The Federal Edition of The Works of Thomas Jefferson is the pinnacle compilation of Jefferson's writings as edited by Paul Leicester Ford (1865 - 1902). Published in 1904 after Ford's death, this twelve volume set includes an analysis and Introduction by Ford in Volume I that is both unbiased and thorough. In this Ford states his reason for this undertaking was "To meet the need of a new edition of the writings of Thomas Jefferson...Not content in relying upon the Jefferson MSS. in the Department of State, from which, substantially, the former editions were compiled, the present editor, while making full use of the records of the Department, has obtained many interesting documents from the papers of Jefferson still in the hands of his descendants; the papers of the Continental Congress the archives of the State of Virginia; the files of the French Foreign Office; the private papers of Washington, Adams, Madison, Monroe, Stueben, and Gates; as well as from many state archive, historical societies, and private collections throughout the country." The contents of Volume I:
- Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson
- The Anas - 1791 through 1806
- Resolutions of the Virginia House of Burgesses - 1769
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from January 1771 to December 1779, including the highlights, such as:
- A Summary View of the Rights of British America - August, 1774;
- Drafts of the Declaration on Taking Up Arms - July 6th, 1775;
- Declaration of Independence - July 4th, 1776;
- Rules for the Continental Congress - July, 1776;
- Resolutions Concerning Peace - June, 1778.
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from January 1780 to December including highlights such as:
- To General Washington, Clark's Expedition against Detroit - February 10th, 1780;
- To James Madison, Paper Money - July 26th, 1780;
- To Marquis de Lafayette, Meeting of Assembly & Frequent Communication - May 14th, 1781;
- Notes on Virginia.
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from January 1783 to December 1785, including highlights such as:
- Resolutions Relating to British Treaty, December, 1783;
- Resolution and Ratification of Definitive Treaty, January 14th, 1784;
- To James Monroe, Value of French Freindship - June 17th, 1785.
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from January 1786 to August 1789, including highlights such as:
- To James Madison, American Riots & Political Organization of Societey - January 16th, 1787;
- To Mrs. John Adams, Shay's Rebellion - February 22nd, 1787;
- To James Madison, Federalist - November 18th, 1788;
- To Marquis de Lafayette, Political Advice & Charter of Rights - 1788.
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from September 1789 to May 1792, including highlights such as:
- To James Madison, Right to bind succeeding generations - Perpetual debts - September 6th, 1789;
- To the President of the United States, Appointment as Secretary of State - December 15th, 1789;
- Opinion of War between Great Britain and Spain - July 12th, 1790;
- To the President of the United States, Right of Congress to Remove itself - July 15th, 1790;
- Opinion on Foreign Debt - August 26th, 1790;
- To the President of the United States, Public Debt, corruption & intended retirement - May 23rd, 1792.
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from the end of May 1792 to mid-August 1793, including highlights such as:
- To James Monroe, U.S. should avoid European affairs - June 11th, 1823;
- General Andrew Jackson, visit - December 18th, 1823;
- The Will of Thomas Jefferson;
- The Epitaph of Thomas Jefferson.
The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Volume VIII
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from the end of August 1793 to November 1798, including highlights such as:
- To Eli Whitney, Cotton Gin - November 16th, 1793;
- Report on the Privileges and Restrictions on the Commerce of the United States in Foreign Countries - 1793;
- Opinion on Neutral Trade - December 20th, 1793;
- Notes for a Constitution, 1794;
- Drafts of the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 - November, 1798
The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Volume IX
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from January 1799 to June 1803, including highlights such as:
- To James Monroe, Presidential Election - January 12th, 1800;
- To Samuel Adams, Revolutionary principles, National Debt - February 26th, 1800;
- Speech to the Senate - February 28th, 1801;
- Inaugural Address - March 4th, 1801;
- To Thomas Paine, Opposition to War - March 18th, 1801;
- To the Governor of the Mississippi Territory, Clarke and Dunbar - July 13th, 1801;
- First Annual Message - Decemeber 8th, 1801.
The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Volume X
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from July 1803 to December 1807, including highlights such as:
- Drafts of an Amendment to the Constitution - July 1803;
- Queries as to Louisiana - July 15th, 1803;
- Special Message on Louisiana - October 21st, 1803;
- Second Inaugural Address - March 4th, 1805.
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from January 1808 to June 1816, including highlights such as:
- To James Madison, Effect of embargo on farmers, commerce between beligerents - April 17th, 1812;
- To Edward Coles, Negro slavery, Early effort of Jefferson - August 25th, 1814;
- To James Monroe, Newspaper lies and Capture of Washington - January 1st, 1815.
The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Volume XII
This volume chronicles Jefferson's works from July 1816 to June 1826, including highlights such as:
- To Martin Van Buren, Washington's Politics - June 29th, 1824;
- To John Vaughan, Copies of the Declaration of Independence - September 16th, 1825;
- Thoughts on Lotteries, Cases in Virginia - February, 1826;
- Roger C. Weightman, Jefferson declines invitation to celebrate 50th anniversary of Independence - June 24th, 1826.
