Thomas Jefferson, the Hypocrite

Thomas Jefferson, the Hypocrite

Jefferson had destroyed political traditions. From his contradictions

and defecting his priciples, Jefferson destroyed the political precedent

and is an exemplatory hypocrite, which can be seen throughout his

administration.

Jefferson was an admired statesman who was grappling unsuccessfully

with the moral issue of slavery. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the

Declaration of Independence, opposed slavery his whole life, yet he never

freed his own slaves. He championed Enlightenment principles, yet never

freed himself of the prejudices of his soceity. Jefferson was extremely

hypocritical in the issue of slavery. Jefferson was a plantation owner

early in his life, and had slaves working for him throughout his life.

Jefferson had tolerated while he didn't accept others who owned slaves.

Jefferson denounced the slave owners, while he was owning and using slaves.

Although Jefferson was supposedly a good slave owner, his hypocritical

nature made him accuse others not to own slaves while he, himself was

owning slaves. Another part of the hypocrisy was that Jefferson believed

that the slaves were dependent upon the white man, while he, himself was

dependent upon the slaves. Jefferson also was hypocritcal in his

acquisition of the Loisiana territory. In Jeffersonian principles, large

expansive governments were bad, and small was good. This was a antithesis

of that principle. Jefferson knew that the acquisition of the Loisiana

territory was beneficial to the welfare of the U.S. According to the

constitution, nowhere in the constitution is the acquisition of land a

right of the government, Jeffersons' predisposition was to strictly go by

the constitution (as seen with the national bank controversy), this is

another contradiction during his administration. Since the appropriation of

the Lousiana territory was important for the expansion of the united states,

he temporarily dismissed his principles, therefore destroying political

traditions.

Another hypocritical event during Jeffersons' administration was his

acceptance of the National Bank. Early in Jefferson's political career,

Jefferson had debated with Hamilton on whether to have the National Bank.

"When this government was first established, it was possible to have kept

it going on true principles, but the contracted, English, half-lettured

ideas of Hamilton destroyed that hope in the bud, We can pay off his debts

in 15 years." Early in Jefferson's Administration, Jefferson had denounced

the National Bank. At the end of his administration, Jefferson realized

that the National Bank was important and this is hypocritical by

disregarding his principles.

The Burr conspiracy depicted Jefferson as a ruthless, and a individual

who will do anything inorder to achieve his goal.