I just finished reading John Ferling's Adams vs. Jefferson - The Tumultuous Election of 1800
For those who are unfamiliar with this election, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received the same number of electoral votes, so the winner was to be picked in the House of Representatives.
I found the heroic action of one Jeffersonian House member to be quite inspiring:
At least one congressman had gone to considerable pains to be in attendance. Joseph Nicholson, a thirty-year-old Maryland representative who was seriously ill, knew that his attendance would be crucial...Nicholson arranged to have friends carry him on a stretcher through the swirling snow from his residence two miles away. His wife accompanied him and remained at his side as he lay on a pallet in an anteroom. With each vote, Nicholson scribbled "Jefferson" on his ballot, and his wife carried it to Speaker Sedgwick for tabulation.
The above reminded me of modern day grassroots efforts for Ron Paul in snowy New Hampshire.
There are
many parallels between what Jefferson called
"the revolution of 1800" and today's Ron Paul rEVOLution. John Ferling does a great job in explaining the events and conflicting philosophies of 1800. Those same philosophies are still going head-to-head today. I recommend his book.
Posted
Jan 21 2008, 09:58 AM
by
ChrisR