Jefferson’s Policies

Jeffersonian Republicans were strict constructionists in aspects of Jefferson dismantling the Navy and placing limitations on the military, Jefferson also upheld to Washington's two term policy of presidency, Madison's vetoing of the of the Internal Improvement Bill in 1817 shows he thought internal improvements by the federal government was against the Constitution. The buying of the Louisiana Purchase by Jefferson shows a loose constructionist view because he bought it without the Senate's approval. The Federalist party showed a strict constuctionist view when they required Congress to have two-thirds in order to pass things such as admissions of states and declarations of war. Hamilton's economic program was kept by Jefferson which gave the federal government the right to tax which is a loose view. The embargo shows Jefferson's loose view, too. in one of the documents Jefferson states that he feels the government needs to be flexible and change with the times. John Marshall supported the Elastic Clause which was definately a loose constructionist view because it allowed a flexible interpretation of the Constitution. In all, both parties showed loose and strict views in regards to the Constitution.

Jefferson opposed the Federalist interpretation with respect to the Alien

and Sedition Laws, the National Bank, and the interpretation of the

General Welfare Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause of the

Constitution. Opposed to him during his and Madison's administrations

were the Federalists, especially in the person of Chief Justice Marshall,

whose interpretation of the Federal Constitution was much broader.

Jefferson was also opposed to Judicial Review as we know it. He

believed that each department of government should interpret the

Constitution for itself, even if these interpretations did not agree with one

another.

Strict Constructionists generally believed that the federal government should be very limited in its scope. It should never do anything that was not explicitly stated as one of its powers. Presidents Jefferson and Madison are often viewed as violating their own ideals by doing things like the Louisiana Purchase or rechartering the Bank of the US.

But by and large, the Democratic Republicans resisted moving into new areas. They objected to infrastructure projects like building roads and canals. They kept the military very small, too small so that when the War of 1812 occurred they were very under-supported. They generally kept the size of government small.

During the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison, the characterization of the two parties, to an extent, was said to be accurate. The Jeffersonian Republicans were usually characterized