The Presidencies of Jefferson and Madison With respect to the federal constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans are usually characterized as strict constructionists who were opposed to the broad constructionism of the Federalists. This characterization is inaccurate to a certain degree during the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison. Jefferson wrote to Gideon Granger (Republican) a future member of Jefferson’s cabinet that he was for independence of states rights and stated that there should be changes made in the constitution. He believed that the states should govern their own domes