Between May 21 and June 6, 1791, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison journeyed together through Upstate New York and parts of New England. The trip came at a moment of tension for the new nation, one in whose founding these Virginians and political allies had played key roles. The Constitution was ratified, and President Washington was in his first term of office. Whether the country could overcome regional and political differences and remain unified, however, was still very much in question. Some observers at the time wondered whether this excursion into Federalist New England by the two most prominent southern members of the Democratic-Republican Party, both future presidents, had an ulterior motive.
Historian Louis Masur of Rutgers University reveals that their journey, described as one for "health, recreation, and curiosity," was also about friendship. Madison recalled that it made Jefferson and him "immediate companions," solidifying a bond that thrived for decades. Jefferson declared at the end of his life, that his friendship with Madison had been "a source of constant happiness" to him, and he bequeathed to him his walking stick, a reminder of the miles they had traveled together.
Masur’s book, A Journey North: Jefferson, Madison, and the Forging of a Friendship (Oxford University Press) is available for purchase.
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