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In his letter to the Marquis de Lafayette in 1792, Thomas Jefferson explains his perspective on the direction in which the United States was headed, as well as his perception of his newly formed nation. Expressing his concerns about the uneasiness of America during the 18th century, Jefferson writes about the importance of maintaining American independence and stability after British emancipation. In his letter, Jefferson voices his concerns about British supporters, but reassures Lafayette that they are “preachers without followers, and that [American] people are firm & constant in their republican purity.”
In his post, Hunter Loya explains that Jefferson’s language signifies that he is deeply concerned about the future of the extremely young United States of America. Loya states that “Jefferson’s concerns over the political issues that were starting to sprout inside of the government were growing, unaware of the factions that would persist years after.” I agree with this point and would like to add that Jefferson’s concerns display the divide in ideology over American government beginning with American independence. Jefferson’s desire to states rights and minimal federal power are expressed in his letters, and his concerns as shown represent his disagreements with British government, as well as his fear that American government will be heavily centralized and eventually replicate the monarchy colonists revolted against.
The Declaration of Independence lists the acts of the Monarch of England that American colonists disagreed with, from refusal of Assent of Laws, to refusal to pass laws of immediate importance, to the quartering of troops in homes. In Jefferson’s letter to Lafayette, not only does he express concerns for maintaining American independence from Britain, but he also continues the debate as to whether the United States should have a strong centralized government or strong state administrations.