Jefferson
Jefferson was a fop. A macaroni. Jefferson was a lot like DT in circumstances. A great deal of inherited wealth. He shirked being part of the armed struggle by virtue of being a 'philosopher' and political acolyte/amanuensis/bureaucrat to the "Continental Congress" - which only in fact fairly represented about 1/60th of the North American landmass at that time, but they were ambitious, and now claim the best 3rd or 5th part of it - (or should I say occupy . . ) He was an exact contemporary of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. One of whom (Hamilton) was one of Washington's young men, an aide de camp, and the other (Burr) though stellar connected and entitled, served in various regular and irregular line units during the armed struggle; helped try to conquer Canada in fact, the first time they tried it. "Conquering" was still legal in those days.
Strange but true. Jefferson was American Ambassador to Paris during their revolution and freaked out and got out as fast as he could. Did not say a word, just got on the next train available that would not spoil his 'standing'. Did'nt help, or even try to help, anyone. Just got on the boat, au revoir Paree..
He could'nt have congress with women of his own class or culture; I'd have to look it up, he may've married some 3rd cousin half his age as a 'beard' in later life but cannot offhand remember who his white house 'hostess' was, or even not, as I'm pretty sure. I disremember. He's a historical figure I know very well but did not choose to meet or become further acquaintanced with at all. Just someone on the same train is the best way I can put it, or in the same station/bahnhof/Gare...(Oh that fellow over there.. I would'nt go near him he's selling dirty postcards...Hahahaha!, Joke on myself in this.)
Back to Jefferson.
Jefferson was a fraud, albeit a hugely successful one, which is one point at which the comparison with our current lunatic American President comes apart. I don't think donald will finish a first term, one way or another. And I do not use that term (Fraud) lightly. Franklin was - a villain perhaps but genuine.. - not, Washington was not, nor the Addams'es, Randolph, etc, etc, even that (convicted smuggler) scoundrel John Hancock and blowhard demagogue Samuel Addams were all very genuine in their different ways, but Jefferson was.
He was a tireless self promoter and consummate user of other people. He was born into wealth and used it tirelessly to promote his own agenda, which in the end failed, but the legend still lives on. He's on the nickel and Mt Rushmore, to remove him at this late date would cause a deal of embarrassment. Amusingly, if his notions about America had been followed the place would now be a bucolic backwater like Brazil or Argentina. No offence or disrespect intended to Brazil or Argentina.
His 'scientific' reputation (he invented EVERYTHING according to...) is the first tip off. Washington had invented an improved form of plough, Franklin was an acknowledged scientific authority, and he had to be better than them so.. there's this huge long list of things he 'invented' which are half of 'em useless junk; "A music stand for 4 Musicians" Really. Where does the cello fit and who gets the violinist's bow in the eye, and the other half simply stolen from his time spent in Europe and probably his reading. His repeating wind vane & compass - a notable feature at Monticello - which he "invented" was a straight steal from the original device on the cieling of the Admiralty Boardroom here, built in 1726. His 'pantograph' or letter copying device is simply an Artist's tool (for increasing, simply copying, or reducing an original work) that is so old I have no real idea how long it has been in use but I would guess about 500 yr's. The Dutch invented all kinds of clever things back in the day, and were the best artists. Don't take my word for it though, if you should have nothing better to do have a look up of ol' Massa Tom's 'inventions' and scientific achievements. It's a giggle. Not a single real breakthrough, theory or explanation of anything at all, just a lot of smoke and mirrors.
(Note. This - all - is an original opinion but is not a new opinion. I can recall coming across strangely discordant observations on TJ in my readings as far back as c***dhood. This present considered opinion I've had at least 15 years now.)
As president he had his primary political opponent (Burr. Lost by one state in the electoral college. Popular vote of no real significance back in 1804) arrested and tried for treason. Did'nt work. Burr got off, was'nt in fact 'guilty'. He also shut down opposition newspapers and had numerous editors thrown into jails. Fact. Complete isolationist. Forced an 'embargo' - on his own country! - through congress that had the effect of ruining trade completely - in the Northern mercantile states particularly - for about 5 years. He was hated and feared. He threw people into Federal jail cells at the drop of a hat. He threw no parties, entertained as little and as few (diplomats, etc) as possible, reduced White House staff to the barest minimum, never went about in public at all unless surrounded by guards and simply commuted between Monticello & Washington in a 'closed carriage' as and when necessary, in winter or summer. It is said he served 'bad' (inferior vintages) wine at table and skimped on the candles. He was - in reality, and many people who knew him at the time said the very same things about him - a very scrooge like figure, slouching about the White House in a flannel bathrobe - sometimes in fact attending dinners that way - pinching out unnecessary candles whilst scrutinising every (the TV of the times!) newspaper being published for signs of disrespect or 'disloyalty' to himself.
(Note. Odd note. A Wannsee Protocol. You look up Jefferson today and on Indian affairs [Red North American variety] he comes across as some kind of Great White Brother saint. In actual fact he is the only 'founding father' who actually left a paper trail towards the eventual American [Not Canadian] Indian genocide. A letter of his to that effect ["extermination" and "eradication"] to the then Governor of one of the Western territories, Louisiana I believe, is published in the preface to one of the historian Allen Eckert's "Wilderness Empire" [Non Fiction] books. Can't remember which one [Book title] now, but for the times it was both graphic and explicit. Kill them. Kill them all. Any way that you can. And they did.)
Since he could'nt get it on with women of his own class and kind - like DT, who's only marriage to an (much younger) American woman lasted only 3 yr's - he cohabited with his own slaves. This was considered a dirty little secret back in the day, and 'unproven' dirty gossip in modern times until the 1980's when DNA profiling revealed that the descendants of the Jeffersonian slave Sally Hemings do indeed - as her family had always maintained - have Thomas Jefferson's genes. Anguish all the way around but the truth will out.
Jefferson would not be remembered today for much at all other than as a very unpopular two term president, and a very weird man, except for the "Louisiana Purchase" and that was not his doing or brainc***d. Jefferson tried to buy New Orleans off France - and slyly capture all the upriver lands - just that, and Napolean (1. Buonoparte) told Tallyrand NOOOO. If he want's the fruit he's got to buy the whole vine, or something similar, and Tallyrand told Jefferson you can have it all at a much higher price, or none of it. Napolean needed money, Jefferson pushed the sale through. That and for NOT writing the "Declaration of Independence". He was most insistent about that right up to the end and he outlived everybody else who had been anywhere near at the time but they had not kept their collective mouths shut nor their pocket diaries unfullfilled.
Franklin - the villain of the piece - I will have to tell you more of this at some later date. It took me years, until like about 7 ago, there in Victoria, to find the last least piece of the puzzle. I grew up reading and hearing about American History, and big bits of it never made the least possible logical sense to me. At all.
Franklin (65-ish, Rep for Pennsylvania, mid-american "swing state".) Addams Senior (50 odd-ish, Massachusetts, Northern mercantile state. Future Pres. and father of a second.) and John Randolph (45-ish, from one of the Carolinas, deep south Agrarian, Read "slave" state.) hauled young Tom Jefferson - about age 24. - and his pencil case and looseleaf binder (a "writing slope". The circa 1700 – 1900 equivalent of a laptop.) hauled young Tom and Etc off to a Philadelphia (Franklin's 'home town') Tavern on the afternoons and early evenings of June 30th or 31st, July 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and sat him down with a pot or cannikin of small beer and told him to take copious notes whilst they drank wine and thrashed out - Addams Sr. was a practicing Attorney, Franklin a media baron and Randolph a plantation owner - the needs and means of their immediate regional sections against the immediate need to present a united front against their percieved common enemy, the Mother country, this place I was born in, and now live in, again. They say the third time's a charm...
He took notes. And on the night of July 3rd he wrote out a fair copy of the fruit of their ancient (160 yr's old, easily, between the 3 of them..) ruminations on the nature of both the State and Allegiances, and presented said fair copy to the delegates assembled (in Philadelphia, the next day) who had originally empaneled and charged the aforesaid Gang of Four, to draw up said document in accordance with their wishes. It was nothing like the single simple brainc***d of young Massa Tom as it is popularly presented and represented to be, in all the American history books. And who wrote in or scratched out, or caused to be wrote in or scratched out "All men are created equal" or something more or less similar, in about 3 different places, typos, on the original Document is an ongoing probably unsolvable mystery. Federalists and proto whigs and tories debate it endlesssly in the dark of night to this day, and paw through their copies of Franklin's Almanack and sundry other ancient bits of paper in search of the elusive Humanist. Franklin's my bet. Or Addams. Randolph or young massa Tom, no way. They both 'owned' people, "Men", at then current law there. As chattel property. Disposable assets.
Strange but true. Jefferson was American Ambassador to Paris during their revolution and freaked out and got out as fast as he could. Did not say a word, just got on the next train available that would not spoil his 'standing'. Did'nt help, or even try to help, anyone. Just got on the boat, au revoir Paree..
He could'nt have congress with women of his own class or culture; I'd have to look it up, he may've married some 3rd cousin half his age as a 'beard' in later life but cannot offhand remember who his white house 'hostess' was, or even not, as I'm pretty sure. I disremember. He's a historical figure I know very well but did not choose to meet or become further acquaintanced with at all. Just someone on the same train is the best way I can put it, or in the same station/bahnhof/Gare...(Oh that fellow over there.. I would'nt go near him he's selling dirty postcards...Hahahaha!, Joke on myself in this.)
Back to Jefferson.
Jefferson was a fraud, albeit a hugely successful one, which is one point at which the comparison with our current lunatic American President comes apart. I don't think donald will finish a first term, one way or another. And I do not use that term (Fraud) lightly. Franklin was - a villain perhaps but genuine.. - not, Washington was not, nor the Addams'es, Randolph, etc, etc, even that (convicted smuggler) scoundrel John Hancock and blowhard demagogue Samuel Addams were all very genuine in their different ways, but Jefferson was.
He was a tireless self promoter and consummate user of other people. He was born into wealth and used it tirelessly to promote his own agenda, which in the end failed, but the legend still lives on. He's on the nickel and Mt Rushmore, to remove him at this late date would cause a deal of embarrassment. Amusingly, if his notions about America had been followed the place would now be a bucolic backwater like Brazil or Argentina. No offence or disrespect intended to Brazil or Argentina.
His 'scientific' reputation (he invented EVERYTHING according to...) is the first tip off. Washington had invented an improved form of plough, Franklin was an acknowledged scientific authority, and he had to be better than them so.. there's this huge long list of things he 'invented' which are half of 'em useless junk; "A music stand for 4 Musicians" Really. Where does the cello fit and who gets the violinist's bow in the eye, and the other half simply stolen from his time spent in Europe and probably his reading. His repeating wind vane & compass - a notable feature at Monticello - which he "invented" was a straight steal from the original device on the cieling of the Admiralty Boardroom here, built in 1726. His 'pantograph' or letter copying device is simply an Artist's tool (for increasing, simply copying, or reducing an original work) that is so old I have no real idea how long it has been in use but I would guess about 500 yr's. The Dutch invented all kinds of clever things back in the day, and were the best artists. Don't take my word for it though, if you should have nothing better to do have a look up of ol' Massa Tom's 'inventions' and scientific achievements. It's a giggle. Not a single real breakthrough, theory or explanation of anything at all, just a lot of smoke and mirrors.
(Note. This - all - is an original opinion but is not a new opinion. I can recall coming across strangely discordant observations on TJ in my readings as far back as c***dhood. This present considered opinion I've had at least 15 years now.)
As president he had his primary political opponent (Burr. Lost by one state in the electoral college. Popular vote of no real significance back in 1804) arrested and tried for treason. Did'nt work. Burr got off, was'nt in fact 'guilty'. He also shut down opposition newspapers and had numerous editors thrown into jails. Fact. Complete isolationist. Forced an 'embargo' - on his own country! - through congress that had the effect of ruining trade completely - in the Northern mercantile states particularly - for about 5 years. He was hated and feared. He threw people into Federal jail cells at the drop of a hat. He threw no parties, entertained as little and as few (diplomats, etc) as possible, reduced White House staff to the barest minimum, never went about in public at all unless surrounded by guards and simply commuted between Monticello & Washington in a 'closed carriage' as and when necessary, in winter or summer. It is said he served 'bad' (inferior vintages) wine at table and skimped on the candles. He was - in reality, and many people who knew him at the time said the very same things about him - a very scrooge like figure, slouching about the White House in a flannel bathrobe - sometimes in fact attending dinners that way - pinching out unnecessary candles whilst scrutinising every (the TV of the times!) newspaper being published for signs of disrespect or 'disloyalty' to himself.
(Note. Odd note. A Wannsee Protocol. You look up Jefferson today and on Indian affairs [Red North American variety] he comes across as some kind of Great White Brother saint. In actual fact he is the only 'founding father' who actually left a paper trail towards the eventual American [Not Canadian] Indian genocide. A letter of his to that effect ["extermination" and "eradication"] to the then Governor of one of the Western territories, Louisiana I believe, is published in the preface to one of the historian Allen Eckert's "Wilderness Empire" [Non Fiction] books. Can't remember which one [Book title] now, but for the times it was both graphic and explicit. Kill them. Kill them all. Any way that you can. And they did.)
Since he could'nt get it on with women of his own class and kind - like DT, who's only marriage to an (much younger) American woman lasted only 3 yr's - he cohabited with his own slaves. This was considered a dirty little secret back in the day, and 'unproven' dirty gossip in modern times until the 1980's when DNA profiling revealed that the descendants of the Jeffersonian slave Sally Hemings do indeed - as her family had always maintained - have Thomas Jefferson's genes. Anguish all the way around but the truth will out.
Jefferson would not be remembered today for much at all other than as a very unpopular two term president, and a very weird man, except for the "Louisiana Purchase" and that was not his doing or brainc***d. Jefferson tried to buy New Orleans off France - and slyly capture all the upriver lands - just that, and Napolean (1. Buonoparte) told Tallyrand NOOOO. If he want's the fruit he's got to buy the whole vine, or something similar, and Tallyrand told Jefferson you can have it all at a much higher price, or none of it. Napolean needed money, Jefferson pushed the sale through. That and for NOT writing the "Declaration of Independence". He was most insistent about that right up to the end and he outlived everybody else who had been anywhere near at the time but they had not kept their collective mouths shut nor their pocket diaries unfullfilled.
Franklin - the villain of the piece - I will have to tell you more of this at some later date. It took me years, until like about 7 ago, there in Victoria, to find the last least piece of the puzzle. I grew up reading and hearing about American History, and big bits of it never made the least possible logical sense to me. At all.
Franklin (65-ish, Rep for Pennsylvania, mid-american "swing state".) Addams Senior (50 odd-ish, Massachusetts, Northern mercantile state. Future Pres. and father of a second.) and John Randolph (45-ish, from one of the Carolinas, deep south Agrarian, Read "slave" state.) hauled young Tom Jefferson - about age 24. - and his pencil case and looseleaf binder (a "writing slope". The circa 1700 – 1900 equivalent of a laptop.) hauled young Tom and Etc off to a Philadelphia (Franklin's 'home town') Tavern on the afternoons and early evenings of June 30th or 31st, July 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and sat him down with a pot or cannikin of small beer and told him to take copious notes whilst they drank wine and thrashed out - Addams Sr. was a practicing Attorney, Franklin a media baron and Randolph a plantation owner - the needs and means of their immediate regional sections against the immediate need to present a united front against their percieved common enemy, the Mother country, this place I was born in, and now live in, again. They say the third time's a charm...
He took notes. And on the night of July 3rd he wrote out a fair copy of the fruit of their ancient (160 yr's old, easily, between the 3 of them..) ruminations on the nature of both the State and Allegiances, and presented said fair copy to the delegates assembled (in Philadelphia, the next day) who had originally empaneled and charged the aforesaid Gang of Four, to draw up said document in accordance with their wishes. It was nothing like the single simple brainc***d of young Massa Tom as it is popularly presented and represented to be, in all the American history books. And who wrote in or scratched out, or caused to be wrote in or scratched out "All men are created equal" or something more or less similar, in about 3 different places, typos, on the original Document is an ongoing probably unsolvable mystery. Federalists and proto whigs and tories debate it endlesssly in the dark of night to this day, and paw through their copies of Franklin's Almanack and sundry other ancient bits of paper in search of the elusive Humanist. Franklin's my bet. Or Addams. Randolph or young massa Tom, no way. They both 'owned' people, "Men", at then current law there. As chattel property. Disposable assets.
6 years ago