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.