Differentiating society and government: the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices
Citizens have "certain inalienable rights" and "rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will, within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others"
Prohibited individuals in society from infringing on the liberty of others, but also restrained itself from diminishing individual liberty as a protection against tyranny from the majority
Individual liberties were the fruit of political equality, which were threatened by arbitrary government
Felt slavery was harmful to both slave and master, but had reservations about releasing slaves from captivity, and advocated for gradual emancipation
In 1779, he proposed gradual voluntary training and resettlement to the Virginia legislature, and three years later drafted legislation allowing slaveholders to free their own slaves
In 1784, Jefferson proposed the abolition of slavery in all western U.S. territories, limiting slave importation to 15 years