Thomas Jefferson: Independence Through the Power of Pen - Essay Example

?Thomas Jefferson: Independence Through the Power of Pen Introduction The melting pot of all nations, the United s of America, is one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world. A place where different people and culture are merged into one. The most liberalized laws and ideas originated from the USA, and are being followed by the many states. But who would have thought that one of the strongest countries fought against slavery and traditions imposed by their conquerors. That such country where democracy is an integral part of their society battled to be free and be recognized by American colonists. For years prior to their liberation, American people embraced the traditions introduced to them by their colonizers. These practices were being adopted also on how the government dealt with its affairs, which led them to backwardness. At those times, the conventional mechanism of the government oppressed some of the most time-honored rights of its citizens. Their ordeal piled up as years of tyranny passes, until a visionary ruler named Thomas Jefferson was born. His Eearly Life A versatile, liberalist, and a humble man, as described in John T Morse, Jr’s book, Thomas Jefferson was the advocate of independence in the United States. A son of a commoner and an aristocrat, Thomas was able to adopt the refined ways of his mother and the practical thinking of his father (Morse). During his early years, Thomas was educated by William Douglas whom he learned Greek, Latin and French. He studied at College of William and Mary, and took up law. In 1767, Thomas was admitted to the bar (Malone). Thomas married Martha Wayles Skelton and was blessed with six children (Malone). Jefferson’s Adulthood Thomas grew up as a very thrifty and hardworking individual. From a family of farmers, Thomas never had a hard time in cultivating the farm left by his father. He was very fond of trying new techniques that would help to improve the agriculture, which were applied not only in his land but also to others. Farming at that time was a good source of income. However, Thomas did not focus on accumulating wealth through land cultivation. He remained to be simple as he chose to be in the public service (Morse). At his early professional career as a lawyer, Thomas was fairly successful though he did not prefer to be a trail lawyer because he was not an eloquent public speaker. But his weakness in speech, gave way to hone his excellent writing skills (Morse). Malone revealed that Thomas Jefferson’s political career took place when he was in College. His advocacy to be a representative sprung up when he became friends with Patrick Henry. Before he was admitted to the bar, he witnessed how politics works and became very interested. At that point he decided to be a candidate in Albemarle County (Morse). The World of Politics According to Rayner, before he became the third president of the United States in 1800, Thomas took a seat on the House of Burgesses, a year after he passed the Bar. He ran and won as representative in the Congress. Though, refused to serve in the said house after he was re-elected, and chose to seat on the House of Burgesses again. In 1779, Jefferson served as Virginia’s governor. After his term as governor, Thomas was appointed as Minister to France. He was tasked to help in the negotiation of commercial treaties between the United States and France. President Washington designated him to be the Secretary of State. He was elected as Vice President in 1797. Written Works The Declaration of Independence When Thomas Jefferson became a president in 1800, he was able to produce as papers and drafted several significant laws that led its country to its present status now. As a liberal thinker and writer, Thomas penned some of the most significant laws in the United States. One of his notable works is the draft of the Declaration of Independence. In Memoirs (Jefferson), correspondence, and private papers, Volume 1, Thomas, as the proponent of the Declaration of Independence, proclaimed that the colonies battling against the Great Britain were not anymore under the regime of the latter, for the former were already free from Britain’s oppression. Though amended for several times, the original draft made by Thomas, is considered the first freedom charter of the United States of America. The Declaration of independence is currently the symbol of independence. From collating different ideas from renowned philosophers, Jefferson synthesized it and made a brief and concise analysis about it. According to one of the transcripts in the US archives, Jefferson’s declaration of independence was a mere exposition of the sentiments and oppressions of the Americans. It was a written statement containing the evident proofs of unequal treatment of the British and the conquest of the American to be recognized as a free nation (Jefferson). Also stated in a transcript from US national archives, the Declaration of Independence enshrined the supreme and innate rights of an individual – the pursuit of happiness, the right to Life and the right to Liberty. These basic rights were the priority in the said declaration. Also, it was expressly stated that the government should be abolished in case it becomes destructive and the people has the right to establish a government that will represent them in their dealings, domestically and internationally (Declaration of Independence). Revolt against Slavery Slavery was a pressing issue in the United States at that time. A battle to be free in their own land was a major ordeal by the people who toiled soil for others. It is a violation against involuntary servitude. Slavery is a moral depravity on people’s liberty. According to Edward Ellis, Jefferson amassed his fortune from his profession as a lawyer and from the land inherited to him by his father. He did not only receive the land but also the slaves who worked for him. He was a slaveholder so to speak. However, though born with a silver spoon and the lord of his slaves, Jefferson worked on different laws to free the slaves. Even in his death, Jefferson sought the freedom of the slaves (Ellis). In Slavery and the Revisionist Myth, by Gregory Buls, Jefferson first overturned the Virginia Constitution in 1778, which prohibits a land owner to let go of their slaves. He also proposed, which was eventually followed, to forbid the trading or selling of slaves in the different states in America (Buls). Respect on Freedom of Religion The separation of church and state is an inviolable rule and the opinions of each sector should be respected by the other. This dissolution from tradition is one of the areas Thomas Jefferson concentrated during his term as president. The doctrine was enshrined in his reply to the letter of the Danbury Baptist Association (Jefferson). According to Jefferson's Wall of Separation Letter, the premise in the separation of the two respected institutions in world is that the inviolability of the said concept would result to a more harmonious relationship between the two. In his Virginia Statute for religious freedom, Jefferson stated that people should have the right to choose their own religion, their own belief (Jefferson). In line with these events, the establishment clause of the first amended of the constitution was enacted. It further strengthened the idea that man should be able to exercise his freedom of religion, without no prohibition from the state. The State on the other hand shall not prescribe a preferred religion (Rayner). The Father of Republicanism An advocate of invisible hand mechanism in the government, Thomas Jefferson wanted change. A change that will definitely uplift the rotten spirits of the people. Jefferson sought to reform the form of government by promoting the republicanism. Such form of government was in line with the Declaration of Independence. In order to freely exercise the freedom of the people, a new form of government should be established. This will be able to cater the needs of the people (Ellis). There were two core values that republicanism was promoting at that time, the people’s liberty and its inalienable rights. In this form, the people and the government had roles to play which would be beneficial for both entities (Ellis). The Louisiana Purchase Thomas Jefferson also worked on the procuring of the State of Louisiana from the France. According to an internet account, the US paid 60 million pounds for the 828, 800 square mile parcel of land (Morse). Though, there was an argument whether such act by the President is constitutional or not, Jefferson still pursue the purchase on the ground that such acquisition was not stated in their constitution. Therefore, there was no infraction of the law, because there is no law to be violated. (Ellis) Conclusion In summary, Thomas Jefferson is a man of ideals. He was fair, but not rude. He knew that people should be able to exercise their rights according to law of God and the law of nature. He wanted to make the United States of America to the ideal place to live in. The power of liberty and equal protection and rights of the people were his legacy. He led his country to a metanoia which help the country to achieve its present status. As a young man, he already knew the things that needed change. Change to further improve one’s quality of life. He proved that all men are created equal and should be afforded the same rights. Rich or poor should be able to reap the fruits of liberty in every aspect of their life. Their right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness must be exercised by every people. However, such rights should not be exhausted as to create chaos. He believes that what is due to a person must be given to him, but should be able to know their limitations. Jefferson also believes that two strong walls can be so called friends and can maintain their grandeur if they are to be separated. He knows that one cannot work on its own and cannot imposed laws which he thinks lawful and applicable to the pressing issues, if the other will impose limitations and will keep on rejecting its opinion. Another significant work that he did is the abolition of laws which promotes slavery. Such drafting of a new constitution for Virginia is very remarkable because, though he came from a family of slaveholders, he was still able to relate with the sympathies of the people who worked for him. The United States of America today is far more different from where it used to be. It is very much progressive, and has great influence and power in the dealings with the rest of the world. The inalienable rights of the people are very well respected nowadays. All these are the fruits of the works and visions of the great president, Thomas Jefferson. Works Cited Buls, Gregory. Thomas Jefferson and Slavery. Slavery and the Revisionist Myth. American Opinion Publishing, Incorporated. 1998. Web. 07 June 2011. http://www.reformed-theology.org/html/issue07/jefferson.htm. Declaration of Independence. US Archives. Web. 08 June 2011 http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html Ellis, Edward T. Thomas Jefferson. Plain Label Books. Reprint. Web. 07 June 2011. http://books.google.com/books?id=K5p8fUcaBnsC&pg=PA72&dq=Thomas+Jefferson&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false Jefferson, Thomas. Jefferson's Wall of Separation Letter. US Constitution. 1802. Web. 08 June 2011 http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html Jefferson, Thomas. Memoirs, correspondence, and private papers of Thomas Jefferson: Late president of the United States, Volume 1 (Reprint). Nabu Press. 10 January 2010. Web. 08 June 2011. Kaplan, Lawrence K. Thomas Jefferson: Westward the course of empire, Rowman & Littlefield, 1999. Web. 08 June 2011. Malone, Dumas. Thomas Jefferson: a brief biography. UNC Press Books. 2002. Web. 06 June 2011. http://books.google.com/books?id=kGOIVs3rEDwC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Morse, Jr, John T. Thomas Jefferson: A Biography. Forgotten Books. Web. 06 June 2011. http://books.google.com/books?id=1v4AzR4if_kC&printsec=frontcover&dq=pdf%2Bthomas+jefferson+biography&hl=en&ei=IqLrTffiAoSkvgOm8tm1Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Rayner, B.L. Life of Thomas Jefferson: with selections from the most valuable portions of his voluminous and unrivalled private correspondence. Lilly, Wait, Colman, & Holden. 1834. Web. 07 June 2011. http://books.google.com/books?id=BrNEAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Thomas+Jefferson&hl=en&ei=QLDvTebMIJG8vQO_nNyPCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false Thomas Jefferson Biography - Third President of the United States. Web. 08 June 2011, http://americanhistory.about.com/od/thomasjefferson/p/pjefferson.htm Thomas Jefferson Brief Biography. Web. 08 June 2011, http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/thomasjefferson Read More