The History of Conservatism & Liberalism in the American Republic

(NOTE:  This is somewhat lengthy paper I wrote on the history of Conservatism vs. Liberalism in America.  Read it if you wish.)

The History of Conservatism & Liberalism in the American Republic:  From Jefferson vs. Hamilton to the Political Right vs. Left

By Shane E. Kastler

In the summer of 1776, the American colonies were in turmoil. Outrageous taxes charged by the British government; a lack of representation, and a desire for freedom had captured the minds and hearts of many colonists. As representatives from the colonies gathered in Philadelphia to discuss a declaration of independence from Britain, many feared and suspected a long and bloody war would be the result. Naturally, some opposed the idea of independence and would thus have to be convinced of the need. The best of orators would be needed for this task. Men like John Adams, Patrick Henry, and Alexander Hamilton could be counted on for such prestigious work. But there was a “lesser” job that was also required. This “Declaration of Independence” would need to be fleshed out in written form.

The founding fathers assigned this task to a committee made up of men who simply felt too busy and too important to do the job. Therefore the assignment was given to a young, bashful, red-headed and little known Virginian by the name of Thomas Jefferson. One of the few things known about Jefferson was that he had a very prolific pen. When left alone in his study he could powerfully craft documents to meet a number of needs. Within a couple of days work, he had written his declaration of independence and the Continental Congress took on the task of editing the document for their mutual agreement.

Perhaps the most well known phrase in the document, which has been memorized by multitudes of Americans:

“We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal; and endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

While this was the version that was ultimately accepted, it was not what Jefferson initially wrote. Rather than “self evident” Jefferson declared these truths to be “sacred”—a word that conjures up images of Divine blessings that some of our founders, most notably Benjamin Franklin had issues with. At Franklin’s recommendation the word was changed to “self evident” and thus the document had at least somewhat lesser of a religious tone. Jefferson was much chagrined. Though in spite of these editorial revisions, the Declaration still clearly pointed to our Creator as the one who blesses us with truth, liberty, and human rights.

While most likely not a “born again” Christian, Jefferson had a healthy respect for God and a true desire to see religious liberty be the hallmark of American spirituality. It is Thomas Jefferson who is credited with coining the phrase “separation of church and state”; a phrase that has been picked up and used by Americans including the Supreme Court of the United States. In shocking rulings the Court has based decisions upon the “wall of separation that was to exist between the church and the state.” Yet the phrase “separation of church and state” is not found in the United States Constitution; the Declaration of Independence; nor any other founding American document. Jefferson used the phrase in a private letter written to the Danbury, Connecticut Baptist Association who feared the growing Federal government would try to dictate matters of religion to them. Far from being a rule to ban religion from the government or public square, Jefferson’s phrase was meant to allay Christian fears that Government would interfere in their free exercise of worship.

While Jefferson assured the Danbury Baptists that government would not interfere with their religious practices; the U.S. Constitution explicitly said it would not. In the very first amendment to the Constitution freedom of religion was protected with these words:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

The so called “establishment clause” has been used and abused by scores of secularists to try and succeed in doing everything from banning prayer in school to ripping down monuments of the Ten Commandments in court houses. Yet none of these activities are in violation of the Constitution; though ironically, prohibiting them are. By the state taking a stand for or against religion they are blatantly “respecting and prohibiting the free exercise” of religion. Such bans and government meddling are direct violations of the Constitution.

If a school required adherence to a specific religion then an argument could be made for government intrusion. But prayer, Bible reading, public displays of religion, including nativity scenes or Ten Commandment monuments are clearly not an establishment of religion. Because it requires no one to accept the tenets of said faith. America cannot escape its heritage of being founded on Christian principals by many people who were of the Christian faith. Admitting and honoring this Divine past is simply an exercise in History rather than a government establishment of religion.

While Thomas Jefferson’s views on religious liberty were clearly “pro-faith” his view on government as a whole should be studied and embraced by liberty loving Americans. The first political schisms began to show their faces early in our Nation’s history. Members of George Washington’s’ cabinet, who had been largely united in the cause of Independence had very different view on the role of Federal government in the lives of its citizens. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams sought to establish a strong (some might say overbearing) Federal government that would grant stability to the nation by providing a National defense; a National bank; and a hierarchical system of government. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and others who came to be known early on as “Republicans” saw this growing Federal government as a grave threat to the cause of liberty. Jefferson famously said that “the government that governs best is the one that governs least.” Much like modern day Conservatives; Jefferson sought a Federal government that had very minimal power and control over the daily lives of its people. An early advocate of “States Rights” Jefferson believed that the more local a government was, the more adequately it would be equipped to meet the needs of its particular region. For example, rather than a large and cumbersome Federal government, which was at that time headquartered in New York, dictating local matters to far away states. Jefferson sought to allow the states the freedom to make their own decisions, assuming they didn’t violate the U.S. Constitution. Again, the Constitution explicitly stated that this would be in the case in the tenth amendment which says:

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

In other words, any powers not specifically granted by the Constitution to the Federal government were matters for the individual states to decide. Clearly, this amendment is being largely ignored by the Federal albatross that exists in the 21^st century.

As a case in point, the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that the Ten Commandments monument should be removed from the Alabama Supreme Court, at that time headed by Roy Moore, was clearly outside the bounds of Federal jurisdiction. Not only was such a ruling not in line with the establishment clause; the ruling was a direct violation of the tenth amendment which requires the Federal government to keep their nose out of Alabama matters. If, for example, Massachusetts decides that they don’t want the Ten Commandments in their court house then they are legally allowed to make that decision. But Massachusetts convictions cannot be forced upon Alabama as an established Federal law. And yet travesties of justice like these are committed on a frequent basis by an out of control Federal judiciary.

Amazingly, this rift that existed in Washington’s first cabinet between the Federalists and the Republicans continues to exist today. Though the names have changed and at times the divisions have morphed into several factions; for the most part a two party system has dominated American politics for over two centuries. In an array of semantic confusion, the Federalists of Revolutionary America became the Whigs and Republicans of Civil War America, and then became the Democrats of New Deal and 21^st century America. The Republicans of Jefferson’s time became the “State’s Rights” Democrats of the Civil War, which once again shifted to the current Republican party of our day. While the names have changed and sometimes simply switched camps; these two overarching political and governmental philosophies have remained constant. One group seeks Federal government control; while the other group seeks Individual liberty without an overwhelming Federal presence. One group seeks to expand government with programs and taxes, while the other group seeks to limit government by eliminating programs and cutting taxes. While hybrids of these two philosophies exist in some circles, the broad political philosophies still hold true.

Republicans, including Jefferson, saw a need for a certain amount of Federal governance. For example, the Federal government would be the protector of the people’s rights by providing a strong national defense. But the common belief of men like Jefferson was that “government made a great servant but a lousy master.” The government was meant to serve the people, yet today many people think they exist and are allowed to function as a gift from the Federal government. And therein lies one of the most inherent dangers in a large and cumbersome Federal entity. People are prone to look at government as their ultimate provider and protector rather than God. This sad and fearsome slide towards secularism began in early America, peaked during Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Administration, and continues to hold sway over millions of Americans today who’s first reaction to any tragedy be it natural, accidental, or terrorism related is “where is the government?” Our people have exchanged the freedom they were meant to have by founders like Jefferson, for government control that more closely resembles Soviet Russia than the United States. With cradle to grave government control, some seek a Federal babysitter to meet their every whim and need rather than a Federal guard dog that will stay out of the way and let them live how they choose to, provided they don’t violate another citizen’s rights to do the same.

American Liberalism is a form of Socialism that is very similar in philosophy to Communism made famous by such dictators as Joseph Stalin, Fidel Castro, and modern day China. While many on the political left bristle at such suggestions the facts bear out the truth of this comparison. Communist regimes want no power to be conceived of higher than themselves. The last thing a dictatorial government wants its people to believe is that all people are accountable to a Sovereign God for their life and actions on earth. Such “theistic” views threaten the strangle hold these governments have upon their people. Communism, like American Liberalism, is an obvious system of power that is easily corrupted by its adherents because its core message is an evil denial of the ultimate power of an Omnipotent God. Therefore Communism, like American Liberalism, is in direct conflict with Biblical Christianity and the principals of freedom and liberty inherent in a Republican form of government. Just because American Liberals may sound sweeter and talk in more loving and flowery phraseology doesn’t mean their underlying desires for governmental control are any more benevolent than the heavy handed tactics of a militant dictator. American Liberalism, like Communism, means government control at the expense of Divine worship and personal liberty.

Ironically, this type of government control was the very reason the United States of America became a country in the first place. The British monarchy of King George III had driven the colonists to a state of rebellion because of its smothering taxation and despotism. Though they had fiercely fought and won freedom from the monarchy, some within the government sought to re-attach the yoke of oppression under a different name. Rather than a King ruling over the nation, the Federalists sought to have a Federal government rule the people in much the same fashion. Men like Jefferson fiercely opposed this and sounded the alarm early on. Yet Jefferson’s pleas were drown out by the overwhelmingly influential Alexander Hamilton.

Hamilton was a protégé, almost a son, to President George Washington. Born out of wedlock and raised on the island of St. Croix, Hamilton migrated to America and fought in Washington’s Army during the War for Independence. Immediately recognized by General Washington as an extremely able soldier of tremendous organizational skills and intelligence; he was made a member of Washington’s staff serving as Aide-de-Camp. When Washington was overwhelmingly elected as the first President of the United States, he sought to have a group of advisors who would assist him in the administration of the government. Though not specifically laid out in the Constitution, Washington’s plan for a “Cabinet” became a fixture in Executive American government.

Washington’s Cabinet sounded like a “who’s who” of great American patriots. John Adams was Vice-President and President of the Senate based upon his 2^nd place finish in the Presidential election. Thomas Jefferson, who had just completed a five year stretch as Ambassador to France, was tapped as the first Secretary of State. And Alexander Hamilton, a brilliant financier, was named the first Secretary of the Treasury. Though today, a “pecking order” is somewhat established by the Presidential succession laws, in Washington’s time Cabinet power was largely up for grabs, and Hamilton seized it early on. He was clearly seen as Washington’s right hand man and closest confidant. Subsequently, many of the arguments that Republicans like Jefferson made to the President fell on deaf ears.

Hamilton had a massive job ahead of him as Treasury Secretary with a Nation nearly broke from a long and expensive war with Britain. Many of the individual states were deeply in debt because of war costs, but Hamilton had a plan to alleviate the states of this burden. His plan of “Assumption” called for the Federal government to take over the war debts of the individual states. Kind of like a modern day “consolidation loan” Hamilton sought to unify the state debts into one massive national debt. On the surface this might seem like a tremendous blessing to the states, but make no mistake Federal strings were attached. The reliance and power this would give to the Federal government made men like Jefferson way too uncomfortable. Furthermore, the Southern states had already worked hard to eliminate much of their war debts; so the North would stand to benefit much more from the measure. The ultimate lynch pin for whether or not this plan would pass was the support (or lack of support) granted by President Washington. The most revered and influential man in America, Washington eventually backed the Assumption plan which led to its acceptance. Again Jefferson was bitterly disappointed with even more political fights and disappointments to come.

Alexander Hamilton’s next desire was to establish a National bank that could boost the economy and provide loans to the business sector. While Jefferson did not oppose financial institutions per se, he cringed at the thought of one that had as much government influence as Hamilton’s plan called for. No doubt seeing the “hand writing on the wall” Jefferson entered into an act of shrewd cunning in order to grant Hamilton the support he sought for his bank.

In what has been called the most important dinner party in American History, Thomas Jefferson invited Alexander Hamilton and James Madison over to his house for dinner. Many years later, as President, Jefferson would become legendary for his dinner party deals and politicking; but this dinner party dwarfed all others in its bearing on history. Jefferson was a loyal Virginian who favored the “State’s Rights” doctrine of his fellow Southerners. Furthermore, with the Nation’s capital in New York or Philadelphia; Jefferson feared that too much Northern Federalism would permeate the government. He desperately wanted to move the capital South so that he and other Virginians could keep an eye on it. His belief was that the Federal government would become way too radical unless it was in a physical location that forced the Northern Federalists to be aware of their Southern Republican brethren. To grant the Nation’s capital to any one state seemed unwise, therefore Jefferson proposed that a “Federal city” be built to house the Capital and the President’s office and home. A tract of land on the Potomac River, surrounded by Virginia and Maryland, both Southern states, was suggested for the new capital that would be named after the first President, Washington, D.C. If it was support for a National bank that Hamilton sought, Jefferson said he was willing to grant it…IF, Hamilton would support plans to move the capital to Washington. The agreement was made, and the rest is history.

With his first term as President coming to completion, George Washington desperately sought retirement. He longed to be back on his farm at Mount Vernon and to hand the reins to another. But both political sides balked at such an idea. Jefferson’s Republicans and Hamilton’s Federalists were united in their desire for Washington to serve another term. While the two sides had drastically different ideas about government, they were in agreement on their desire to see America succeed, and they couldn’t see that happening without Washington’s unifying presence. Washington finally acquiesced and won a second term by unanimous support of the American people. Four years later when he finally did step down, the scene was set for a bitter fight to assume his mantle. The Federalist John Adams and the Republican Thomas Jefferson squared off in the infamous election of 1796 and again in 1800. Historians have declared that the 1800 election could have very well been the most vicious campaign in American History. Both sides slandered the other in a vain attempt to gain power. “Dumpster diving” newspaper reporters were employed to find, or make up, dirt on political opponents. When it was all settled, Adams won the battle for the Presidency in 1796, though he might have lost the greater War of Historical importance. Jefferson, who finished second, was named Vice-President according to the current law of the land, and would go on to win the Presidency in 1800.

Although by 1800 Adams and Jefferson were bitter enemies, this was not always so. During the 1780’s both men had served in Europe as ambassadors of the United States, Jefferson in France and Adams in Britain. During this time a strong bond was forged between the two. So much so that Adams referred to his son John Quincy as “our” when talking about him to Jefferson. Adams stated that John Quincy almost considered Jefferson to be a second father to him. Likewise, Abigail Adams serves as a powerful feminine influence to the widower Jefferson. In her forthright manner, she implored him to send for his daughter living in America so that his family would be united. Jefferson eventually took her counsel with Abigail actually picking up Jefferson’s daughter when her ship docked in England. Abigail stated that her husband John had no closer confidant in the world than Thomas Jefferson. They were the stereotypical example of opposites attracting. Adams was a short stocky, outspoken Northerner from Massachusetts with a legendary temper. Jefferson was a tall, lean, bookish Southerner who hated confrontation. Their friendship flourished while in Europe, but was severely strained once they jointly served in Washington’s cabinet, and was all but destroyed by the election of 1800.

The first twelve years of the Presidency saw a Federalist in power. Though technically Washington was a political neutral, his policies were so heavily influenced by Hamilton that he is largely considered a Federalist; and Adams was clearly a Federalist. But Jefferson’s 1800 election ushered in twenty-four years of Republican dominance. Jefferson served from 1801-1809, followed by his protégé, and fellow Virginian James Madison from 1809-1817, followed once more by another Virginian James Monroe from 1817-1825. During this period of Republican dominance, the Nation grew in numbers and in land. Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase, considered the greatest real estate deal in History, doubled the size of the country for a paltry $15 million. It was also during these years that Jefferson’s legacy began to grow and become enshrined in American lore. As Jefferson and the Republicans grew in stature, the Federalists of John Adams day began to wither. In 1824, Adams’ son John Quincy won the Presidency only to lose it after one term to a Southerner, Andrew Jackson. While Jefferson’s name grew more famous and John Adams grew more forgotten the two had an amazing reconciliation in their later years.

Benjamin Rush, who had served with both Jefferson and Adams in the Continental Congress, had kept up correspondence with both men; and he pleaded with them both to contact each other. Finally on New Years Day 1811 John Adams picked up a pen and wrote wishing Holiday wishes to his old friend and enemy. Jefferson wrote back in what would be the first of 158 letters to go back in forth between the two. They discussed everything from books to philosophy to education to religion. When Adams’ beloved with Abigail passed away in 1818, Jefferson consoled his friend as no others could, having lost his own wife Martha at the age of 39 and remaining a widower to the end. In 1826, the curtain was closing on these two lions of the American Revolution. Adams, 90, and Jefferson, 83, were both in poor health. As providence would have it, John Adams passed away on July 4, 1826; the 50^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. His final words were: “Jefferson survives.” Though unbeknownst to him, his final words were in error; for Thomas Jefferson in had passed away in Virginia five hours earlier. Thus two of the most influential men in American History, the second and third Presidents of the United States both died on the 50^th anniversary of the Nation’s Independence. An eerie coincidence that many read as a sign from Heaven that America was indeed a gift from God to the world. A nation where freedom would exist unlike any other nation in world history. A freedom that would have to be fought for and defended on countless battle fields. And a freedom that would have to be protected in government from those within the nation who would seek to undermine and even destroy it.

Jefferson’s political descendants remain. They can be seen in all liberty loving Americans who want nothing more than to live their lives in peace and earn a living by the sweat of their brow. They can be seen in the local and state governments that believe they can better serve their people than a faraway Federal dictator can. They can be seen in the home schooling parents that wish to provide a solid Christian education to their children without the atheistic and secular control of a government that scoffs at all they believe in. They can be seen in a movement of Conservatism that seeks relief from overbearing taxation that punishes hard work and robs citizens of the finances that are rightfully theirs. Jefferson’s political descendants can be seen in those who truly believe that “we hold these truths to be self-evident (and sacred). That all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Jefferson’s personal belief was that “all men” included black men as he sought early in his career to see slavery abolished. Today his political descendants can be seen in those who stand up for the equal rights and opportunities granted to black, white, male, female, children born and unborn. Though occasionally taken to an extreme, the majority of Jefferson’s political descendants can be seen in the faces of hard working, truth seeking, liberty loving Americans who work hard for their families, and expect their government to work hard for them; rather than against them. Jefferson’s political descendants are there. They live daily in what many would call the political right. Adams’ and Hamilton’s political descendants exist today as well in a position that has veered so far to the left and away from anything any of the founders would have ever dreamed of. Indeed many within 21^st century America seek to take the Federalist philosophy to a totalitarian extreme. Re-enslaving the people to overwhelming taxation; government banned religion, and legalized infanticide.

The “American Experiment” has now lasted well over 200 years, but will America remain the world power and bastion of freedom it once was? Excessive governmental control is the very antithesis of liberty, but Federal control is mushrooming in our nation today. The election of Barack Obama as President has caused the radical, left to seize power…and the results will be nothing short of catastrophic to the American people, and the cause of liberty. It’s a fight that has existed since our Nation’s inception, and it will continue one. Will government be your Master? Or will it be your Servant? In a free society like ours….the people decide. The question remains….which will they choose…and what will become of our once cherished Nation of Freedom and Liberty.

This entry was posted on April 30, 2009 at 12:43 pm and is filed under History, Current Events, Political Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

| Print