FREE ESSAY ON JEFFERSON'S PARTY

JEFFERSON'S PARTY

The view that many believe while studying our country's political history is the
Federalist Party was a dedicated supporter of a strong central government. They believed
that the Constitution was a document that needed to be molded and amended in order to
meet the needs of the country. The traditional view of the Democratic- Republican party
is that they support state's rights and feel that most of the governing of the country
should be done on the state level. The Democratic- Republicans, or Jeffersonian
Republicans, also believed in reading the Constitution fundamentally and grant the
government powers that were addressed in the document. These views are the basic
principals that each of parties are based upon. It can be seen in Jefferson's statement
to Gideon Granger that it, "is surely best that the states are independent and to
everything within themselves, and united as to everything respecting foreign nations." 
Contrary to traditional characterization of both the Federalist and Democratic Republican
parties, politicians would break away from the conventional party platforms and support
issues that they felt strongly about. For instance, Daniel Webster, a Federalist from New
Hampshire spoke out against an overly aggressive government with the issues regarding
drafting citizens into the military. The typical Federalist would feel that a draft was
necessary in order to defend the country, and although the Constitution did not
specifically address the situation, amendments should be made for our national interest.

Jefferson himself was a prime example of an idealistic politician who put the good of the
country over his Republican values. The Louisiana Purchase was performed in a manner with
which many conventional Democratic Republicans would argue against. Jefferson bent and
shaped the Constitution into a document that allowed him to double the size of the
country. He was willing to compromise with his original values in order to improve and
fortify America. Jefferson told Samuel Kercheval, "Some men look a constitutions with
sanctimonious reverence.....to sacred to be touched. But I know also, that laws and
institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind." 
The powerful statements made by Jefferson, Webster and many other politicians prove that
it is often necessary to compromise individual ideas for the good of an entire country.
This basis of compromise is the true foundation of our government and our history.