Nature as Remedy

Chapter 4 intricately explains the history behind the deep political tensions between the Federalists and the Republicans. With Hamilton and Adams as the chief Federalists of the day and Jefferson and Madison as the opposing Republican party, the United States first saw the political fissure of their once solely united nation. This was quite upsetting for many of the original Founders including Washington and Jefferson, who saw the split into political sides as resembling the British, the nation from whom they had just previously won their independence.

Unfortunately though, Hamilton envisioned an America that his formerly close colleague Madison could not promote. And while Adams was opposed to the mercantile elite so respected by Hamilton, he was in favor of a more centralized government, and so he joined forces with Hamilton. Jefferson had always been a champion of individual liberties and opposition to anything resembling British monarchy, as was Madison. In this way, political sides slowly formed, and policy debates for the new nation began to conform to one of these two sides. 

Most famous was Hamilton’s success in getting a bill passed that allowed for a centralized bank backed by investors, whom Madison and Jefferson worried would soon run the country. After this political victory for the Federalists, the downhearted pair resolved to take a break from everyday life and the chaos of political debate to enjoy nature. They sought a remedy for their heartache; both men believed the country was headed for ruin once the centralized bank was established. 

They found that remedy within nature—“A long journey, at a mild season, thro’ a pleasant Country.”

The two men set off for the Hudson River Valley, their “pleasant country,” to find solace and peace, since they definitely were not experiencing that in Philadelphia, the then-capitol of the United States and the location of most political fighting. 

These men did what we all do today—they took a vacation. But instead of a theme park, luxurious resort, or fancy hotel on the beach, they returned to nature to revisit what they both longed for—home. In their letters back and forth to their wives and daughters, the men were clearly homesick for their gardens. As we discussed in previous classes, the therapeutic nature of their gardens was lost in Philadelphia, a loud, bustling city with no extra room to fit a small garden, much less another Monticello.  And so they went to the Hudson River Valley retreat to get a taste of home that they so longed for and missed. 

This is so different from our culture today, where we take vacation time to get away from home life. Why don’t we take our vacation time to spend time at home? Instead, we spend so much money getting away from it all. Yes, Jefferson and Madison did technically get away from it all, but they went to a location that would remind them of home. Nature as a remedy from life’s difficulties—that is what Madison and Jefferson sought from their trip, something we can all learn from too.