Thomas Jefferson and Executive Power

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Dedication......Page 4
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Table......Page 8
Preface......Page 9
The Problem with Inventing the Presidency......Page 11
Acknowledgments......Page 15
Abbreviations......Page 17
1 "The execution of laws is more important than the making of them"......Page 19
1800 as Revolution in Executive Power......Page 23
Alexander Hamilton and Energy in the Executive......Page 25
Executive Unity and Public Opinion......Page 28
Prerogative and the Constitution......Page 33
Declarations of Principle......Page 40
The Understanding Developed......Page 42
The Virginia Constitution of 1776......Page 46
Prerogative and the Dilemma of the Council......Page 53
Prerogative and Punishment......Page 60
Prerogative Power and Legislative Supremacy: Impressments......Page 62
Prerogative Power and Civil Liberties: Insurrections......Page 71
The 1783 Constitution......Page 73
The Retired President and the Virginia Executive......Page 79
3 Executive Power and the Constitution of 1787......Page 83
A National Executive......Page 85
The Federalist......Page 88
Removal Power......Page 92
Jefferson and Removal......Page 97
The President and the Constitution......Page 99
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions......Page 112
Strict Construction and the Revolution of 1800......Page 117
4 "To place before mankind the common sense of the subject"......Page 119
Jefferson and Rhetoric......Page 120
Declaring Independence......Page 123
Jefferson as Governor......Page 125
The Federal Constitution: Two Objections......Page 129
The Argument against a Declaration of Rights......Page 131
The Usefulness of Appeals to the Public......Page 134
The Second Objection: Presidential Reeligibility......Page 138
The Return to the United States......Page 145
Declarations and the Constitution......Page 148
5 The Real Revolution of 1800......Page 150
Vice President......Page 151
Washington and Adams......Page 154
Jefferson’s Statement of Promise......Page 157
Confirmation of the Revolution......Page 167
6 To "produce a union of the powers of the whole"......Page 169
Organizing the Cabinet......Page 170
Appointments and Public Respect......Page 173
Removals......Page 175
The Transformation......Page 184
7 The Louisiana Purchase......Page 189
Louisiana......Page 190
The Diplomatic Mission......Page 191
The Constitutional Question......Page 194
The Political Question......Page 204
Jefferson’s Silence......Page 209
8 To "complete their entire union of opinion"......Page 213
The Aaron Burr Amendment?......Page 214
Amending the Constitution......Page 219
House Debate......Page 220
Senate Debate......Page 223
Jefferson......Page 229
Election of One Man: The Politics of Character......Page 238
9 "To bring their wills to a point of union and effect"......Page 243
The Annual Message......Page 245
Proclamations......Page 248
Special Messages to Congress......Page 250
Open Letters and Replies to Addresses......Page 255
Private Letters for Public Purpose......Page 260
To “give form and body to the floating ardor of our countrymen”......Page 265
Jefferson’s Failure......Page 268
An Unfinished Transformation......Page 274
10 Development and Difficulties......Page 277
Democratizing the Prerogative......Page 278
Redevelopment......Page 280
The President as Good Officer......Page 285
Difficulties......Page 287
Index......Page 293