Book review: Jon Meacham’s ‘Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power’ well worth the read

By LARRY BALLWAHN | Wilton

The third president of the fledging United States was Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809). Like Washington and Adams, he was making every effort to assure the country’s continuation, something not at all assured. Besides the existent state and regional rivalries, there was the complication of a constant British threat. In addition to the home-grown Tories, the British still held Canada, and its Navy provided a constant challenge. The experiment in self-government was having a problem finding its place in the world.

Bitter political party feuds started near the end of the Washington presidency and seemed to intensify with each presidential election. As is true today, at the heart of the conflict was the role of government in people’s lives. The areas of contention were, however, considerably different. Were we to develop our government as conceived by the writers of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights — a government by and for the people? This was the position of the Republicans. Most of the Federalists held that a constitutional monarchy would prove more sustainable with its more centralized power. And they felt that a positive relationship with Great Britain wasnot a bad thing either.

Jefferson was very popular during his first term, initiating the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis & Clark expedition. During his second term, there were tensions with Spain over territorial borders and Great Britain was boarding American ships at sea “looking for deserters.” Not wanting an all-out war, an embargo seemed the answer. This tended to hurt America, particularly the Northeast, as much as it did Great Britain. The result was a reinvigoration of party activism.

Meacham offers considerable insight into Jefferson’s personal life. Among interesting details was that he was a man of many interests and much knowledge, particularly in science and agriculture. He was devoted to his wife, who died young from the complications of childbirth, pursued a married woman in France, and maintained a decades-long relationship with Sally Hemmings, a slave, with whom he had several children. Also of note, he lived well above his means, with considerable debt remaining at his death.

The autobiography tells the story of a significant man at a significant time in our history. It is well worth the read.

 



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