American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson | Joseph J. Ellis

American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson | Joseph J. Ellis | The Founding Father for whom the 'Spirit of 76' often trumped anything the U.S. Constitution proclaimed.

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American Sphinx: T...

	American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson Joseph J. Ellis Vintage, 1998 - 464 pages average customer review:based on 140 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The title of the book says it all.

Having grown up learning by rote the pablum that was taught in our school system's about our founding fathers, I was a "Founding Fathers" fan. Thinking my entire life that Jefferson penned "The Declaration of Independence" by himself, without any editing and in his own words and finding out that this is false as Washington cutting down the cherry tree is a slap in the face of our educational system. I did not care for Jefferson after having read the book on John Adams by David McCullough. My thinking was turned around 180 degrees about Adams in that book as well as Jefferson. This book merely confirmed my beliefs. In later years Jefferson let others do his dirty work behind the scenes to allow people to believe in his legacy of 1776. Adams was the real hero of the revolution and The Treaty of Paris. What this book proves is that our heroes are fallible and have feet of clay. The reason Jefferson did not free his slaves was because it was not convienent for him and his plantation. Not out of any moral obligation to keep them from the cruel white (and free) world. Jefferson is like another Virginian ,Robert E. Lee, whose myth has grown over the years. Lee was thought invincible until Lincoln found some real generals like U.S. Grant who showed Lee what "total war" was all about. Anyone who fought for the South as a sense of duty to his "country", i.e. Virginia, and the cause of slavery should be labeled what he his, a flawed character much like Jefferson. it is hard to realize that the truths you grew up with were false, but the facts are the facts

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The Founding Father for whom the 'Spirit of 76' often trumped anything the U.S. Constitution proclaimed.

The man you think you know, whose spirit spoke so much to the future, whose words resonate even now, actually looked askance at the grand bargain of the US Constitution under which we still live; exalting as he did, the spirit of 1776 over the miracle of 1787-88---the world's oldest, and most successful, written Constitution. "Unlike Madison, who had a deep appreciation for the Constitution as an artful arrangement of juxtaposed principles and powers with abiding influence over future generations, Jefferson tended to view it as a merely convenient agreement about political institutions that ought not bind future generations or prevent the seminal source of all political power---popular opinion---from dictating government policy" (p.192). Jefferson, of course, wasn't involved in the horse trading during those heady days that produced the document of 1787 so he was less invested in it than the Declaration of Independence, which, of course he crafted himself, right?

"All men are created equally free and independent and have certain inherent and natural rights..., among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety." Sounds familiar, but different too, right? Well that's because it's not all Jefferson. "On June 12 the Virginians unanimously adopted a preamble [for the Virginia state constitution] drafted by George Mason that contained these words." Yes, this was 1776. Jefferson had a standard response for when those inclined to try to put 2 and 2 together and question who wrote what first on more than one occasion offered this: "'Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing,' he explained, he drew his ideas from 'the harmonizing sentiments of the day, whether expressed in letters, printed essays or in the elementary books of public right, as Aristotle, Cicero, Locke, Sidney, etc.'" (p.64-65).

So, let's say Jefferson did exactly what was asked from him by John Adams, namely codifying into a document the ideas that were driving America's Founding Fathers on the eve of independence. Of course, Jefferson put a lot of himself into it too & we are fortunate that such a fine hand was employed for the task. ( Though Gouverneur---his mother's maiden name---Morris, who similarly put his stamp on the American Constitution, gets almost no credit for similar work: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." That's Morris, but other than Morris Avenue/Park in the Bronx (on land that he once owned), I cannot think of any memorials to, in Richard Brookhiser's phrase, "The Rake who wrote the Constitution.")

Jefferson wasn't only the drafter of the Declaration of Independence, of course; he was a paradox too. Jefferson, the gentlemen farmer who lived beyond his means and was less than successful in this endeavor desired America to be nation peopled primarily of citizen farmers. Jefferson was a gentlemen who waged a nasty campaign against John Adams while denying doing so; and was a man who championed equality but never made a gesture like Washington did; (calling for emancipation but doing nothing himself by way of putting words into action). Jefferson was the champion of states' rights, but also the purchaser of the Louisiana Territory, an (albeit laudatory) action with huge repercussions that was taken over the heads of the states. And we also have Jefferson, the man who championed individual rights like few others, but excused away the terror of the French Revolution seemingly as the 'ends justify any means.' (On the French revolution: "My own affections have been deeply wounded by some of the martyrs to this cause, but rather than it should have failed I would have seen half the earth desolated. Were there but an Adam and an Eve left in every country, and left free, it would be better than it is now.") The Revolutionary French government having carte blanche to run roughshod over anything and everything was OK for a long time with Jefferson, despite those French having blood on their hands. Yet anything Federalists did (with hands clean of blood) was vociferously castigated. Ellis quotes herein Chief Justice John Marshall, whose biography of George Washington, includes these words: "[T]he continent was divided into two great political parties, the one of which contemplated America as a nation, and labored incessantly to invest the federal head with powers competent to its preservation of the union. The other attached itself to the state authorities, viewed all the powers of congress with jealousy, and assented reluctantly to measures which would enable the head to act, in any respect, independently of the members." And Jefferson was the head and/or Godfather of the latter party. But Jefferson was optimistic, even utopian. This spirit, Jefferson's embodiment, notwithstanding the contradictions inherent in it---and all the contradictory impulses enumerated above---is why Jefferson remains ever present, even as his character defies definitive characterization. Hence the title of this engaging book---which is more snapshot than chronological biography---by Mr. Ellis (who finds much to respect in Mr. Jefferson). (07June) Cheers

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A good addition to the Thomas Jefferson Legacy

Joseph Ellis provides a very good biography of Thomas Jefferson and the contradictions in his nature. This book is not meant to be a day by day account of Jefferson's life but a look at the times when Jefferson's thoughts were forming and how those conclusions were reached. The book does jump around quite a bit and leaves out some years that I think the reader would like to know which is the main reason for the four stars instead of five. While Ellis shows how American's have misunderstood Thomas Jefferson he spends a lot of time trying to justify Jefferson's decisions that we clearly have little historical evidence for. Jefferson may remain one of our least understood figures and Ellis approach tries to summarize what we conclusively know without taking too many liberties. The legacy of Thomas Jefferson takes up almost the final 50 pages of the book and Ellis explores how current philosophers and historians are trying to interpret the messages Thomas Jefferson left behind. Much of this philosophy is based upon letters exchanged between Adams and Jefferson after they made peace. The surprising contradictions of Jefferson's character lead the reader to still have an air of mystery even after reading this book. There is little doubt of the man's political genius and this is a must read for fans of the American Revolution, political philosophy or the early republic. It puts a lot of things in perspective and while I wish it had covered more areas it does a wonderful job of those that it does.

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Entry point for Jefferson

This book is a good entry point for a look into the man who was Thomas Jefferson. He is one of the most influential founding fathers of the USA and any serious historian cannot get through American history without studying Jefferson.

Jefferson was a man who wanted to free slaves, but still owned slaves. He wanted personal freedom to trump government intervention, but used the government for the Louisiana purchase. He thought a revolution was good every once in a while but did not like the turns that the French revolution took. Contradictions, brilliance all were a part of this man.

This book is well written. Ellis is a master-historian and I enjoy his books. I can't say I formed a stronger opinion of Jefferson after reading this book, but I can relate to him more after studying his life. We all have contradictions in what we believe, we all are not perfect, same as Jefferson.

Good book - JVD

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