Simone Lawson
Thomas Jefferson was in France serving as the United States minister when the Federal Constitution was being drafted in 1787. However, he remained well-informed about events in America through his correspondence with James Madison, John Jay, and other acquaintances. Jefferson's letters reveal his cautious reservations about the new constitution, with his primary objections being the absence of a bill of rights and the lack of term limits for federal officials. He advocated for a weaker national government with limited powers and strongly believed in the protection of civil liberties, such as freedom of religion and freedom of the press. Jefferson's influence on the Constitution can be seen in his efforts to shape the nation's capital and define the powers of the emerging republic during his tenure as vice president and president.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Absence of | Bill of Rights |
| Term limits for federal officials | |
| Rotation in office | |
| Protection of civil liberties | |
| Freedom of the press | |
| Religious liberty | |
| Written constitution | |
| Powerful central government |
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What You'll Learn
Absence of a bill of rights
Thomas Jefferson was serving as the United States minister to France when the Federal Constitution was being written in 1787. He was, therefore, unable to participate in the Constitutional Convention, which took place from 25 May to 17 September 1787, and during which the text of the Constitution was debated, drafted, and ultimately decided upon.
Despite his absence, Jefferson was able to influence the development of the federal government through his correspondence with those present at the Convention, such as Madison and John Jay. In a letter dated 20 December 1787, Jefferson wrote to Madison to express his objections to key parts of the new Federal Constitution. One of his primary concerns was the absence of a bill of rights. He wanted the new Constitution to be accompanied by a written "bill of rights" to guarantee personal liberties, such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom from standing armies, trial by jury, and habeas corpus.
Jefferson's belief in the importance of a bill of rights was evident in his earlier writings as well. In 1786, he wrote about the importance of government protection of civil liberties, stating, for example, that "our liberty depends on the freedom of the press". He was also a proponent of protections for religious liberty and wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which passed the Virginia General Assembly in 1786.
Through his correspondence with Madison, Jefferson helped to convince him of the importance of including a bill of rights in the Constitution. By the fall of 1788, Madison was convinced that the inclusion of a Bill of Rights in the new Constitution would be prudent. After ratification by the requisite number of states, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, went into effect in 1791.
Jefferson's principles regarding limited government and protected liberties influenced his actions as the first secretary of state, vice president, leader of the first political opposition party, and third president of the United States. He sought to establish a federal government of limited powers and to maintain a separation of church and state.
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No term limits for federal officials
Thomas Jefferson was serving as an ambassador to France when the Constitutional Convention met in 1787. However, he remained well-informed about events in America through his correspondence with James Madison. In a letter to Madison, Jefferson objected to key parts of the Constitution, including the absence of a Bill of Rights and the lack of term limits for federal officials.
Jefferson and George Mason advised limits on re-election to the Senate and the Presidency, with Mason arguing that "nothing is so essential to the preservation of a Republican government as a periodic rotation." Jefferson believed that term limits forced politicians to write good laws as they would soon return to private life and live under those laws.
Historically, the United States Constitution did not include term limits for federal officials, including the Senate and the House of Representatives. This has led to instances of legislators holding office for decades, such as Strom Thurmond, who served as a senator from 1956 to 2003. While some states have enacted term limits for their governors and legislatures, most federal offices in the US have remained free of such restrictions.
The absence of term limits at the federal level is restricted to the executive branch and some agencies, while the US Congress has no electoral limits. The Twenty-Second Amendment, ratified in 1951, limits the US presidency to two terms. This amendment established uniform term limits for the federal presidency, but federal positions such as the Senate and House of Representatives remain without specific term restrictions.
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Strong central government
Thomas Jefferson was in France, serving as the United States minister and ambassador, when the Federal Constitution was being written in 1787. However, he was still able to influence the development of the federal government through his correspondence with James Madison, John Jay, and others.
Jefferson's correspondence during this period reveals his cautious reservations about the new plan, with his ultimate practical acceptance. He felt that the convention had been too impressed by the insurrection of Massachusetts (Shays' Rebellion) and that it was no reason to revamp the national structure. He also disagreed with the secrecy rule for the Philadelphia gathering.
Jefferson's primary objection to the new Constitution was the absence of a bill of rights to guarantee personal liberties, such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom from standing armies, trial by jury, and habeas corpus. He also objected to the failure to establish term limits for federal officials, particularly the chief executive. In a letter to Madison, he wrote,
> I have now got through your letters of Aug. 23. and Sep. 3. and have deferred writing till I might congratulate you on the final signature of the new constitution. this has been much longer delayed than I expected, and I am sorry to see that the spirit of amending it is giving way to that of adhering to it as it is. for I consider it as neither compleat nor perfect. a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, & what no just government should refuse or rest on inference.
Jefferson's desire for small-government, state's rights, and protected liberties led some to assume he opposed a strong central government. However, he recognized that a stronger federal government would make the country more secure economically and militarily. During his presidency, Jefferson sought to establish a federal government of limited powers and cut the federal budget and taxes while reducing the national debt.
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States' rights
Thomas Jefferson was in France serving as the United States minister when the Federal Constitution was written in 1787. However, he was able to influence the development of the federal government through his correspondence with James Madison, John Jay, and others. In his letters, Jefferson expressed his desire for small-government, states' rights, and protected liberties.
Jefferson wanted the new Constitution to be accompanied by a written “bill of rights” to guarantee personal liberties, such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom from standing armies, trial by jury, and habeas corpus. He also wanted to establish term limits for federal officials, particularly the chief executive, to prevent presidents from serving repeated terms.
Jefferson's correspondence with Madison helped convince him to introduce a bill of rights into the First Congress. After ratification by the requisite number of states, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, went into effect in 1791.
During his two terms as president, Jefferson sought to stay true to his principles of a weak national government by cutting the federal budget and taxes while still reducing the national debt. He also ended the importation of slaves and maintained his view of the separation of church and state.
Jefferson's actions as the first secretary of state, vice president, and leader of the first political opposition party were crucial in shaping the powers of the Constitution and the nature of the emerging republic. He played a major role in the planning, design, and construction of a national capital and the federal district.
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Protected liberties
Thomas Jefferson was in France serving as the United States minister when the Federal Constitution was written in 1787. However, he was still able to influence the development of the federal government through his correspondence. He was also the principal author of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and a mentor to James Madison, who played a key role in the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
Jefferson wanted the new Constitution to be accompanied by a written "bill of rights" to guarantee personal liberties, including freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom from standing armies, trial by jury, and habeas corpus. In a letter to James Currie in January 1786, Jefferson wrote about the importance of government protection of civil liberties, stating, "our liberty depends on the freedom of the press". He also wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which passed the Virginia General Assembly in 1786.
Jefferson's correspondence with James Madison helped convince the latter to introduce a bill of rights into the First Congress. After ratification by the requisite number of states, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, went into effect in 1791.
During his presidency, Jefferson sought to stay true to his principles of a weak national government by cutting the federal budget and taxes while reducing the national debt. He also ended the importation of slaves and maintained his view of the separation of church and state.
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Frequently asked questions
Jefferson's two main objections to the Constitution were the absence of a bill of rights and the failure to provide term limits for federal officials, particularly the chief executive.
Jefferson recognised that a stronger federal government would make the country more secure economically and militarily. However, he was a proponent of small government, states' rights, and protected liberties.
Jefferson was in France serving as ambassador when the Federal Constitution was written and so was not present at the Constitutional Convention. However, he remained well-informed about events in America through his correspondence with James Madison and others.
Jefferson's views on the Constitution were ambiguous. While he initially expressed cautious reservation, he ultimately accepted it. Later in his career, he showed a real interest in the Constitution, particularly during the debate over Hamilton's national bank bill in 1791.
