7. Democracy in Distress: The Violence of Party Politics

1
7. Democracy in Distress The Violence of Party
Politics

• Washington and Adams

2
During the Washington Administration

• Very different visions of America were expressed.
• Centered on the concepts of Alexander Hamilton
  and Thomas Jefferson

3
Congress Creates Executive Departments

• War Department
• Henry Knox
• State Department
• Thomas Jefferson
• Treasury Department
• Alexander Hamilton
• Attorney General
• Edmund Randolph
• (Part-Time)

From the left are Henry Knox, Secretary of War,
Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, and
Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury
(standing next to President Washington on the
right). The man with his back turned is Edmund
Randolph, who was the first Attorney General.
4
Conflict Emerges Between Jefferson and Hamilton

• Hamilton

• Jefferson

• Loose Construction
• Strong central government
• Pro-British
• Industrial Nation

• Strict Construction
• Stronger state governments
• Pro-French
• Agricultural Nation

5
Marks the Formal Beginning of Political Parties

• (Jeffersonian) Republicans

• Federalists

• Thomas Jefferson
• States Rights
• Strict Interpretation of Constitution
• Support for France
• Against greed of the industrial sector
• National Gazette

• Alexander Hamilton
• Strong national government
• Loose interpretation of Constitution
• Support for Britain
• Centralized economic planning
• Gazette of the United States

6
Domestic Issue Native Americans

• Americans were moving westward onto land occupied
  by Native Americans.
• Public Land Act of 1796
• The British were supporting the Native Americans.
• Treaty of Greenville, 1795 ended the conflict.

7
Domestic Issue Whiskey Rebellion (1794)
Tax Collector is Tarred and Feathered
8
Domestic Issue Hamiltons Financial Program

• Pay off the national debt and assume the war
  debts of the states.
• High tariffs on imported goods
• Create the Bank of the United States for
  depositing government funds and for printing
  banknotes .

9
The Debate

• Those in Favor
• Northern merchants
• Would gain directly from high tariffs
• Currency would be stabilized

• Those Opposed
• Anti-Federalists
• Too much power to the government
• Southerners (Always opposed to high tariffs)

10
Residence Act of 1790

• Washington D.C. was selected as national capital
• In exchange for Jeffersonian support for
  Hamiltons Financial Plan.

11
Foreign Agenda

• Washingtons entire term (as well as John Adams
  administration) was consumed with the issue of
  what to do about the French Revolution

12
Proclamation of Neutrality, 1793

• Washington did not want the US to become involved
• Led to renewed controversy in cabinet.
• Thomas Jefferson will eventually resign

13
The Debate

• Most Americans identified with the
  revolutionaries .
• Wanted the president to openly support their
  efforts.
• Thomas Jefferson

• Alliance with the French monarchy was still in
  effect.
• Mandated that the president support the existing
  government.
• Alexander Hamilton

14
Europe Tries to Involve U.S.

• Citizen Genet Affair

• Impressments of Ships

15
Jay Treaty (1794)

• John Jay sent to London to solve issues
• Remove British forts in the Northwest Territory
• Payment for ships taken
• Better trade relations
• Acceptance of American Neutrality
• Hamilton leaks info to British
• Only concession Jay gained was removal of British
  in the Northwest.

16
Pinckney Treaty (1795)

• Signed with Spain
• Set boundaries for northern Florida
• The Spanish allow the Americans to use the lower
  Mississippi River and New Orleans without paying
  duties.

17
Washingtons Farewell Address

• Stresses the benefits of the federal government
• Warns against the party system
• Advocates a stable public credit
• Warns against permanent foreign alliances

18
Election of 1796

• Adams won by just three electoral votes
• Jefferson became his vice-president as specified
  in the constitution.

19
Foreign Policy

• Inherited the problem of the French Revolution
  from Washington
• Complications ensued when French navy began to
  seize American ships and citizens
• Adams attempts to settle this issue by sending a
  team of diplomats to France.
• The outcome further angers Americans

20
XYZ Affair

• American diplomats sent to France.
• French asked theme to pay a bribe in order to
  settle the issue
• Millions for defense, but not one cent for
  tribute.

21
Domestic Repression

• Alien Act

• Sedition Act

• President can deport any aliens considered
  dangerous
• Detain any enemy aliens in time of war
• Made it more difficult to obtain citizenship

• Illegal for newspaper editors to criticize either
  the president or Congress
• Heavy penalties for editors who violated the law.

Both bills were aimed at actual or potential
Republican opposition
22
Kentucky and Virginia Resolves

• Opposed Jefferson and Madison
• Adopt theory of nullification.
• These two states declare they will not follow new
  laws.
• Becomes known as States Rights

23
Election of 1800

• Federalists lose popularity
• Presidential candidates were Adams and Pickney
  (Federalists) and Jefferson and Burr
  (Republicans)
• Republicans win but both had the same number of
  electoral votes
• Decided in the House of Representatives

24
The Revolution of 1800

• Alexander Hamilton throws his support to Thomas
  Jefferson (angering Aaron Burr)
• The party in power changes for the first time in
  U.S. history.

25
Adams Most Significant Contribution

• Lame Duck appointment of John Marshall
  (Jeffersons cousin) as Chief Justice of the
  Supreme Court
• Serving for over three decades, Marshall defines
  the function of the Supreme Court.