Details

Subject(s)

• Presidents—United States—Archives [Browse]
• Jefferson, Thomas 1743-1826—Archives [Browse]

Editor

• Looney, J. Jefferson [Browse]

Series

Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement ; v.27

Summary note

A definitive scholarly edition of the retirement papers of Thomas JeffersonThe 612 documents in this volume include Jefferson's notes on his early career, one of the lengthiest papers of his retirement. Often misleadingly called his autobiography, the text describes Jefferson's experience as an American revolutionary, a legislator shaping and revising Virginia's laws, and a United States diplomat in France as its own revolution neared.Jefferson sits for a portrait by Thomas Sully commissioned for West Point. He takes the unusual step of allowing his recommendation of a book by John Taylor to be published, insuring a wide circulation of Jefferson's views on the proper balance between state and federal powers, and in a private letter he asserts that the federal judiciary is amassing overarching power, "ever acting, with noiseless foot, & unalarming advance, gaining ground step by step, and holding what it gains." Jefferson receives a description of an African American commemoration of the nation's 1807 ban on the importation of slaves.Jefferson advises that the opening of the University of Virginia is not imminent even as he oversees its construction and defends the high cost, stating as his goal, "to do, not what was to perish with ourselves, but what would remain, be respected and preserved thro' other ages."

Notes

Description based upon print version of record.

Source of description

Description based on print version record.

Contents

• Frontmatter
• FOREWORD
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• EDITORIAL METHOD AND APPARATUS
• CONTENTS
• MAPS
• ILLUSTRATIONS
• JEFFERSON CHRONOLOGY
• THE PAPERS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON From Bernard Peyton 1st March 1821
• From Joseph C. Cabell 1 April. 1821
• From John F. Cocke May 1st 1821
• From Jacob van Lennep and Claude Daniel Crommelin June 1st 1821
• From Lafayette July 1st 1821
• From Cesario Bias (for Bernard Peyton) 1st August 1821
• From George Ticknor Sep. 1. 1821
• From DeWitt Clinton 1 October 1821
• From William J. Coffee November 1st 1821
• Minutes of University of Virginia Board of Visitors
• University of Virginia Board of Visitors Report to Literary Fund President and Directors
• Campaign to Abolish Tariffs on Books
• INDEX

Show 18 more Contents items

ISBN

0-691-20794-1

OCLC

• 1236264765
• 1243310441

Doi

• 10.1515/9780691207940

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