In a playful moment 100 years ago, historian Carl Becker entertained the idea: What if Benjamin Franklin had written the Declaration of Independence instead of Thomas Jefferson? Becker acknowledged that it was within the realm of possibility, as Franklin was a member of the Committee of Five in Philadelphia tasked with drafting the text in 1776. However, Becker ultimately dismissed the notion as absurd. While Franklin was a gifted writer with great influence, Becker didn’t believe that he could have composed the powerful and poetic sentences found in the Declaration. Franklin’s prose had a certain rustic quality, more suited for a tavern or print shop, whereas Jefferson’s writing possessed a unique combination of precision and beauty.
Franklin would have been an unlikely choice to write the first draft of the Declaration in 1776. He was already worn out from the burdens of life and had made it a rule to avoid taking on tasks that required public review. On the other hand, Jefferson, at the age of 33, embraced the challenge and began working on the Declaration in June 1776.
Although Franklin may not have been the one to draft the Declaration, he was among the first to read Jefferson’s efforts. John Adams, too, was delighted with the high tone and eloquence of Jefferson’s writing. However, Becker and others found Jefferson’s prose to be delicate and insecure in certain passages. The most notable example is the phrase “the pursuit of Happiness.” While aesthetically pleasing, the meaning behind the phrase was subject to interpretation. Was it merely rhetorical, or did it hold a deeper significance?
Harvard historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr. believed that “the pursuit of Happiness” had a significant meaning, different from the commonly understood interpretation. Through his research into patriot literature, Schlesinger uncovered a recurring theme of happiness as a natural right rather than something to be strived for. This idea was also present in George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights, which influenced Jefferson’s writing. However, the shift from “obtaining happiness” to “pursuing happiness” remains unexplained.
Schlesinger proposed a new interpretation of Jefferson’s use of “pursuit.” He argued that Jefferson intended a more emphatic meaning, similar to the pursuit of law or medicine. It was not about chasing after happiness, but rather engaging with a practice or vocation that one already possessed. This interpretation, according to Schlesinger, highlighted a shift in meaning and tone within the Declaration.
There is another interpretation worth considering as well. The intellectual climate of the Enlightenment, which shaped the United States, was marked by discussions about happiness and how to attain it. Philosophers and thinkers investigated various theories, from complex formulas to individual experiences. One author who wrote extensively on the subject during the Revolutionary era was Samuel Johnson. Johnson’s work, known to all the Founders, had a particularly profound impact on Jefferson. Despite their political differences, there was a certain connection between them when it came to the concept of happiness.
Jefferson admired Johnson’s political tracts and saw his Dictionary as a valuable resource. Johnson’s words often lingered in Jefferson’s mind, sometimes welcome and sometimes not. Johnson’s criticisms of the Continental Congress, even calling out Jefferson as a slave owner, undoubtedly left an impression. In Philadelphia, where Jefferson attended the Congress, he encountered discussions about Johnson and his use of words as weapons. This convergence of Johnson and Jefferson’s thoughts on happiness is intriguing, as they may have clashed politically but found common ground in their understanding of this elusive concept.
In conclusion, the authorship of the Declaration of Independence ultimately fell to Thomas Jefferson, and his unique writing style remains celebrated to this day. The phrase “the pursuit of Happiness” continues to provoke questions and interpretations, whether it be pure rhetoric, a lost meaning, or a subtle shift in tone. The Enlightenment-era discussions on happiness further add complexity to the concept and its significance within the Declaration.
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