Mr. Jefferson's Lost Cause : Land, Farmers, Slavery, and the Louisiana Purchase

Thomas Jefferson advocated a republic of small farmers--free and independent yeomen. And yet as president he presided over a massive expansion of the slaveholding plantation system--particularly with the Louisiana Purchase--squeezing the yeomanry to the fringes and to less desirable farmland. Now Roger Kennedy conducts an eye-opening examination of that gap between Jefferson's stated aspirations and what actually happened. Kennedy reveals how the Louisiana Purchase had a major impact on land use and the growth of slavery. He examines the great financial interests (such as the powerful land companies that speculated in new territories and the British textile interests) that beat down slavery's many opponents in the South itself (Native Americans, African Americans, Appalachian farmers, and conscientious opponents of slavery). He describes how slaveholders' cash crops (first tobacco, then cotton) sickened the soil and how the planters moved from one desolated tract to the next. Soon the dominant culture of the entire region--from Maryland to Florida, from Carolina to Texas--was that of owners and slaves producing staple crops for international markets. The earth itself was impoverished, in many places beyond redemption. None of this, Kennedy argues, was inevitable. He focuses on the character, ideas, and ambitions of Thomas Jefferson to show how he and other Southerners struggled with the moral dilemmas presented by the presence of Indian farmers on land they coveted, by the enslavement of their workforce, by the betrayal of their stated hopes, and by the manifest damage being done to the earth itself. Jefferson emerges as a tragic figure in a tragic period. Thomas Jefferson Advocated A Republic Of Small Farmers--free And Independent Yeomen. And Yet As President He Presided Over A Massive Expansion Of The Slaveholding Plantation System--particularly With The Louisiana Purchase--squeezing The Yeomanry To The Fringes And To Less Desirable Farmland. Now Roger Kennedy Conducts An Eye-opening Examination Of That Gap Between Jefferson's Stated Aspirations And What Actually Happened. Kennedy Reveals How The Louisiana Purchase Had A Major Impact On Land Use And The Growth Of Slavery. He Examines The Great Financial Interests That Beat Down Slavery's Many Opponents In The South Itself (native Americans, African Americans, Appalachian Farmers, And Conscientious Opponents Of Slavery). He Describes How Slaveholders' Cash Crops (first Tobacco, Then Cotton) Sickened The Soil And How The Planters Moved From One Desolated Tract To The Next. Soon The Dominant Culture Of The Entire Region--from Maryland To Florida, From Carolina To Texas--was That Of Owners And Slaves Producing Staple Crops For International Markets. The Earth Itself Was Impoverished, In Many Places Beyond Redemption. None Of This, Kennedy Argues, Was Inevitable. He Focuses On The Character, Ideas, And Ambitions Of Thomas Jefferson To Show How He And Other Southerners Struggled With The Moral Dilemmas Presented By The Presence Of Indian Farmers On Land They Coveted, By The Enslavement Of Their Workforce, By The Betrayal Of Their Stated Hopes, And By The Manifest Damage Being Done To The Earth Itself. The Land And Mr. Jefferson. Chapter 1. Choices And Consequences -- Rain In Virginia And Its Results -- Lessons For Yeomen -- Pasteur, Wilson, And The Three Sisters -- Yeomen, Planters, And The Land -- Cheap Land And Slave Labor -- Chapter 2. Washington, Jefferson, Three Worthies, And Plantation Migrancy -- Philosophers In The Parlor And Lessons On The Land -- Westward Sweeps The Course Of Desolation -- The Gospel Of Garland Harmon -- Chapter 3. The Way Not Taken -- The Makers Of A New Order -- Jefferson's Epitaph -- Disestablishing The Grandees -- The Brotherhood -- The Unpropitiated Son -- Monticello Again -- Jefferson And Democracy -- Jefferson And The Family Farmer -- Chapter 4. Independence -- A Dependent Arcadia -- The Virtues Of Diversification -- Commercial Squires And Ungovernable Governors -- Diversification, The Pursuit Of Happiness, And Cities -- Eastward Toward Civility -- The Thousand-foot Line -- Chapter 5. Powers Of The Earth -- Land Companies, Trading Companies, And Triassic Capitalism -- The Great Land Companies And Revolution -- Jefferson And Western Speculation -- Veterans' Benefits -- Armed Occupation -- Armed Occupation Marches On -- Chapter 6. Jefferson's Opportunities And The Land -- 1784 : The Second Opportunity : The Trans-appalachian West -- The Third Opportunity : The Lower Mississippi Valley -- Old Men's Dreams And The Memories Of The Land -- The Invisible Empire And The Land. Chapter 7. Colonial-imperialism -- Colonies And Empires -- From Round Table To Board Table -- Reinvesting The Loot -- Landed Gentry -- Chapter 8. Textile Colonial-imperialism -- India Is Conquered By The Mechanics -- Solving The Problem Of Supply -- The Americans Are Put On Notice -- Hamilton, Jefferson, And Tench Coxe Respond To William Pitt -- Jefferson And The Cotton Business -- Slaves As Cash Crop -- The Millers Send Out Their Salesmen -- Independence? -- The British And The Plantocracy. Resistance To The Plantation System. Chapter 9. Mcgillivray -- Mixed People And Mixed Motives -- Indian Statehood -- Mcgillivray's Nationality -- Mcgillivray And Washington -- Chapter 10. Resisters, Assisters, And Lost Causes -- Scots, Blacks, And Seminoles -- The Firm -- The Valences Shift -- William Augustus Bowles : The Second Act -- Bowles And Ellicott -- Execute Him On The Spot -- The Fox Is Run To Earth -- Chapter 11. The Firm Steps Forward -- Deerskins, Rum, And Land -- Indian Yeomen And Governor Sargent's Lost Cause -- Yankee Yeomen -- Chapter 12. Jeffersonian Strategy And Jeffersonian Agents -- Jefferson And Wilkinson -- Wilkinson's Clients -- The Firm Adapts And Collects -- Wilkinson, Forbes, And Dearborn -- Debt For Land -- The Accounts Of Silas Dinsmoor -- The Firm Wraps Things Up -- Andrew Jackson Takes Charge, With Some Help From Benjamin Hawkins -- Agents Of The Master Organism : Assistants To The Plantation System. Chapter 13. Fulwar Skipwith In Context --^ Skipwith The Jeffersonian -- Toussaint's Yeoman Republic -- The Career Of Fulwar Skipwith -- The Quasi War And Spoliation -- James Monroe's First Mission To France -- Skipwith, The Livingstons, And Louisiana Cotton -- The Chancellor, Indolent Maroons, And Thomas Sumter -- Mister Sumter Is Shocked -- The Third Article -- Skipwith And The Floridas -- Consul Skipwith Goes To Jail -- Chapter 14. Destiny By Intention -- The Adventures Of George Mathews -- War, Commerce, And Race -- Assisters And Resisters -- The Green Flag Of Florida -- Chapter 15. Louisiana And Another Class Of Virginians -- The Third Opportunity Reconsidered -- The Hillhouse Debates -- Chapter 16. The Virginians Of Louisiana Decide The Future Of The Land -- Out Of The Hills -- The Kemper Outrage -- 1809-1810 -- Skipwith And Randolph -- Complexities In Baton Rouge -- Skipwith At Bay -- Haiti Again -- Skipwith's Florida -- Epilogue. The Jeffersonian Legacy : The Civil War And The Homestead Act --^ Statesmanship And Self-deception -- Final Thoughts -- The Economics Of Land Use -- Appendix. Another Stream -- Jefferson, Madison, Adam Smith, And The Chesapeake Cities -- The Romans, Armed Occupation, And The Homestead Act -- Jefferson And The Ordinances Of 1784 And 1787-89 -- Debt And Land -- Jefferson's Doctrine Of Usufruct -- Tribes, Land, And Ireland -- Creeks, Seminoles, And Numbers -- The Livingstons And West Florida -- The Claiborne-clark Duel -- Fulwar Skipwith And Andrew Jackson. Roger G. Kennedy. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 312-335) And Index. Contents......Page 8 PART FOUR: Agents of the Master Organism: Assistants to the Plantation System......Page 188 Chronology......Page 14 PART ONE: The Land and Mr. Jefferson......Page 20 Choices and Consequences......Page 24 Rain in Virginia and Its Results......Page 26 Lessons for Yeomen......Page 27 Pasteur, Wilson, and the Three Sisters......Page 29 Yeomen, Planters, and the Land......Page 30 Cheap Land and Slave Labor......Page 33 Washington, Jefferson, Three Worthies, and Plantation Migrancy......Page 36 Philosophers in the Parlor and Lessons on the Land......Page 38 Westward Sweeps the Course of Desolation......Page 40 The Gospel of Garland Harmon......Page 42 The Way Not Taken......Page 45 The Makers of a New Order......Page 46 Jefferson’s Epitaph......Page 47 Disestablishing the Grandees......Page 49 The Brotherhood......Page 51 The Unpropitiated Son......Page 53 Monticello Again......Page 56 Jefferson and Democracy......Page 58 Jefferson and the Family Farmer......Page 60 Independence......Page 62 A Dependent Arcadia......Page 64 The Virtues of Diversification......Page 66 Commercial Squires and Ungovernable Governors......Page 69 Diversification, the Pursuit of Happiness, and Cities......Page 72 Eastward Toward Civility......Page 73 The Thousand-Foot Line......Page 74 Powers of the Earth......Page 79 Land Companies, Trading Companies, and Triassic Capitalism......Page 81 The Great Land Companies and Revolution......Page 84 Jefferson and Western Speculation......Page 85 Veterans’ Benefits......Page 87 Armed Occupation......Page 88 Armed Occupation Marches On......Page 91 Jefferson’s Opportunities and the Land......Page 92 1784—The Second Opportunity—The Trans-Appalachian West......Page 94 The Third Opportunity—The Lower Mississippi Valley......Page 97 Old Men’s Dreams and the Memories of the Land......Page 101 PART TWO: The Invisible Empire and the Land......Page 104 Colonial-Imperialism......Page 106 Colonies and Empires......Page 108 From Round Table to Board Table......Page 110 Reinvesting the Loot......Page 112 Landed Gentry......Page 113 Textile Colonial-Imperialism......Page 116 India Is Conquered by the Mechanics......Page 117 Solving the Problem of Supply......Page 119 The Americans Are Put on Notice......Page 121 Hamilton, Jefferson, and Tench Coxe Respond to William Pitt......Page 123 Jefferson and the Cotton Business......Page 125 Slaves as Cash Crop......Page 126 The Millers Send Out Their Salesmen......Page 128 Independence?......Page 130 The British and the Plantocracy......Page 132 PART THREE: Resistance to the Plantation System......Page 134 McGillivray......Page 138 Mixed People and Mixed Motives......Page 140 Indian Statehood......Page 142 McGillivray’s Nationality......Page 144 McGillivray and Washington......Page 146 Resisters, Assisters, and Lost Causes......Page 148 Scots, Blacks, and Seminoles......Page 149 The Firm......Page 150 The Valences Shift......Page 155 William Augustus Bowles—The Second Act......Page 156 Bowles and Ellicott......Page 158 “Execute Him on the Spot”......Page 160 The Fox Is Run to Earth......Page 161 Deerskins, Rum, and Land......Page 163 Indian Yeomen and Governor Sargent’s Lost Cause......Page 166 Yankee Yeomen......Page 168 Jeffersonian Strategy and Jeffersonian Agents......Page 171 Jefferson and Wilkinson......Page 173 Wilkinson’s Clients......Page 175 The Firm Adapts and Collects......Page 176 Wilkinson, Forbes, and Dearborn......Page 179 Debt for Land......Page 180 The Accounts of Silas Dinsmoor......Page 182 The Firm Wraps Things Up......Page 183 Andrew Jackson Takes Charge, with Some Help from Benjamin Hawkins......Page 185 Fulwar Skipwith in Context......Page 192 Skipwith the Jeffersonian......Page 194 Toussaint’s Yeoman Republic......Page 195 The Career of Fulwar Skipwith......Page 197 The Quasi War and Spoliation......Page 199 James Monroe’s First Mission to France......Page 200 Skipwith, the Livingstons, and Louisiana Cotton......Page 202 The Chancellor, Indolent Maroons, and Thomas Sumter......Page 205 Mister Sumter Is Shocked......Page 206 The Third Article......Page 207 Skipwith and the Floridas......Page 208 Consul Skipwith Goes to Jail......Page 211 Destiny by Intention......Page 212 The Adventures of George Mathews......Page 214 War, Commerce, and Race......Page 216 Assisters and Resisters......Page 218 The Green Flag of Florida......Page 220 The Third Opportunity Reconsidered......Page 224 The Hillhouse Debates......Page 229 Out of the Hills......Page 236 The Kemper Outrage......Page 240 1809–1810......Page 241 Skipwith and Randolph......Page 243 Complexities in Baton Rouge......Page 245 Skipwith at Bay......Page 247 Haiti Again......Page 248 Skipwith’s Florida......Page 251 The Jeffersonian Legacy: The Civil War and the Homestead Act......Page 254 Statesmanship and Self-Deception......Page 255 Final Thoughts......Page 258 The Economics of Land Use......Page 261 Jefferson, Madison, Adam Smith, and the Chesapeake Cities......Page 264 The Romans, Armed Occupation, and the Homestead Act......Page 267 Jefferson and the Ordinances of 1784 and 1787–89......Page 268 Debt and Land......Page 270 Jefferson’s Doctrine of Usufruct......Page 271 Creeks, Seminoles, and Numbers......Page 274 The Livingstons and West Florida......Page 276 The Claiborne-Clark Duel......Page 277 Fulwar Skipwith and Andrew Jackson......Page 279 Notes......Page 281 Bibliographic Note......Page 326 Bibliography......Page 331 B......Page 355 C......Page 356 E......Page 358 F......Page 359 I......Page 360 L......Page 361 M......Page 362 O......Page 364 P......Page 365 S......Page 366 T......Page 367 W......Page 368 Z......Page 369 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 188 Chronology 14 PART ONE: The Land and Mr. Jefferson 20 CHAPTER 1 24 Choices and Consequences 24 Rain in Virginia and Its Results 26 Lessons for Yeomen 27 Pasteur, Wilson, and the Three Sisters 29 Yeomen, Planters, and the Land 30 Cheap Land and Slave Labor 33 CHAPTER 2 36 Washington, Jefferson, Three Worthies, and Plantation Migrancy 36 Philosophers in the Parlor and Lessons on the Land 38 Westward Sweeps the Course of Desolation 40 The Gospel of Garland Harmon 42 CHAPTER 3 45 The Way Not Taken 45 The Makers of a New Order 46 Jefferson’s Epitaph 47 Disestablishing the Grandees 49 The Brotherhood 51 The Unpropitiated Son 53 Monticello Again 56 Jefferson and Democracy 58 Jefferson and the Family Farmer 60 CHAPTER 4 62 Independence 62 A Dependent Arcadia 64 The Virtues of Diversification 66 Commercial Squires and Ungovernable Governors 69 Diversification, the Pursuit of Happiness, and Cities 72 Eastward Toward Civility 73 The Thousand-Foot Line 74 CHAPTER 5 79 Powers of the Earth 79 Land Companies, Trading Companies, and Triassic Capitalism 81 The Great Land Companies and Revolution 84 Jefferson and Western Speculation 85 Veterans’ Benefits 87 Armed Occupation 88 Armed Occupation Marches On 91 CHAPTER 6 92 Jefferson’s Opportunities and the Land 92 1784—The Second Opportunity—The Trans-Appalachian West 94 The Third Opportunity—The Lower Mississippi Valley 97 Old Men’s Dreams and the Memories of the Land 101 PART TWO: The Invisible Empire and the Land 104 CHAPTER 7 106 Colonial-Imperialism 106 Colonies and Empires 108 From Round Table to Board Table 110 Reinvesting the Loot 112 Landed Gentry 113 CHAPTER 8 116 Textile Colonial-Imperialism 116 India Is Conquered by the Mechanics 117 Solving the Problem of Supply 119 The Americans Are Put on Notice 121 Hamilton, Jefferson, and Tench Coxe Respond to William Pitt 123 Jefferson and the Cotton Business 125 Slaves as Cash Crop 126 The Millers Send Out Their Salesmen 128 Independence? 130 The British and the Plantocracy 132 PART THREE: Resistance to the Plantation System 134 CHAPTER 9 138 McGillivray 138 Mixed People and Mixed Motives 140 Indian Statehood 142 McGillivray’s Nationality 144 McGillivray and Washington 146 CHAPTER 10 148 Resisters, Assisters, and Lost Causes 148 Scots, Blacks, and Seminoles 149 The Firm 150 The Valences Shift 155 William Augustus Bowles—The Second Act 156 Bowles and Ellicott 158 “Execute Him on the Spot” 160 The Fox Is Run to Earth 161 CHAPTER 11 163 The Firm Steps Forward 163 Deerskins, Rum, and Land 163 Indian Yeomen and Governor Sargent’s Lost Cause 166 Yankee Yeomen 168 CHAPTER 12 171 Jeffersonian Strategy and Jeffersonian Agents 171 Jefferson and Wilkinson 173 Wilkinson’s Clients 175 The Firm Adapts and Collects 176 Wilkinson, Forbes, and Dearborn 179 Debt for Land 180 The Accounts of Silas Dinsmoor 182 The Firm Wraps Things Up 183 Andrew Jackson Takes Charge, with Some Help from Benjamin Hawkins 185 PART FOUR: Agents of the Master Organism: Assistants to the Plantation System 188 CHAPTER 13 192 Fulwar Skipwith in Context 192 Skipwith the Jeffersonian 194 Toussaint’s Yeoman Republic 195 The Career of Fulwar Skipwith 197 The Quasi War and Spoliation 199 James Monroe’s First Mission to France 200 Skipwith, the Livingstons, and Louisiana Cotton 202 The Chancellor, Indolent Maroons, and Thomas Sumter 205 Mister Sumter Is Shocked 206 The Third Article 207 Skipwith and the Floridas 208 Consul Skipwith Goes to Jail 211 CHAPTER 14 212 Destiny by Intention 212 The Adventures of George Mathews 214 War, Commerce, and Race 216 Assisters and Resisters 218 The Green Flag of Florida 220 CHAPTER 15 224 The Third Opportunity Reconsidered 224 The Hillhouse Debates 229 CHAPTER 16 The Virginians of Louisiana Decide the Future of the Land 236 Out of the Hills 236 The Kemper Outrage 240 1809–1810 241 Skipwith and Randolph 243 Complexities in Baton Rouge 245 Skipwith at Bay 247 Haiti Again 248 Skipwith’s Florida 251 EPILOGUE 254 The Jeffersonian Legacy: The Civil War and the Homestead Act 254 Statesmanship and Self-Deception 255 Final Thoughts 258 The Economics of Land Use 261 APPENDIX 264 Another Stream 264 Jefferson, Madison, Adam Smith, and the Chesapeake Cities 264 The Romans, Armed Occupation, and the Homestead Act 267 Jefferson and the Ordinances of 1784 and 1787–89 268 Debt and Land 270 Jefferson’s Doctrine of Usufruct 271 Tribes, Land, and Ireland 274 Creeks, Seminoles, and Numbers 274 The Livingstons and West Florida 276 The Claiborne-Clark Duel 277 Fulwar Skipwith and Andrew Jackson 279 Notes 281 Bibliographic Note 326 Bibliography 331 Index 355 A 355 B 355 C 356 D 358 E 358 F 359 G 360 H 360 I 360 J 361 K 361 L 361 M 362 N 364 O 364 P 365 Q 366 R 366 S 366 T 367 U 368 V 368 W 368 X 369 Y 369 Z 369 Part one : The land and Mr. Jefferson. Chapter 1. Choices and consequences Rain in Virginia and its results Lessons for yeomen Pasteur, Wilson, and the three sisters Yeomen, planters, and the land Cheap land and slave labor Chapter 2. Washington, Jefferson, three worthies, and plantation migrancy Philosophers in the parlor and lessons on the land Westward sweeps the course of desolation The gospel of Garland Harmon Chapter 3. The way not taken The makers of a new order Jefferson's epitaph Disestablishing the grandees The brotherhood The unpropitiated son Monticello again Jefferson and democracy Jefferson and the family farmer Chapter 4. Independence A dependent arcadia The virtues of diversification Commercial squires and ungovernable governors Diversification, the pursuit of happiness, and cities Eastward toward civility The thousand-foot line Chapter 5. Powers of the earth Land companies, trading companies, and triassic capitalism The great land companies and revolution Jefferson and western speculation Veterans' benefits Armed occupation Armed occupation marches on Chapter 6. Jefferson's opportunities and the land 1784 : the second opportunity : the trans-Appalachian West The third opportunity : the lower Mississippi Valley Old men's dreams and the memories of the land Part two : The invisible empire and the land. Chapter 7. Colonial-imperialism Colonies and empires From round table to board table Reinvesting the loot Landed gentry Chapter 8. Textile colonial-imperialism India is conquered by the mechanics Solving the problem of supply The Americans are put on notice Hamilton, Jefferson, and Tench Coxe respond to William Pitt Jefferson and the cotton business Slaves as cash crop The millers send out their salesmen Independence? The British and the plantocracy Part three : Resistance to the plantation system. Chapter 9. McGillivray Mixed people and mixed motives Indian statehood McGillivray's nationality McGillivray and Washington Chapter 10. Resisters, assisters, and lost causes Scots, Blacks, and Seminoles The firm The valences shift William Augustus Bowles : the second act Bowles and Ellicott "Execute him on the spot" The fox is run to earth Chapter 11. The firm steps forward Deerskins, rum, and land Indian yeomen and Governor Sargent's lost cause Yankee yeomen Chapter 12. Jeffersonian strategy and Jeffersonian agents Jefferson and Wilkinson Wilkinson's clients The firm adapts and collects Wilkinson, Forbes, and Dearborn Debt for land The accounts of Silas Dinsmoor The firm wraps things up Andrew Jackson takes charge, with some help from Benjamin Hawkins Part four : Agents of the master organism : assistants to the plantation system. Chapter 13. Fulwar Skipwith in context Skipwith the Jeffersonian Toussaint's yeoman republic The career of Fulwar Skipwith The quasi war and spoliation James Monroe's first mission to France Skipwith, the Livingstons, and Louisiana cotton The chancellor, indolent maroons, and Thomas Sumter Mister Sumter is shocked The third article Skipwith and the Floridas Consul Skipwith goes to jail Chapter 14. Destiny by intention The adventures of George Mathews War, commerce, and race Assisters and resisters The green flag of Florida Chapter 15. Louisiana and another class of Virginians The third opportunity reconsidered The Hillhouse debates Chapter 16. The Virginians of Louisiana decide the future of the land Out of the hills The Kemper outrage 1809-1810 Skipwith and Randolph Complexities in Baton Rouge Skipwith at bay Haiti again Skipwith's Florida Epilogue. The Jeffersonian legacy : the Civil War and the Homestead Act Statesmanship and self-deception Final thoughts The economics of land use Appendix. Another stream Jefferson, Madison, Adam Smith, and the Chesapeake cities The Romans, armed occupation, and the Homestead Act Jefferson and the Ordinances of 1784 and 1787-89 Debt and land Jefferson's Doctrine of usufruct Tribes, land, and Ireland Creeks, Seminoles, and numbers The Livingstons and West Florida The Claiborne-Clark duel Fulwar Skipwith and Andrew Jackson Thomas Jefferson Advocated A Republic Of Small Farmers--free And Independent Yeomen. And Yet As President He Presided Over A Massive Expansion Of The Slaveholding Plantation System, Particularly With The Louisiana Purchase, Squeezing The Yeomanry To The Fringes And To Less Desirable Farmland. Now Roger G. Kennedy Conducts An Eye-opening Examination Of The Gap Between Jefferson's Stated Aspirations And What Actually Happened. Kennedy Reveals How The Louisiana Purchase Had A Major Impact On Land Use And The Growth Of Slavery. He Examines The Great Financial Interests (such As The Powerful Land Companies That Speculated In New Territories And The British Textile Interests) That Beat Down Slavery's Many Opponents In The South Itself (native Americans, African Americans, Appalachian Farmers, And Conscientious Opponents Of Slavery). He Describes How Slaveholders' Cash Crops--first Tobacco, Then Cotton--sickened The Soil And How The Planters Moved From One Desolated Tract To The Next. Soon The Dominant Culture Of The Entire Region--from Maryland To Florida, From Carolina To Texas--was That Of Owners And Slaves Producing Staple Crops For International Markets. The Earth Itself Was Impoverished, In Many Places Beyond Redemption. None Of This, Kennedy Argues, Was Inevitable. He Focuses On The Character, Ideas, And Ambitions Of Thomas Jefferson To Show How He And Other Southerners Struggled With The Moral Dilemmas Presented By The Presence Of Indian Farmers On Land They Coveted, By The Enslavement Of Their Workforce, By The Betrayal Of Their Stated Hopes, And By The Manifest Damage Being Done To The Earth Itself. Jefferson Emerges As A Tragic Figure In A Tragic Period. Mr. Jefferson's Lost Cause Was A Choice Outstanding Academic Title For 2003. Thomas Jefferson advocated a republic of small farmers -- free and independent yeomen. And yet as president he presided over a massive expansion of the slaveholding plantation system -- particularly with the Louisiana Purchase -- squeezing the yeomanry to the fringes and to less desirable farmland. Now Roger G. Kennedy conducts an eye-opening examination of that gap between Jefferson's stated aspirations and what actually happened. Kennedy reveals how the Louisiana Purchase had a major impact on land use and the growth of slavery. He examines the great financial interests (such as the powerful land companies that speculated in new territories and the British textile interests) that carried the day against slavery's many opponents in the South itself (Native Americans, African Americans, Appalachian farmers, and conscientious opponents of slavery). He describes how slaveholders' cash crops (first tobacco, then cotton) sickened the soil and how the planters moved from one desolated tract to the next. Soon the dominant culture of the entire region -- from Maryland to Florida, from Carolina to Texas -- was that of owners and slaves producing staple crops for international markets. The earth itself was impoverished, in many places beyond redemption. None of this, Kennedy argues, was inevitable. He focuses on the character, ideas, and ambitions of Thomas Jefferson to show how he and other Southerners struggled with the moral dilemmas presented by the presence of Indian farmers on land they coveted, by the enslavement of their workforce, by the betrayal of their stated hopes, and by the manifest damage being done to the earth itself. - Jacket flap.