Jefferson the President: First Term 1801 - 1805 - Volume IV

What can be said about this monument to Jefferson scholarship? I am sure that somewhere in universities around the United States there are "scholar squirrels who want to put down this invaluable resource in Jefferson studies. It is always the way that mice attempt to gnaw at lions. This is not a perfect work (and my remarks refer to all of the books in the series as a whole), there are somethings, namely Sally Hemmings references which are wrong and will not sit well with American 21st century mores. There is the issue of slavery which was handled much differently 50 years ago than it is now. Jefferson is not worthy of our interest because of Sally Hemmings and because he kept slaves. Jefferson is great because of the Declaration of Independence and his fight for the rights of man. While it may have been hypocritical to preach liberty and keep slaves, it is doubtful that slavery ever would have been abolished if Jefferson had never gained the prominence that he did. This book and the others that follow show why we should continue to honor the public man even though his private side may have been wanting.

Jefferson: The President First Term 1801 - 1805 is the fourth volume in a series of six. This volume is exclusively Jefferson as the President of the United States. Jefferson's first task as President was to unite a politically divided country.Jefferson's immediate goal was to show a peaceful transfer of authority and then never lose sight of this goal then maintain unity within his party. Jefferson was more moderate politically than his party partisians, but he did require unity and loyalty.Jefferson was a man of paradox, he was recognied as the head of his party, but he longed of his home in the Virginia foothills. Jefferson put his faith in the individual as he sought to increase personal freedoms, but he was plagued early on by the Hamiltonians wanting a stronger central government. Later on John Marshall appointed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by John Adams in his waining Presidency would be at odds with Jefferson. This conflict was mainly a political viewpoint, but the arguments would be heated as the successive phases took shape.Jefferson had forethought and wanted the river rights of the Mississippi. This later worked toward the Louisiana purchase and the expansion of the United States west of the Mississippi. Jefferson was determined that New Orleans should be part of the United States. So, by shrewd dipolmacy, the deal was struck. But to acquire West Florida was not to come till his second term and so with the exploration of the Louisiana territory with Lewis and Clark.Jefferson symbolized freedom and democracy, but friends clearly showed respect. Jefferson's composure while President showed and he ran a balanced government. This is a very good and scholarly work, but the deals and facts are there... only thing the author needed to do was bring out Jefferson the man more to the forefront.

Jefferson: The President second term 1805-1809 is the fifth volume in a series of six, by Dumas Malone and brings us into the last four years of Jefferson's Presidency. I found that the author worked harder to bring out Jefferson the man in this volume... maybe because of the actions of others, (Burr and Marshall), but it is apparent that the author worked hard on this volume.Jefferson sponsors the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Congress gives Jefferson a little slack, but Arron Burr takes the domestic heat. The Barbary pirates are delt with, but the political views of Jefferson and Marshall heat up to a boiling point. But, Jeferson's second term seems to hit a nadir and he is longing for his Virginia mountain top home where he can finally retire after forty years of service to government.I found the scholarship to be impeccable, balanced, seemly sympathetic. The overall narrative is detailed and at times engrossing and engaging. Even though we can see Jefferson's excitement with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, we also see heartbreak with Burr and vituperation with Marshall.Overall, this volume brings us to one of the most interesting times of Jeferson's life... that of retirement. This is one of the most interesting of the volumes so far as we see Jefferson working out the problems that others have wrought upon him.

Dumas Malone (1892-1986) devoted his academic career to studying Thomas Jefferson, and this superbly researched volume reflects that lifelong scholarship. This book is one in a six-part series examining the life of our third President. I read this book for a college class and immediately grasped the unending pressures that President Jefferson faced in his second term. Malone examines the decision-making options available to Jefferson, usually (and perhaps too often) supporting the eventual route that the President decided upon. This volume's research and analysis is worthy of five stars, not to mention the 1975 Pulitzer Prize the series captured. Unfortunately, Malone's stilted prose - the weakness of most academic historians - produces a rather laborious read. Thus, four stars overall.