presented very clearly. Jefferson’s inconsistencies and errors in judgment are pointed out. The author notes that Jefferson’s idealism could easily overwhelm his sense of reality. For example, he believed that the United States voters would have sufficient sense to consistently elect good men to public office. His hope rested in the people and their wisdom as he saw it, rather than in strong politicians or a central government, except in the most necessary of cases.

The book presents a balanced view of Jefferson’s strengths and weaknesses. A chapter on his family would have been an added bonus. I would have liked to read from the author’s viewpoint how his governing principles worked out in his home. However the aim of the author was to focus on Jefferson’s political activity. In this volume he achieves his aim of showing the reader Jefferson’s service to America as an elected government official.

This is the second volume in the publisher’s American Statesmen series.

Review ©2008 Byron Snapp, Hampton, Virginia