The Era of Thomas Jefferson - Essay Example

The Era of Thomas Jefferson As one of the forty-three men that have held the highest office in the land, Thomas Jefferson has retained his position,as one of the most prominent members of American history. As a man who saw firsthand the affects of the French Revolution, the abolishment of internal federal taxes, as well as taking part in the finalization of the Louisiana purchase, Thomas Jefferson's life and work would have an insurmountable impact. In the later years of his life, he would turn his attention upon the creation of the University of Virginia. While only being one man among many men, he was someone that, through actions taken, would forever have an impact upon the face of history. From a judicial standpoint, "Jefferson and James Madison produced the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798-1799, which supported the compact theory of the Constitution and denied that the Supreme Court alone had authority to determine if the laws of Congress were constitutional. Jefferson argued that the Court was a creation of the Constitution and to give it the power of judicial review would make "its discretion and not the Constitution the measure of its powers." He argued that when the federal government assumed a power not granted to it by the Constitution, each state, as a party to the constitutional compact, had a right to declare the law unconstitutional (see State Sovereignty and States' Rights). He also believed that each branch of the federal government had a coordinate right to resolve questions of constitutionality," ("Thomas Jefferson", p.1). This act taken, with the assistance of fellow politician James Madison, would serve to show Jefferson's view on judicial law, as well as the rights of states. The notion of the states being able to declare a law unconstitutional, if the federal government creates it through such means as assuming power not held within the Constitution, reaches into present day governing in the sense of the 'checks and balances system,' that exists in the present structure of the political system in all facets. Keeping with the notion that all branches of government is on equal footing and as such have the opportunity to answer issues having to do with how a decision, or decisions, fall into the overall framework of the constitutional document itself. As President, "The President's greatest triumph - and his greatest defeat - came in foreign affairs. Spain's cession of Louisiana and the port of New Orleans to France in 1800 posed a serious threat to American security, especially to the aspirations of the West. Jefferson skillfully negotiated this crisis. With the Louisiana Purchase (1803), America gained an uncharted domain of some 800,000 square miles, doubling its size, for $11,250,000. Even before the treaty was signed, Jefferson planned an expedition to explore this country. The Lewis and Clark expedition, like the Louisiana Purchase, was a spectacular consummation of Jefferson's western vision," ("Thomas Jefferson", p.1). With international relations being a pillar of any President's ability to govern skillfully, the acquisition of the Louisiana territory would bode well for Jefferson in this regard. In the current landscape of political campaigning and governance, current politicians promise numerous things. One of those such promises are that of the reduction in taxes for certain portions of the individual citizenry. As a way to revamp the tax system of the time, "When Thomas Jefferson was elected President in 1802, direct taxes were abolished and for the next 10 years there were no internal revenue taxes other than excises," ("Fact Sheets: Taxes", p.1). As taxes are the means of paying for necessary governmental services, there would be other options taken in response to the extraction of internal revenue taxes. Those being, "To raise money for the War of 1812, Congress imposed additional excise taxes, raised certain customs duties, and raised money by issuing Treasury notes. In 1817 Congress repealed these taxes, and for the next 44 years the Federal Government collected no internal revenue. Instead, the Government received most of its revenue from high customs duties and through the sale of public land," ("Fact Sheets: Taxes", p.1). One key change in governing came with the notion that the leader of the nation, in this case the President, would have to run for re-election in order to hold onto his level of power. Constitutionally speaking, the President is given the chance to hold office for two terms of four years each. In 1804, it would be Jefferson's turn to seek re-election to the Presidency. "Before the election of 1804, President Thomas Jefferson projected that his party would carry all but four of the 17 states in the fall balloting. It did even better. The Jeffersonian Republicans defeated the Federalists everywhere except Connecticut and Delaware, thus giving Jefferson the presidency for another four years. Jefferson accounted for the overwhelming support at the polls in his second inaugural address by reviewing his administration's first-term achievements. Early in his remarks he stated: " On taking this station... I declared the principles on which I believed it my duty to administer the affairs of our commonwealth. My conscience tells me that I have, on every occasion, acted up to that declaration," ("Election of", p.1). The result of the 1804 Presidential election, would signify the state of affairs, as they were during that period. Signifying that the policy practices on the part of the incumbent President, in this case Thomas Jefferson, were creating a resounding impact on the part of the overall electorate. In regards to the previously mentioned Louisiana purchase, "Jefferson did not, however, forgo the partisan opportunity to remind the public that "the acquisition of Louisiana has been disapproved by some." Most Federalists had openly opposed the purchase. Based primarily in New England and determined to protect that region's trade and shipping interests, the Federalists were uneasy with the country's westward movement and the growing importance of the port of New Orleans. But to Jefferson, the 1804 election victory sounded the approval of his western vision by the majority of Americans," ("Election of", p.1). Such a plurality of support, that would further cement a politician's ability to govern and seek solidification of their policy agenda. History is made by those who participate in those actions, that lead to greater implications for generations to come. Individuals that, in their own right, play a larger role in shaping what will be the future of the society through the choices they make during their lifetimes. In the case of the nation's third President, "Jefferson had run for re-election to affirm the nation's approval. He wrote in January 1804: "The abominable slanders of my political enemies have obliged me to call for that verdict from my country in the only way it can be obtained." He concluded that a favorable vote would be "my sufficient voucher to the rest of the world and to posterity, and leave me free to seek, at a definite time, the repose I sincerely wished to have retired to now." Certainly the election of 1804 gave validation to Jefferson and the direction set by his administration. It would prove to be the apex of his political career, as the accomplishments of his first term would not be matched in his second. Escalating wars in Europe would threaten American neutrality and damage the prosperity experienced by the nation during Jefferson's first term. He would come to experience an observation on the presidency he had offered many years before, "that no man will ever bring out of that office the reputation which carries him into it," ("Election of", p.1). For Jefferson, he sought to not readily believe the negativity, that would have been coming from those individuals that were against him. Instead, he chose to do so by seeking re-election, as a means of giving the voters the chance to declare their approval, or disapproval of him. Conflicts that would have been unforeseen in his first term, would enter into his second, as such shaping how his second term would be seen in comparison to the first. Those men who assume the Presidency are forever shaped by the position they hold, whether it be for four years, or if they are given the opportunity to govern for an eight year period. With the 'peaks' and 'valleys' that come during any ruling authorities time in power, Thomas Jefferson's life and career would be no different. In that, he too would see such times of great promise, as well as times of considerable strain on the nation which he had been trusted with to govern. To make the essential decisions, that would have been incumbent to make, in order to ensure the overall security of the nation and its people. The power within any political office holds great ability to enact not just change for those in the general populous, but also change to a certain degree those that hold the office. Just as he foresaw beforehand, how the officeholder would be viewed after they left the office, could very well be greatly different from when they took the office in the beginning. In political, as well as human history, Thomas Jefferson remains as one of the most prominent participants. A man that saw the acquiring of the Louisiana territory, made changes to the structure of the tax system and would go on to achieve re-election to the White House. An era of great change, both good and bad, but one that shall remain as one of the most important in US history period. Works Cited "Election of 1804-Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia". Date retrieved: 4 December 2008. Recovered from: http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/Election_of_1804 "Fact Sheets: Taxes". United States Department Of The Treasury. Date retrieved: 4 December 2008. Retrieved from: http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/taxes/ustax.html "Thomas Jefferson, 2nd Vice President (1797-1801)". The United State Senate. Date retrieved: 4 December 2008. Recovered from: http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/ generic/VP_Thomas_Jefferson.htm Read More