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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC00639.14 |
| From Archive Folder | Documents Relating to 1822 |
| Title | Thomas Jefferson to Samuel McKay regarding the two-party system |
| Date | 5 September 1822 |
| Author | Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) |
| Recipient | Mckay, Samuel |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Opines that two parties are essential to a functioning democracy. McKay was a farmer and local political leader in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The Fourth of July oration was entitled "An Address," delivered at the Request of the Republican Committee of Arrangements, at Pittsfield, on the Anniversary of American Independence, July 4, 1822. Someone has altered Jefferson's capitalization, inserted 18 before 22 in the date, added underscoring, and quotation marks, possibly for publication. |
| Subjects | President Government and Civics Politics Fourth of July |
| People | Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) |
| Place written | Monticello, Virginia |
| Theme | The Presidency; Government & Politics |
| Sub-collection | The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859 |
| Additional Information | Following the War of 1812, American politics was still dominated by deference. Voters generally deferred to the leadership of local elites or leading families. Political campaigns tended to be relatively staid affairs. Direct appeals by candidates for support were considered in poor taste. By later standards, election procedures were undemocratic. Most states imposed property and taxpaying requirements on the white adult males who alone had the vote. Voting was conducted by voice. Presidential electors were generally chosen by state legislatures. Given the fact that citizens had only the most indirect say in the election of a President, it is not surprising that voting participation was generally low, amounting to less than 30 percent of adult white males. A major reason for the expanding electorate was the replacement of the politics of deference and leadership by elites with a new two-party system. By the mid-1830s, two national political parties with marked philosophical differences, strong organizations, and wide popular appeal competed in virtually every state. Professional party managers used partisan newspapers, speeches, parades, and rallies to mobilize popular support. By 1840, voting participation had reached unprecedented levels. Nearly 80 percent of adult white males went to the polls. In 1789, Jefferson had declared, "If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." In the following letter, he reverses his early opposition to parties and argues that two political parties are essential to a functioning democracy. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859 |
| Transcript | Show/hide |