The article “Thomas Jefferson and The French Revolution” by Andrews Stuart provides the chronological events leading to the French Revolution. Stuart examines Jefferson’s first-hand account recorded during his state visit to France and provides an understanding of his role in the events. To understand Jefferson’s role in the French Revolution, it is vital to examine Stuart’s article that contains the purpose of Jefferson’s visit, the debates, conferences, and violence.
The presence of the US minister Thomas Jefferson in Paris in 1789 is a tremendous, yet least noticeable, historical coincidence. Jefferson, the draughtsman of the Declaration of the American Independence, sympathetically witnessed the first phase of the Revolution in Paris (Stuart 1). He used a few pages of his biography to report the events from 1788 to 1789 (Stuart 1). He also wrote letters to his close people like Madam de Tesse from March 1787. Jefferson’s autobiography was committed to a paper in 1821(Stuart 1). He was old, and no eyewitnesses could be located to confirm his account of the events. Nevertheless, all other reports agree with Jefferson’s account, making it more valid than the other political memoirs.
Jefferson has gone to France as the Plenipotentiary minister of the American Republic to negotiate business agreements with the French government. He was helped by Marquis de Fayette, who showed enthusiasm for the welfare of the two nations. By the summer of 1785, Jefferson began sending letters to the US, describing the dire political conditions of France (Stuart 2). He reported issues like the vast economic inequalities, the high price of bread, and the immorality of the clergy.
In October 1785, Jefferson wrote to Bishop Madison, informing him of suggesting a graduated income system where low earners are exempted from taxation while high earners pay more taxes (Stuart 3). He describes the poor living conditions during winter, where labourers could not work because of the suspension of outdoor labour, rendering them poor without food or fuel. The government lit fires on the streets where people would come in large numbers to stay warm. The scarcity of bread saw the US merchants exporting vast amounts of grain and flour to France in 1789, paid at a premium price (Stuart 3).
Jefferson reported that the high prices of bread were the first issue included in the business negotiations. He had to go to Versailles from Paris to attend the debates (Stuart 4). He describes the debate where the Commons were temperate, firm, and rational. On the other hand, the Noble were tempestuous and impassionate.
Jefferson urged his friend, Lafayette, to fight for his nation. Lafayette had fought under Washington and was supported by the Third Estate. Jefferson gave Lafayette the “Charter of Rights,” which the king wanted to promulgate (Stuart 5). The document indicated that the States General would make laws with the consent of the king. Also, the document declared the freedom of the press and punishment for fake news.
Moreover, it declared the honouring of the debts of the king. Jefferson supported Lafayette because he had been in America, where similar events were observed before the independence. Jefferson sent Lafayette’s “Declaration of Rights” to James Madison for support (Stuart 6).
The evidence pointing to Jefferson’s contribution to the “Declaration of Rights” is not found (Stuart 7). Stuart assumes that because Jefferson’s comments were invited during their meetings, he may have added a few ideas to the document. Jefferson turned down an invitation by the chairman of the committee that was designated to draft the constitution, stating that his invitation was for his country’s sake and did not allow him to interfere with the internal affairs of France. However, when asked by Lafayette to bring eight national assembly members to dinner, he accepted the offer for the sake of liberty.
The patriots gave the king a suspension veto, giving citizens choose a single legislature. The chosen legislature was to decide the fate of the constitution, minimizing the Aristocracy. Jefferson offered his house for conferences of the opposers of the Aristocracy (Stuart 8). He believed that such conferences and the wrath of the mob in Paris would lead to the French Revolution. He observed the fury of the mob attacking security officers, causing them to retaliate.
The following day, Jefferson witnessed the mob’s activities in St. Lazare Prison and Bastille. The violence did not dismay Jefferson but surprised him. He believed the crisis would end soon. He commended the National Assembly for their coolness in the negotiations but also noted their lack of wisdom to avoid disaster. After the dreadful events of 1789 were finished, Jefferson wrote a letter to Tom Paine, describing that peace had returned to Paris (Stuart 9). Two weeks later, Jefferson returned to the US after convincing the French government that the high price of bread issue would be solved by importing salted goods from the US. Therefore, he missed the worst of the French Revolution that was to come. Also, he did not witness the march of women to Versailles. He still maintained communications with his friend Lafayette and kept receiving news through letters, slow but detailed.
William Short, the American in charge of American affairs in Paris, wrote letters to Jay and Jefferson. In May 1790, he reported the riots and bloodshed between protestant and Catholic religious members. In September 1790, Short assured Jefferson of the freedom of the media(Stuart 10). Even though Short was displeased by the extremities of the revolutionists, Jefferson wrote to him describing the revolution as a necessity.
Jefferson explained that liberty has not been achieved anywhere without shedding blood, including innocent blood. These words seemed to foreshadow the crisis that was yet to face France. He was dissatisfied with the careless rule of Robespierre and the unprincipled rule of Bonaparte (Stuart 11). He regarded Bonaparte as the betrayer of the French Revolution. After the defeat of Bonaparte, Jefferson wrote to Albert Gallatin, explaining how the rule of Bonaparte left the country exhausted.
Conclusion
Jefferson played an important role in recording his account of the initial phase of the French Revolution. As a US minister to France, he was in France when the events leading to the revolution began. Jefferson was a great supporter of the revolution. He developed a friendship with Lafayette, a revolutionist, and urged him to fight for his nation’s independence. He even offered his residency to be used in planning the revolution. However, he disapproved of the rule of Bonaparte, which left France exhausted.
Works Cited
Andrews, Stuart. “Thomas Jefferson and The French Revolution.” History Today 18.5
(1968): 299-306. America: History and Life with Full Text. Web. 2023.
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