Topic: Ideas & Ideologies
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Jefferson to Richard Price
In this letter to the English radical Richard Price, Jefferson explained how Americans divided along regional lines on the issue of slavery. He predicted that Price’s anti-slavery opinions would find...
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Jefferson to Richard Rush
Jefferson worried that the Missouri crisis might lead to disunion, as this letter shows. He predicted that any break-up of the Union would be short-lived, but he still feared that...
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Jefferson to Robert Walsh
In this 1818 letter, Thomas Jefferson recalls Benjamin Franklin’s contributions to the American Revolution to a colleague interested in writing its history. He rejects negative suggestions about Franklin’s character, celebrates...
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Jefferson to Tench Coxe
In the 1790s, Jefferson followed the news from Europe, as this letter shows. Here, he applauded the success of the Dutch republicans and worried about the violent excesses of the...
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Jefferson to the Citizens of Washington
This document records Thomas Jefferson’s farewell address to the citizens of Washington, D.C. as he left the presidency. He reminds his audience of America’s special place in the world and...
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Jefferson to Uriah Forrest
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Jefferson to William Carmichael
In this letter, Thomas Jefferson, the American minister to France, writes to William Carmichael, the American minister to Spain. He notes that he has put aside his previous reservations about...
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Jefferson to William Charles Jarvis
In this letter, Jefferson explained his opposition to giving final constitutional authority to any single institution or person—in this case, courts and judges. Having an educated citizenry, he argued, was...
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Jefferson to William Plumer
In this 1815 letter to the governor of New Hampshire, Thomas Jefferson reflects back on events leading to the separation of the colonies from Great Britain. He notes that his...
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