For each event in Jefferson’s presidency, determine if he stuck to his own Jeffersonian principles and why/why not. Then, assign him a grade (A-F or numerical) in his overall actions, taking into account context, motive, significance, outcome, etc.
Jefferson & the Supreme Court
One of Jefferson’s first goals as president was to weaken Federalist control of the federal judiciary.On the eve of leaving office, Adams signed the Judiciary Act, which created 16 new federal judgeships, positions which President Adams promptly filled with Federalists. Jefferson's supporters in Congress repealed the Judiciary Act, and Jefferson instructed his Secretary of State James Madison not to issue commissions (the official documents entitling them to assume their posts) to these “midnight judges.”
Four, including William Marbury, filed suit in the Supreme Court, asking the court to order Jefferson to give them their commissions. At the time, the Supreme Court lacked respect or prestige. The Constitution had not delegated many powers or specific responsibilities to the court and was largely seen as insignificant, something Democratic-Republicans in particular liked—a powerful national judiciary could be one more way the federal government could infringe upon rights.
Chief Justice John Marshall saw an opportunity to define and broaden the court’s power and prestige while also avoiding direct conflict with the Jefferson administration. In the now famous Marbury v Madison decision, Marshall declared the section of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that allowed the courts to order executive officials to deliver judges’ commissions unconstitutional, claiming it exceeded the power of Congress as outlined in the Constitution. Marbury, in other words, may have been entitled to his commission, but the Court had no power under the Constitution to order Madison or the Jefferson administration to deliver it. So, overall, the Jefferson administration got its way. However, the case had other implications and unintended consequences for Jefferson and the federal government. When Jefferson wrote the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions in 1798, he argued that the states had the power to determine whether federal laws were constitutional. According to the Marbury v Madison decision, the Supreme Court, not the states, had the ultimate power to determine whether an act of Congress violates the Constitution—a power known as “judicial review.” The Supreme Court now had the final say on what was constitutional and what was not.
Years later, in 1808, the court would again flex its federal muscle. Jefferson had enacted an embargo (a ban on trade with certain countries) in an attempt to punish Britain for violating US neutrality. When the federal government tried to detain a ship for violating the embargo, the Supreme Court ruled in Gilchrist v. Collector of Charleston that federal officers could not restrain or restrict commerce at the request or order of the president because it was an “encroachment upon individual liberty.
“It is emphatically the duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is.”
—John Marshall
“Certainly there is not a word in the constitution which has given that power to decide on the constitutionality of a law to [the Judiciary] more than to the Executive or Legislative branches.”
—Thomas Jefferson
Jeffersonian? Why or why not? (use evidence)
Give the man a grade! And explain
Jefferson's actions and the outcome of the events regarding the Supreme Court show that he did not fully stick to his own Jeffersonian principles. Jefferson wanted to weaken Federalist control of the federal judiciary, and he tried to prevent the appointment of Federalist judges by not issuing their commissions. However, Chief Justice John Marshall's decision in Marbury v Madison ultimately strengthened the power and prestige of the Supreme Court, which was against Jefferson's preference for a weak national judiciary.
Furthermore, the decision established the principle of judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the final say on the constitutionality of laws, rather than the states having that power. This went against Jefferson's belief that the states should have the ultimate authority to determine the constitutionality of federal laws.
In the Gilchrist v. Collector of Charleston case, the Supreme Court again asserted its power by ruling that federal officers could not restrict commerce at the request or order of the president. This decision further demonstrated the court's willingness to limit the power of the executive branch, which was not in line with Jefferson's intention to have a strong executive authority.
Overall, considering Jefferson's goals and his deviation from his own principles, a grade of C would be appropriate for his actions regarding the Supreme Court. While he initially attempted to weaken Federalist control, the outcome and implications of the Supreme Court decisions went against his preference for a weak national judiciary and limited executive power.
In evaluating Jefferson's actions in relation to the Supreme Court, we can assess whether he adhered to his Jeffersonian principles by analyzing his goals, actions, and outcomes.
One of Jefferson's goals was to weaken Federalist control of the federal judiciary. This aligns with his belief in limited federal power and the need for states' rights. Adams, on the eve of leaving office, appointed Federalist judges through the Judiciary Act. Jefferson's supporters in Congress repealed this act, displaying Jefferson's efforts to diminish Federalist influence.
Jefferson's instruction to his Secretary of State James Madison not to issue commissions to the "midnight judges" further demonstrates his determination to reshape the judiciary with his own appointments. However, four of these judges, including William Marbury, filed a lawsuit seeking their commissions, which ultimately led to the landmark Marbury v Madison case.
In the Marbury v Madison decision, Chief Justice John Marshall used the opportunity to define the power of the Supreme Court and establish the principle of judicial review. This ruling asserted that the Court, rather than the states, held the ultimate authority to determine the constitutionality of laws. While the Jefferson administration achieved its goal of preventing the appointment of the Federalist judges, the unintended consequence was the consolidation of power in the hands of the Supreme Court.
Considering these events, it can be argued that Jefferson did not fully adhere to his Jeffersonian principles. While he sought to weaken Federalist control, the outcome of the Marbury v Madison case expanded the power of the Supreme Court, potentially infringing on states' rights. This contradicted Jefferson's earlier stance expressed in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, where he argued for state determination of constitutional validity.
Based on the context, motive, significance, and outcome of Jefferson's actions, I would assign him a grade of B. Although he achieved his immediate goal of preventing the appointment of Federalist judges, the unintended consequences of the Marbury v Madison decision had long-lasting effects on the balance of power in the federal government. Jefferson's actions can be seen as a mixed result in terms of staying true to his Jeffersonian principles.
In the case of Jefferson and the Supreme Court, he did not fully stick to his own Jeffersonian principles. This can be seen in his actions against the Federalist control of the federal judiciary. Jefferson's goal was to weaken their influence, so he supported the repeal of the Judiciary Act, which would have removed the power of Adams' appointed Federalist judges. Additionally, he instructed James Madison not to issue commissions to the "midnight judges" appointed by Adams.
However, the Supreme Court, under Chief Justice John Marshall, decided the case of Marbury v Madison in a way that expanded the Court's power and established the principle of judicial review. Jefferson had argued in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions that the states should have the power to determine the constitutionality of federal laws, but this decision gave the Supreme Court the ultimate authority to make that determination.
While Jefferson's administration did get its way in terms of preventing the Federalist-appointed judges from taking office, the long-term consequences of the decision went against his principle of limiting federal power and giving more authority to the states.
Considering the context, motive, significance, outcome, and deviation from Jeffersonian principles, I would assign Jefferson a grade of C for his overall actions regarding the Supreme Court. While he initially took steps to weaken Federalist control, he did not anticipate or support the expansion of the Court's power through the Marbury v Madison decision. This decision had significant implications for the balance of power between the federal government and the states, going against Jefferson's desire for limited federal authority.