• At the next election, Jefferson was again chosen a delegate to congress, but he declined to take his seat, believing he could best serve the cause of•liberty at home, where he proposed important changes in the local laws, with a view of preparing the way for the self-government which would follow the coming independence of the col onies. During the spring he had prepared a sketch of a constitution, which he now sent to the convention in session. In the meantime a constitution had been dMfted by George _Mason, and the convention was about to vote upon it. The result was the addition of Jefferson's preamble to Mason's constitution, which was adopted. Jefferson was chosen to the legislature, where he labored incessantly in reforming old and pro posing new laws; but he met with great opposition in the case of many of his most important propositions, and this mainly from the aristocratic and the wealthy, who feared abridgment of their privileges. One of the most important of his reforms was in the bill to establish religious freedom; another to abolish entail, and another to put an end to the right of primogeniture. At that time the condition of society in Virginia was such that the ".old families" would naturally be shocked at the bold iconoclasm of Jefferson; but their opposition was in vain; the old English customs and laws were doomed, as incompatible with a republican form of government, With just pride for his share in these reforms Jefferson wrote, in the inscription prepared by himself for his monument, not only "Author of the Declaration of Independence," but also—" and of the statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom." He remained legislature in 1777-78, and among his leading measures was a bill to prohibit the importation of slaves. On June 1, 1779, he was chosen governor of the colony, or state, taking the chair in the darkest period of the revolution. The English were about to push the war in the south; Virginia had 10,000 men in the field, but at home was almost defenseless. The British invaded Georgia and turned northward; almost the last of Virginia's men, horses, and arms were sent to the relief of the imperiled territory. There were no coast or river fortifications, and no means of opposing a hostile fleet beyond a few small vessels and gunboats poorly equipped and feebly manned. The enemy seized Hampton and Portsmouth, and the traitor Arnold, with 2,000 men, moved up the James without serious opposition, entering Richmond, the capital, Jan. 5, 1781. Time governor and other officers were compelled to leave. Arnold plundered the town, burned a, portion of it, and sailed away. In April Cornwallis sent Tarleton to capture or disperse the Virginia legislature, then assembled at Charlottesville. He surprised, but did not capture them. Jefferson, who was at Monticello, near Charlottesville, hurried away his family, gathered his more valuable papers, and followed them. Tarleton :bad been sent especially to seize governor Jefferson, but his men stopped so often to plunder that he failed. Jef ferson's term of office expired a day or two before Tarleton's foray. For his conduct at this time...Jefferson was widely censured, and he felt the adverse criticisms keenly, to which mental snaring was added the loss of his wife within this period of trouble. He retired to his home, but was soon called upon by congress to become one of the com missioners to make the treaty of peace with England; but matters had progressed so far before he could sail that the appointment was revoked. He had been chosen a member of congress, and was chairman of the committee to whom the peace treaty had been referred. At the following session of congress he became active and prominent in legis lation, proposing the system of coinage for the government, and preparing a plan for the temporary government of the western territory. This plan was adopted with only one important amendment; he had provided for the total abolition of slavery after the year 1800; but to this congress would not agree.
In May, 1784, Jefferson, John Adams, and Franklin were sent to Europe under a general power to make commercial treaties. Jefferson took his eldest daughter with him, and joined his associate commissioners in Paris in July. Important treaties were made with Prussia for trade, and with Morocco for the prevention of piracy. By these and other agreements blockades were abandoned, contraband articles were no longer to be confiscated, and the axiom that " the flag covers the cargo" was established. Efforts were made with Eng,land„,but she would not listen to treaty propositions. About this time Jefferson published-theArst of his "Notes on Virginia." In 1785 he succeeded Franklin as minister to France, and in time course of his duties procured many com mercial advantages for the new republic. He traveled in Italy and Germany, and in Paris became intimate with D'Alembert, Condorcet, and other extreme liberals, with whom he seemed to have an affinity. The effect of these associations was to make him
through life a warm friend of the French people. In 178D he returned, and under Washington became the first secretary of state. The organization of the government had defined political parties. and hardly was Jefferson in office before he was recognized as the republican (afterwards democratic) leader. while Alexander Hamilton was at the head of the federalists. Hamilton favored a strong federal govergment ; Jefferson stoutly insisted upon state sovereignty and the greatest practicable Ihnitationof the federal power.
Hamilton, however, was successful in most of his propositions. His system of finance was approved, although violently oppOsed by Jefferson and Randolph. Early in 1792 Jefferson made an exhaustive report on the relations between. Spain and the United States, concerning boundaries, treatment of citizens, Indian invasions, the return of fugitives, and various commercial matters. In the war between France and England, 1793, the question of neutrality rose into great importance. Jefferson and his followers were warmly 'in favor of France, and were ready to send fleets of privateers against English commerce. The federalists (with no love for England, although so charged) insisted that the United States should keep out of the trouble; that no cause of complaint should be given to either of the belligerents; that America should keep peace and friend ship with all governments, but should beware of entangling alliances with any nation. Washington issued a neutrality proclamation, under Jefferson's advice; and at the same time the latter advised that Genest, who was here as minister from France, should be officially received. The conduct of Genest in fitting out privateers in American ports raised great excitement, which was not quieted until long after his government had recalled him. Jefferson was in favor of the mildest treatment of the offender, while Hamilton and others were for extreme and summary measures.. This episode created a bitterness between Jefferson and Hamilton that was never removed.
On the last day of 1793 Jefferson resigned his secretaryship and went to his home at Monticello to attend to his private business. Washington's announcement in Sept., 1790, that he would not be a candidate for a third term set politicians at work, and the result was that John Adams, then vice president, and Thomas Jefferson, were nominated by their respective parties for the office of president. Adams, hating the highest vote, was chosen president, and Jefferson having the next highest, was, under the law of the time, chosen vice-president. Like must vice-presidents down to the present day, while in office he was practically out of political life, and he passed the greater part of his time at his country home. He was, however, a close observer, and could not fail to have a deep interest in the great reaction of feeling in regard to France that followed the reign of terror. The president's war-message in the early part of 1797 created intense excite ment; congress declared all treaties with France void; ship-masters were instructed to resist search; large appropriations were made for defense; the alien and sedition act was passed, with other kindred acts; and in spite of the republican opposition, that party was driven as a last resort to contest the constitutionality of the alien and sedition laws, and to work up their state organizations, in which capacity they produced the Virginia resolutions of 1798 and greatly furthered the cause of state sovereignty. The excite ment regarding France was soon over, and a minister was sent to that country in 1799. Washington's in Dee. of that year, for a brief periad hushed partisan strife; but only a few mouths passed when the debate became inclre fierce than ever. The republicans gained ground rapidly, and at the presidential election in 1800 the electoral vote (except a few which might be called "scattering") was exactly divided between Jefferson and Aaron Burr, both republicans. The house of representatives, after a long struggle and 30 ballots, made Jefferson president, and Burr, according to the law, took the second place. Jefferson placated the federalists, made few removals of public officers, and avoided all action that would be likely to impair his popularity. The stately formalities of the previous administrations were ignored; Jefferson sent his messages to congress by the first boy or man at hand, and he refused to receive the els tomary address from that body. Radical changes were going on in the dress and manners of the people. Trousers took the place of knee-breeches, and the old court liness gave way to a freedom of manners that could not fail to shock the members of the old aristocracy.