LAD #9: Jefferson's First Inaugural Address

In his first inaugural address, Thomas Jefferson first presents the nation with a modest acceptance of the task that is "too great for his talents." However, he assures the people that he will find resources of virtue, wisdom, and zeal.  Once found, he can use these principles to resolve the problems facing the commercial, physical, and industrial expansion of the nation. He then explains that in order for this union to fully thrive and become prosperous, the people must "unite in common efforts for the common good." He attests that as a tolerant republic, the people will have the same idealistic principles, even though they may not have the same opinions. Jefferson is still able to unquestionably support the dissenters of Republicanism (as with any minority).  He blatantly supports their equal rights to freedom of opinions and religion as he does for the majority, letting common sense and the lessons of history be their sole arguers. The nation is therefore left to develop and progress their views of Federalism and Republicanism, unhindered by the the social torrents of a Europe. Void of their destructive influence, America has developed their own political "religion," which includes honesty, truth, temperance, gratitude, and love of man (civic virtue).  Every man has "equal rights to the use of their faculties," and that honor and confidence are not manners of birth right but of our actions to carry out such civic virtues. After describing these public virtues, Jefferson expresses his own political priorities which include: equal justice to all men regardless of views or background; support of State's rights for domestic policy (hand in hand with the support for the Federal Government for peace abroad) -- foreign policy; full agreement with the will of the majority; the maintenance of a well trained militia until "regulars" are employed; supremacy of agriculture; freedoms of speech, press, trial by jury etc.  Jefferson concludes by saying that he will uphold these priorities to the best of his abilities, and asks the people to forgive him of unintentional defects of judgment on his quest to uphold the happiness and liberty of the people.