Originally published in 1898, Thomas Jefferson a classic biography of
the man who so deeply ingrained the republican ideals of the Founding
Fathers into American society. As such, it is the kind of work that
avoids the trap of noticing everything that went unnoticed in the past
while failing to notice all that the past deemed notable. Immediately
lauded by the critics when it was first published, John T. Morse's
biography of Jefferson was embraced by the reading public. Today, its
republication is a welcome opportunity to remind leaders today of the
great story of liberty that enabled the young American nation to become
an undisputed world power and a beacon of freedom to oppressed people
everywhere. Thomas Jefferson was a brilliant and complex man who was
practically born into America's ruling elite. He served in the Virginia
House of Burgesses, in the Continental Congress, as ambassador to the
French court, as governor of Virginia, as secretary of state under
George Washington, as vice president under John Adams, and as president.
The author of the Declaration of Independence, he was also the founder
of the University of Virginia and established the Library of Congress.
Despite all these credentials, Jefferson was hardly considered a member
of the establishment of his day. Indeed, he was best known as a
revolutionary populist. When he won the presidential election of 1800,
it was dubbed a kind of bloodless revolution. He brought to the
presidency a philosophy of representative government firmly rooted in
the rights and liberties of individuals. As a result, he helped to
dramatically change the character of the nation.
