Thomas Jefferson
3 War Powers Myths That Totally Misrepresent the Constitution
“Until war is Constitutionally declared, the nation and all its members must observe and preserve peace.” That was John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States. But today, few people even understand what this means – or how Founders like Washington,...
Oath vs Censorship: Jefferson on the Duty to Stop Unconstitutional Laws
An act against the Constitution is no law at all – it’s void. This principle, rooted in the American Revolution and the debates over the Constitution’s ratification, was central to President Thomas Jefferson’s response to the Sedition Act of 1798. In this...
Most Important Inaugural Address: Forgotten Principles of Jefferson
The 10th Amendment, peace, cutting spending and debt, and eliminating taxes – these are just a few of the key principles Thomas Jefferson outlined in his first inaugural address. Easily one of the most important presidential speeches in American history,...
Cabinet Picks Clash: Washington’s Team and America’s First 2-Party System
“I would wish the debt paid tomorrow; he wishes it never to be paid, but always to be a thing wherewith to corrupt and manage the legislature.” This slapback from Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson was aimed squarely at Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton....