Anytime that a work of this magnitude is produced—a work that includes hundreds of footnotes from thousands of historical sources—there are many who must be acknowledged. After all, the Scriptures remind us that we should give honor to whom it is due (Romans 13:7) and among those worthy of public recognition are:
• Early American historians (such as Jared Sparks, Benson Lossing, George Bancroft, Richard Frothingham, Charles Coffin, John Fiske, and others) who believed that they should objectively report history without spin or personal opinion—that it was their duty to record everything that occurred, including not only the bad and the ugly (which is too often the limit of historical examination today) but also the good.
• Current websites that invested extensive time and money in placing thousands of original unedited historical documents online so that they can now be read in their entirety by any citizen without the extraneous personal opinions with which many scholars seek to bias readers. Such praiseworthy websites include the Avalon Project, the Library of Congress, the American Presidency Project, a Century of Lawmaking, and many others.
• Jefferson scholars such as Dr. Mark Beliles, who in 1993 not only researched Jefferson’s faith by reading scores of Jefferson’s own writings but also studied countless letters, writings, diaries, and memoirs from scores of clergymen who personally interacted with Jefferson. Beliles thus presents remarkable insight into Jefferson’s complex relationship with the clergy, reaching conclusions that, although consistent with primary source historical data, are dramatically different from the opinions of many today who call themselves Jefferson scholars but have read few of Jefferson’s own writings. Others worthy of mention who demonstrate the same sound historical approach include Dr. Daniel Dreisbach and Dr. Philip Hamburger.
• My own research staff who took hundreds of tedious questions I posited them and provided answers from primary source documents. Among the many who were vital in the research and writing of this book were Sarah Freeman, Caroline Henry, Tim Stackpole, Kristy Stedman, Brian Freeman, Damaris Schuler, Timothy Barton, Gabriella Franks, Derringer Dick, and Jennifer Farley.
• Also, my sincere appreciation is due my wife, Cheryl, who graciously and flexibly accommodated the countless hundreds of hours I spent researching and writing this work, often at irregular times and in unusual settings.
• Of course, my highest gratitude is humbly offered to my Creator and Redeemer without Whose daily sustenance and mercy my life would not even exist. It is only in His loving Providence that we live, move, and have our very being.
I offer my heartfelt thanks to each of these; their contributions, most of which will never be fully known by the public, have been indispensable.
DAVID BARTON
Spring 2012