1797-1801; Federalists vs. Republicans

2. Adams/Jefferson

3. Adams
 An accomplished diplomat
 Peace of Paris (1783), ambassador to the Dutch
Republic & Great Britain, VP
 Accused of favoring British (Jay’s Treaty was too
kind)
 Not a great speaker, not good at resolving conflicts,
temper
 Some of the reasons that he served only one term
 *On committee w/ Jefferson that wrote Declaration

4. Jefferson
 Also, an est. diplomat
 Sec. of State, Minister to France, Governor of VA
 Declaration of Independence
 Accused of being too pro-French
 Connected to violence of the French Revolution

5. Election of 1796
 Now with parties in place, there was to be an election without GW as president
 Jefferson/Burr vs. Adams/Pinckney
 Electors had 2 votes, runner-up=VP
 Adams won the job, Jefferson was 2nd thus was Vice-President
 Jefferson used his position to attack Federalist policies
 *Changes w/ 12th Amendment in 1804
 Many Federalists favored Thomas Pinckney of SC over Adams
 Showed sectional split of Federalist Party
 Adams continued Hamilton’s pro-British policy
 Last election that the Federalists would win

7. GW’s Farewell Speech
 What are the key
ideas/advice?
 Did Americans listen to
his advice?

8. GW’s Farewell Speech
 A letter partially written by Hamilton!
 Warned against international conflicts
 Also against FACTIONS & overgrown military

9. GW’s Farewell Address
 Washington warns specifically of the destructive potential
of parties or causes that "now and then answer popular
ends," but that over time can "become potent engines by
which cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men will be
enabled to subvert the power of the people, and to usurp
for themselves the reins of government."
 Taken from:
http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/milestones/farewell_a
ddress_about.html

10. Adams as President
 Took over a split party
 Not the most influential Federalist (Hamilton)
 Republican opposition was growing stronger

11. Quasi War/XYZ Affair
 U.S.-French relations crumble
 French vessels capture American ships
 Many favored war, but Hamilton convinced Adams to
negotiate
 1798-XYZ Affair: American diplomats bribed French to
stop seizing American merchant ships by giving foreign
minister a loan and bribe
 Adams called his agents X, Y, and Z: cut off trade with
France in 1798 and seized French ships

12. Quasi War/XYZ Affair
 Talleyrand tried to bribe American officials before negotiating
 Outrage at France’s actions
 Strong support of the Federalist response
 Increased Federalist power in Congress in 1798
 Undeclared naval war
 Adams had Congress cut off all trade with France
 Authorized American vessels to capture French ships
 Department of Navy created in 1798
 British became an ally with U.S.
 Britain/France @ war @ this time
 Quasi War ended in 1800 with peace in Paris

13. By the way, Louisiana!
 By the end of the 18th century, Napoleon had grabbed
the French throne and was looking westward to increase
his empire. The secret Treaty of San Ildefonso between
Spain and France, signed in 1800, gave the King of
Spain's son-in-law power over Tuscany in trade for
returning the Louisiana Territory to French control. For
the Spanish, New Orleans had been a mixed blessing:
Spain brought in great wealth from its expensive tariffs,
but suffered from dealing with the otherwise troublesome
city, which was completely waterlogged, with hordes of
mosquitoes and yellow fever. Both leaders were
somewhat pleased by the deal.

14. Setting the Scene:
 An attempt by Federalists to increase their strength
and eliminate Republican opposition
 Remember, Washington did not favor political
parties!
 Alien and Sedition Acts are among most
controversial legislation ever in American History!

15. Alien and Sedition Acts
 Alien Act: Placed obstacles in the way of foreigners
who wished to become American citizens
 Gave president more power in dealing with “aliens”
 Sedition Act: allowed gov’t to prosecute those who
engaged in sedition against the gov’t
 Laws made it possible to stop any opposition!

16. Action/Reaction
 D-R’s saw these as a Federalist campaign to
destroy them
 Adams hesitated but signed them: did not deport
any “aliens”, prevented gov’t from launching a major
crusade vs D-R’s

17. How Used:
 Alien Act: discouraged immigration
 Encouraged foreigners already in U.S. to leave
 Sedition Act: arrested and convicted 10 men, most
D-R newspaper editors whose only crime had been
to criticize the Federalists
 Which constitutional amendment was being
violated?

18. Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions
 1798-1799
 Jefferson wrote resolution adopted in KY legislature
 Madison wrote resolution adopted in VA legislature
 Used the ideas of John Locke
 Said federal gov’t formed by a compact or contract
among the states

19. Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions
 Nat’l gov’t only possessed certain delegated powers
 When feds used un-delegated powers, the acts were
“un-authoritative, void, and of no force”
 This should give states the right to nullify the
appropriate laws

20. Outcome
 The dispute between the parties became a national
one, despite the resolutions not working
 Major political division in states
 Violent disagreements in Congress at times
 Fighting between Lyon & Griswold, see cartoon on
p. 179
 Spitting & hitting

21. More on this tomorrow…

22. Judiciary Act of 1801
 Federalists reduced the number of S.C. justices by
one
 Increased the number of federal justiceships as a
whole
 Adams appointed Federalists to these new
positions— “midnight appointments”