A Conservation With Thomas Jefferson & Benjamin Franklin

Article posted with permission from the author, Leon Puissegur

Today, our nation faces a time where we may well be at the brink of total failure.  Our founding fathers never envisioned this would come about and this article is what they might state about today’s political and national ideologies and the repercussions of what may well happen if they were here.

All the underlined words are direct excerpts from Thoms Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.  I have added a brief part as we believe they would have answered had they been here in reality.

We go back in time to when many people formed our great nation when they created the Constitution of the United States.  We wonder what these two would have thought about the way our nation is headed today. We use their ideas to show what they probably would think of today’s United States.

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Good evening, Mr. Thomas Jefferson and Mr. Ben Franklin.  I am here today to see what if anything you are willing to state about our great nation today just about 14 days before the national election for president in 2024.  Both of you have had 3 weeks to witness what is going on and enjoy what our nation has turned into and if it is what you ever dreamed it would be.

Let us begin with you Mr. Jefferson, what do you think of the United States today?

Thomas Jefferson: After watching the news on that television contraption, I must state the same thing I did in a letter to William Ludlow, back on September 6, 1824.

“I think myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have … The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases. The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.”

Reporter: Just what do you mean by that today, sir?

Thomas Jefferson: What I mean is that today seems to be very close to what I stated to my dear friend Mr. Ludlow. I see the government today under what you call Democrats, a party that seems to deny parts of our Constitution that they do not like and seem to offend them.

Reporter: And just what concerns you about their actions?

Thomas Jefferson: The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history, whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite.

What I meant in this statement is clearly that if one is allowed to rule themselves, they will be able to accomplish all they seek.  If the individual allows the government to rule, he quickly becomes enslaved by the very government he wishes to help him.  Today, it seems that many will take the second idea and go with it, allowing the government to control their lives.  I also see that today WE THE PEOPLE, seem to be moving away from that mindset and moving toward what we formed this nation under, the Constitution and small government.

Reporter: Mr. Franklin, do you have anything to state?

Benjamin Franklin: Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you.

Mark Skousen, Benjamin Franklin (2005). “The Completed Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”, p.108, Regnery Publishing

What I meant then applies to today and seems to be very true.  If an individual becomes a servant to the government, they become a sheep being led to pasture to fatten up before being brought back for slaughter. From what I have noticed in your nation today is a government that is under this Democrat ideology.  They control nearly every facet of your lives and if you disagree with their ideologies, you are labeled a troublemaker and cast into a place not to be noticed.  That is why we decided to leave King George and the English rule, they held that because he was king, we had to abide by his words and if we did not, we would be banished in certain ways that would make it difficult for us to live.  From what I have observed so far in just this short time, it would seem that those of this democrat party wish to make this great nation much like it was under King George.

Reporter: Mr. Franklin, do you really see that?

Benjamin Franklin: My statement of our time still stands and should be followed as it is described.

This [the U.S. Constitution] is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism… when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.

Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.

Benjamin Franklin (1907), “The Franklin Year Book: Maxims and Morals from the Great Philosopher”

Freedom is not just an idea; it is life with minimum rules, and which allows people to live their lives the way they wish within the boundaries of the laws and rules that we created.

Reporter:  Mr. Jefferson, do you have anything on this?

Thomas Jefferson: When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness] it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government.

Declaration of Independence (1776).

Democracy is 51% of the people taking away the rights of the other 49%.

Reporter: Mr. Jefferson what about the way certain groups attack the right to bear arms today?

Thomas Jefferson: Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.

Today, in your nation, it seems that one side wishes to take your arms away.  This is not what we envisioned when we wrote the Second Amendment.  Had the King at the time removed our arms, you would still be under British rule.  We knew at the time that this was a subject that had to be clear and we decided to make sure we had this in the Constitution to use if, heaven forbid, you had to use your arms to reestablish a form of government that was not as bad as it seems today.

Free men do not ask permission to bear arms

Reporter: What is your observation on this Mr. Franklin?

Benjamin Franklin: Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who kept their swords.

I stand by the statement I made when we were discussing our Constitution as shown above.  If you allow the government to take your guns away, they will then take the rest of your possessions and dare you to fight them.  I can see that happening with those who call themselves Democrats.

Reporter: Now let me ask you about the freedom of the press, today some words are not allowed under certain instances because they may offend someone.

Thomas Jefferson: Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness] it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government.

Declaration of Independence (1776).

No government should be without critics. If its intentions are good then it has nothing to fear from criticism.

Difference of opinion leads to inquiry, and inquiry to the truth.

Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.

Thomas Jefferson, Jerry Holmes (2002). “Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts”, p.71, Rowman & Littlefield

As shown above, the freedom of the people to voice their opinion and opposition should never be held in contempt because to do so will lead to slave like actions by the government where they will attain control over everything you do and your freedom will be that which the government wishes to allow you to have.  That is not what we assumed should ever be in this great nation.

The federal government is our servant, not our master.

Benjamin Franklin: Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. Republics and limited monarchies derive their strength and vigor from a popular examination into the action of the magistrates.

“On Freedom of Speech and the Press”. Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette, November 17, 1737.

Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech; which is the right of every man as far as by it he does not hurt or control the right of another; and this is the only check it ought to suffer and the only bounds it ought to know…. Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech, a thing terrible to traitors.

Andrew M. Allison, Willard Cleon Skousen, M. Richard Maxfield, Benjamin Franklin (1982). “The Real Benjamin Franklin”

Grievances cannot be redressed until they are known; and they cannot be known but through complaints and petitions. If these are deemed affronts, and the messengers punished as offenders, who will henceforth send petitions? And who will deliver them? Wise governments encouraged the airing of grievances, even those that were lightly founded Foolish governments did the opposite – to their peril. Where complaining is a crime, hope becomes despair.

Reporter:  Both of you have very good instincts with today’s ideology it would seem that you had insights into the future of our nation.

Benjamin Franklin: I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that “except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel

Constitutional Convention Address on Prayer, delivered Thursday, June 28, 1787, Philadelphia, PA

Without Freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.

Benjamin Franklin (2016). “Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: new annotated edition”, p.28, MarcoPolo

I am a mortal enemy to arbitrary government and unlimited power. I am naturally very jealous for the rights and liberties of my country, and the least encroachment of those invaluable privileges is apt to make my blood boil.

Benjamin Franklin, Walter Isaacson (2003). “A Benjamin Franklin Reader”, p.13, Simon and Schuster

Freedom of speech is the great bulwark of liberty; they prosper and die together: And it is the terror of traitors and oppressors, and a barrier against them. It produces excellent writers, and encourages men of fine genius.

Thomas Jefferson: The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors.

The greatest calamity which could befall us would be submission to a government of unlimited powers.

Does the government fear us? Or do we fear the government? When the people fear the government, tyranny has found victory. The federal government is our servant, not our master!

Reporter:  Today our news media is about as bad as it could possibly get, what do you think of it as it would relate to your time?

Thomas Jefferson: The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood.

“The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. X (in 12 Volumes): Correspondence and Papers 1803-1807”, p.368, Cosimo, Inc.

Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle. The real extent of this state of misinformation is known only to those who are in situations to confront facts within their knowledge with the lies of the day.

Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, p.92

You know well that government always kept a kind of standing army of newswriters who, without any regard to truth or to what should be like truth, invented and put into the papers whatever might serve the [government] ministers. This suffices with the mass of the people who have no means of distinguishing the false from the true paragraphs of a newspaper.

Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence and miscellanies from the papers of Thomas Jefferson”, p.343

My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!

Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph”, p.239

No government should be without critics. If its intentions are good then it has nothing to fear from criticism.

Reporter:  As weird as it sounds, it is like Mr. Jefferson has a hand on today’s pulse with the way our news media goes.  It is like he knew what would happen if it went out of control.

Today, we hear a lot about our nation losing its democracy, but that word is not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution and, as a matter of fact, it is shown what Benjamin Franklin thought at the time about the Constitutional Republic the founding fathers had worked so hard and put their own lives at risk.

Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Today, we only hear of “democracy”, which is not what our nation was founded upon and and to demonstrate this, we add a few more statements from Benjamin Franklin.

In these sentiments, sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government, but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered; and believe further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.

On the Constitution (1787)

There is scarce a king in a hundred who would not, if he could, follow the example of Pharoah – get first all the people’s money, then all their lands, and then make them and their children servants forever.

Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin (1818). “Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin …”, p.385

History affords us many instances of the ruin of states, by the prosecution of measures ill suited to the temper and genius of their people. The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. … These measures never fail to create great and violent jealousies and animosities between the people favored and the people oppressed; whence a total separation of affections, interests, political obligations, and all manner of connections, by which the whole state is weakened.

The US Constitution only guarantees your rights as a citizen, it doesn’t guarantee happiness. It may take work, but if you have your rights, happiness is very possible.

Thomas Jefferson: Today we look back at what I wrote about the spirit of 1776 and today we see that spirit with only one individual running for president of the United States and from what we have observed, it is Mr. Donald Trump.  Our observance shows him to be the most like what we should see in this nation at times like these.

The spirit of 1776 is not dead. It has only been slumbering. The body of the American people is substantially republican. But their virtuous feelings have been played on by some fact with more fiction; they have been the dupes of artful maneuvers, and made for a moment to be willing instruments in forging chains for themselves. But times and truth dissipated the delusion, and opened their eyes.

Thomas Jefferson, Andrew M. Allison (1983). “The Real Thomas Jefferson”, Natl Center for Constitutional

He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world’s believing him. This falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good dispositions.

Thomas Jefferson, John Dewey (2008). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.81, Courier Corporation

A little rebellion now and then… is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.

Thomas Jefferson would not like our nation as it is today and he made it clear in his words leading up to and after 1776.  If WE THE PEOPLE are to carry on their dreams of a great nation formed under a Constitutional Republic, we as a nation will survive the turmoil that is now upon us from Democrats who seem to want to make slaves of us all.

Benjamin Franklin stated:

Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. … Six days shalt thou labor, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.

History affords us many instances of the ruin of states,
by the prosecution of measures ill suited to the temper and
genius of their people. The ordaining of laws in favor of one
part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. … These measures never fail to create great and violent jealousies and animosities between the people favored and the people oppressed; whence a total separation of affections, interests, political obligations, and all manner of connections, by which the whole state is weakened.

Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.

Andrew M. Allison, Willard Cleon Skousen, M. Richard Maxfield, Benjamin Franklin (1982). “The Real Benjamin Franklin”

It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.

The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.

Benjamin Franklin (1987). “Writings”, Library of America

All the underlined quotes are from both of our founding fathers and it would be a shame to allow their dreams, and many of ours, to fall to the wayside so that those in power can remain in control and eventually force us into what they wish.  John Kennedy would not recognize today’s Democrats because they have moved very deep into the Socialist point of view and that is not good for our nation at all.

With Kamala Harris at the helm, our nation will fail, our cities and some outside areas will be overrun by illegal aliens with very bad criminal backgrounds and once the Socialists make it legal for the illegal aliens to vote, we will only have the Democrat Party and that will eventually make us all slaves.

Let us be sure to vote for our Constitutional Rights on November 5.  If we fail to do that, we may well lose everything we hold dear to our hearts.

If Democrats were sincere, they would be telling us all their plans about our future but the only words that seem to pop out of their mouths now are about Donald Trump.

Let us stop this approach to tyranny that they seek and bring back our Constitutional Republic as it was originally designed to do.  WE THE PEOPLE can and will get our Republic back and stop the maddening fast forward toward the tyrannical government wanted by the Democrats.