And we are back live here on American History tv on cspan3 today. We are coming to you from Colonial Williamsburg throughout the day, getting your questions and commentary about what life was like for those in the Virginia Colony in the 1770s. And joining us aboard our cspan bus today is president Thomas Jefferson, being played by bill barker who has been portraying Thomas Jefferson for 22 years at Colonial Williamsburg. Hes in character today and well be taking questions as Thomas Jefferson reflecting back on his life. So mr. President , if i can begin there, what brought you to williamsburg . Education. The greatest legacy that i could have ever been left by my father. And by father was a man of extensive property and i was his eldest son in a family of ten children. I had three younger brothers and six sisters, but my father passed away when he was but 49 and i but 14. I could not inherit until my majority at the age of 21 years in 1764. But before that, i was able to benefit by the greatest of this legacies, not property, but an education. So i came here to attend the old Royal College of the former majesties king william and queen mary, the winter of 59 and 60. I was there for two years. I left to read law. And how did that influence you studying law . It was perhaps the finest jurist i have ever known. It was a gentleman who understood the foundation of the law, of english law, the law of the romance. He understood that law is living and breathing, it grows as a people grow. That is the essence of the English Common law under which i was born and grew up. It is through the experience of the English Speaking peoples. And therefore as we began to protest, to seek redress for our grievances, question so upon the pound days of english law. That which i had learned so distinctly in williamsburg. And what did you draw upon then . What were your politics in 74 . Well, my politics were simply to rest upon english law, the right of an englishman to petition for redress and grievances. That was to bring 13 individual nations together. We found amongst ourselves different, distant and disparate one from the other a common bond through our english law. The fact that we were all considered englishmen here. So it was that right of an englishman, whether he resided in massachusetts, here in virginia, the carolinas, georgia and in betwixt to argue his concerns before his government. What were your fellow colonists saying to you . Well, we were all saying the same thing to one and the other. Will we survive as englishmen here in a country that is america, whether north or south, as truly englishmen or will we rather continue to evolve, to evolve as a people by which we had already come to refer to one and the other, americans. To realize it was not only the englishmen, but so many others who were seeking an asylum here. Could the english law continue to substantiate our grievances and our right to argue on behalf of ourselves. Could we as well be properly represented before the crown and the parliament. Remember, remember we were denied any representation. And what did you do next . It was here in williamsburg that we began our protest particularly with respect to the closure of the port of boston that the spring of 1774. You may remember that the closure of the port of boston was because of that particular riot in Boston Harbor the previous december. The destruction of well over 356 cases of tea thrown overboard of the east India Company by a band of mohawk indians. Is that not what you recall. And so it was with respect to that protest that we formed an alliance. Somewhat with the pamphlet that was published, a proclamation of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to show allegiance. The earl of dunmore considered this upon his authority as executor of the crown. So as was his royal prerogative, he dissolved the representative body of the people, dissolved the house of burgesses. We did not remain dissolved. We continued to represent those who had elected us. We met in the tavern that june of 1774 and we called for an american parliament. And american congress. To meet midway between the northern colonies and the southern colonies, to meet in the largest city here in north america, philadelphia. Well, we are talking to Thomas Jefferson this morning on American History tv portrayed by bill barker. It is now your opportunity to call in with your questions and comments for him. If you live on the east coast, 2027488900. West coast, 2027488901. Also were taking your texts this morning. So text us at 2027179684. You can also join the conversation on facebook if you go to American History tv. As well as twitter, cspanhistory. And Thomas Jefferson on the cspan bus with us this morning. So mr. Jefferson, lets talk about then the reaction from britain. Well, it was considered somewhat impolite, unjustified, that all of the colony wills ought come together with the united american representation. His majesties parliament decided to remain separate and that caused keeping us at bay. They worry that had if we came together, well but common accepts, three heads are better than two, that 12, 13 heads collectively would be of a greater influence, a greater safety and defense amongst themselves. So the reaction of the crown of course was to pursue denying us many of the petitions we put forth for redress of our grievances. And talk about the declaration of independence and how you came to this and the writing of it. I would say first and foremost that the greatest influence that brought me to be able to draft our birthright, our, if you would say, promise of who we are and who we desired to be and our promise to the rest of the world began through that privilege of an education. Ive always said there is nothing new or original in our declaration of american independence. All of it has been written before, argued, debated before. You may find it in the elementary books of public write. The works of aristotle, john locke. Those words, those authors that many were familiar with, so therefore it was my charge to shed the lofty solecisms of these ancient author, explain it in clear and simple terms so that everyone might comprehend it. To place before the world the common sense of the matter. That our war for independence was being fought on behalf of the common man. To provide the greatest good for the greatest number. To show the rest of the world that we understand the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs. Nor a few booted and spurred ready to ride. But that man holds an inherent right to burst forth from the chains of ignorance and assume the reins of selfgovernment. It is founded in the wisdom of the past and i consider it common sense that the prophets of the future will be found in the wisdom of the past. Our first phone call, christine, stevensville, maryland. Go ahead. Caller hello. I was wondering if Thomas Jefferson could tell us that he journaled a lot about i think he had an early aversion of the koran. And i think in our times today, maybe he could talk about what he journaled about that during that time, him and john adams. Yes. Well, miss christine, may i assure you that i have always been a student of all of the worlds religions. Now, i was baptized in the church of england. And i became instrumental, if you will, on the vestry of that old church of england to help form what has become known as the american episcopal church. And i remain on the vestry. Im known as the most frequent church goer. Ive rarely missed a sunday. But i find that all religions are integral to our better understanding of the nature of man and twit i consider that the sum of all religion is to simply do unto others as you would have desire to have done unto yourself, to love your neighbor as should you love yourself. This is what i believe is protected and defended as an inherent right in the statute of virginia for religious freedom. This is not a statute of religious freedom which might suggest a separation of religion from our lives. But, rather, a statute of virginia for religious freedom. Freedom for religion. Ive always said wherever there is a freedom for religion, you will see the greatest civilizing throughout the family of man. Yes, i have studied the koran, the preachings of mohammad. I needed to do so when i was minister to the court of lewis xvi because my charge before the court was to negotiate treaties of trade. Not only with all of the kingdoms of europe, france and england and spain and italys and germanys, but also the kingdoms of tunis, algiers, morocco, tripoli. I wanted to understand the people in those kingdoms along the north coast of africa. I wanted to understand if you will their particular religion. And to guarantee unto them that our trade with them would remain open and free, that we would respect them and to hope that they would respect us, as well. Donna, braddock, pennsylvania. Go ahead. Caller hi. I was just wondering what made you decide to become president instead of continuing to practice law. Well, i only practiced law for seven years. And that was right here in williamsburg, virginia. I gave up the practice of law once the monarchy of Great Britain closed down the courts of justice. That was about 1774. I turned over most of my unfinished cases to my cousin, mr. Edmond randolph. Do you know that his father, my cousin, john randolph, was the last attorney general of the crown before the war began. And edmond was the first attorney general in our constitution under our constitution. So i had long given up the practice of law and pursued more of my interests in legislation, being able to put forth arguments and debates that would result in bills and laws that would make for a Greater Happiness and greater opportunity, if you will, throughout not only my native commonwealth, but our nation and ultimately for the world. And so you see, it was not so much the practice of law but the call of people that i stand for the office of president of the united states. I was invited to stand for that office. In fact, i was invited the first time in 1796. I had been retired a good three years. You may remember it was my arguments with general hamilton there in the cabinet of his excellency general washington that finally made me decide i cannot continue and encourage a schism than the cabinet of our president , that it would be wise as secretary of state if i resigned. So for three years, i was in retirement. I thought it would last, but, no, the people did not desire me to remain retired. They found many found favor in what i had brought up in the president s cabinet, what they had read in the newspapers of my objection to general hamilton. And so therefore i was invited to stand opposed to our Vice President once president washington retired. And i lost that president ial election of 1796 and i suffered the office of Vice President for a good four years. The mind of man never came up with a more useless office than that of Vice President. But the arguments did not end. They continued with my own president. I was not a silent Vice President. And therefore in the next president ial election, 1800, i was invited again by the faction that had become known as the antifederalist platform to stand opposed to president adams. But we were not alone. There were several others who sought that office. Even the federalist platform was divided by a southern generalist. My own antifederalist platform was divided by a former federalist from new york. He saw political opportunity, so he changed his coat, he became a renegade. Im referring to colonel aaron burr. Do you know that our nation so divided and in contest amongst itself at that time, 1800, bore witness to a president ial election that did not result in an immediate victory. In fact, it resulted in a tie. Not between president adams and another, but, rather, between two opposed to him, 73 electoral votes each for aaron burr and Thomas Jefferson. And for many days our nation did not know who would be the next president. Can you ever imagine such a thing happening in our history again . But happily indeed it was resolved. We followed our constitution. And the election went into the house, the house of representatives, oh, they argued and debated, argued and debated. You know they voted 33 times without breaking the tie. Finally, finally, can you imagine a gentleman who had been my nemesis, who represented the complete opposite end of the political spectrum from me, general alexander hamilton, wrote me to suggest a compromise. He first suggested that as he considered me to be the least dangerous of the two, that if i if i were elected the third chief magistrate, that i would not seek to cast out of office all federalists, but to provide an equilibrium in the new administration, then he would encourage new york to enter into my political arena. I promised him that we might maintain the promises of our nation, maintain a fair and open government. Do you know that president ial election of 1800 i have referred to as the second american revolution. It was as much a revolution as that of 76, but never let us forget the difference between 76 and 1800 when we overthrew 12 years of federalism. Let us never forget in 1800, not a fire lock ways raised nor blood was shed in the peaceable transfer of office. Here on American History tv today, it is your chance to talk to president Thomas Jefferson. Joining us aboard our cspan bus as we come to you live from Colonial Williamsburg. And sir, we have a tweet here from one of our viewers who asks this, when did you meet ben franklin and what was your impression of him . Also, who decided franklin would go to france . I met dr. Benjamin franklin for the very first time here in williamsburg. Lest we forget, dr. Franklin was post master of the crown. Who better to survey the postal roads that brought all of the colonies together, who better than to make sure they were properly managed, who better than a printer, owner of a newspaper. He visited williamsburg in his capacity as postmaster. I was a student at the old World College of william and mary and it was there that he lectured to all of the lads on his experiment to electricity. I later of course met him in the continental congress. I was unable to attend the year before in september of 74, so was dr. Franklin. But he returned to be seated in the Second Congress as i was there seated and we met one and the other and became fast friends. What impressed me was his open mind and his extensive knowledge, particularly his knowledge of human nature. His grasp of common sense. His ability to take lofty concepts and bring them to a general understanding in a diversity of population. He was a sage in many, many ways. And as far as our friendship, well, it was held natural then when we proclaimed our independency the following year, 1776, that as of two of us were on the committee of five men to draft our declaration of american independence, that as dr. Franklin had already been in europe, that here would be an opportunity that he could return but not to england, rather to france respect and that i be appointed a coambassador. Oh, i was like a bee charged after honey. But unfortunately, my home, virginia, had become a new commonwealth called upon me to return. And to help draft our constitution of that commonwealth. And so it was that rather than go france accompanying dr. Franklin, i returned here to virginia. Coincidently, our friend sylus dean, took my stead and accompanied dr. Franklin to france. Well hear next from bob in new york. Welcome to the conversation. Caller hello good sir. Greetings to you from new amsterdam. Its a pleasure to speak with you. My question for you is, in light of your experience dealing with various royal family members, be they kings and queens around the globe in your time, in light of your political career, how important do you feel the personal life of a candidate running for office, be it president or any other position that would be able to provide guidance and direction for the people of your day and even into the future, how important do you feel the personal life of that candidate should be when considering them for the role that theyre running for . Thank you so much. Well, bob, i thank you for that question. It is a question, of course, that has commanded the interests of political economy from time in memoriam. Someones private life is that which is first and foremost reviewed by his constituency, by his neighbors, by his friends. They are the ones who are the first to suggest that he might stand or who knows who is to say that she might stand to represent them. Do you know the iroquois nation had a system of government where the women folk be were the ones to suggest who should be chief. They were the ones who provided a vote. Even dr. Franklin considered that as somewhat a study for american parliament. Who knows better than the menfolk than the womenfolk. However we must realize that anyone who stands for Public Office is a public servant. Your life is no longer your own. You are called upon constantly by your constituency. However we also know it is the greatest honor to receive that approbation from your neighbors, friends and the public. So my advice is, never do in private what you would not do in public. I wrote that to my grandson when he had interest and aspirations for Public Office. I think it will help guide you well. Does not mean that you will not suffer harangues and harasses hurled against you. No, that is one of the circumstances for standing up for any Public Office. But no matter what is said about you, you will be able to sleep more soundly and walk more nobly through the pathway of your family, friends and constituency. Darrel in lincoln town, north carolina, you on the air with thomas he jefferson portrayed by bill barker. Caller thank you so much. I lf your program. Its been said that mr. Jefferson was invincible this peace and invisible in war. I just wonder how he answered his critics to this charge. Well, i would say my greatest