John Chester Miller

Surveys the life of the American statesman, lawmaker, writer of the Federalist Papers, and first secretary of treasury under George Washington.

This book covers the years 1798-1800 when the Federalists had become the party of extreme conservatism and were taking advantage of our undeclared war with France to brand the Jeffersonian Republicans as "pro-French traitors." Under cover of a war-emergency program, they attempted to proscribe their political enemies as enemies of the country. The fruits of this hysteria were the Alien and Sedition Laws which the Federalists rammed through Congress and which John Adams signed, forgetting his earlier pronouncements on the virtues of Constitutional liberties.

In this definitive collection, the writings of Herbert J. Storing have been assembled into six categories: the Founding Fathers and their legacy; race relations in America; rights and the public interest; bureaucracy and big government; statesmanship and the presidency; and liberal education. With profound understanding and incisive prose, Herbert J. Storing elucidates the nature and enduring importance of America's deepest political principles. His work is presented here with the thoughtful care and organization of one of his students - Joseph M. Bessette.

William Bradford -- Captain John Smith -- Thomas Morton -- John and Margaret Winthrop -- Gottfried Mittelberger -- Pirates in Plymouth -- Cotton Mather -- Samuel Sewall: Courtship -- William Byrd: Marriage -- Benjamin Franklin: On Taking a Mistress -- Roger Williams: Religious Tolerance -- Nathaniel War: In Defence of Intolerance -- Increase Mather: Witchcraft in Salem -- Samuel Sewall: Witchcraft in Salem -- Cotton Mather: The Devil in the Shape of a Woman -- Jonathan Edwards: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God -- The Pequot War -- Indian Customs and Manners -- Mrs Mary RAowlandson: Captured by Indians -- Anne Bradstreet -- Michael wigglesworthh -- Edward Taylor -- Anonymous: Bacon's Epitapph -- Ebenezer Cook -- Benjamin Franklin -- Dr. Alexander Hamilton: Interarium -- Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography -- John Woolman: Journal -- Michel-Guillaume Jean de Crevecoeur.

Examines Thomas Jefferson's attitudes toward slavery--how they affected and were affected by the political and social climate of the times and how they meshed with his general views on agrarianism, property rights, the character of American democracy, etc.