How did the differences between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
Hamilton define the post-American Revolutionary War period (1783-1800)
Document A
Virginia Resolutions, December 24, 1798
...That the General Assembly doth particularly PROTEST against the palpable and
alarming infractions of the constitution, in the two late cases of the "Alien and Sedition
Acts," passed at the last session of Congress; the first of which exercises a power
nowhere delegated to the Federal Government, and which, by uniting legislative and
judicial powers to those of [the] executive, subverts the general principles of free
government, as well as the particular organization and positive provisions of the Federal
Constitution; and the other of which acts exercises, in like manner, a power not delegated
by the Constitution, but, on the contrary, expressly and positively forbidden by one of the
amendments thereto,-a power which, more than any other, ought to produce universal
alarm, because it is leveled against the right of freely examining public characters and
measures, and of free communication among the people thereon, which has ever been
justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other right.
Document B
The Kentucky Resolutions of 1799
...That if those who administer the general government be permitted to transgress the
limits fixed by that compact, by a total disregard to the special delegations of power there
in contained, an annihilation of the state governments, and the creation upon their ruins of
a general consolidated government, will be the inevitable consequence: That the principle
and construction contended for by sundry of the state legislatures, that the general
government is the exclusive judge of the extent of the powers delegated to it, stop not
short of despotism— since the discretion of those who administer the government, and
not the Constitution, would be the measure of their powers: That the several states who
formed that instrument being sovereign and independent, have the unquestionable right to
judge of the infraction; and, that a nullification of those sovereignties, of all unauthorized
acts done under color of that instrument is the rightful remedy: That this commonwealth
does, under the most deliberate reconsideration, declare, that the said Alien and Sedition
Laws are, in their opinion, palpable violations of the said constitution; and, however
cheerfully it may be disposed to surrender its opinion to a majority of its sister states, in
matters of ordinary of doubtful policy, yet, in momentous regulations like the present,
which so vitally wound the best rights of the citizen, it would consider a silent
acquiescence as highly criminal.
Document C
Alexander Hamilton: For the Bank (Feb. 23, 1791)
The only question must be, in this, as in every other case, whether the mean to be
employed or, in this instance, the corporation to be erected, has a natural relation to any
of the acknowledged objects of lawful ends of the government. Thus a corporation may
not be erected by Congress for superintending the police of the city of Philadelphia,
because they are not authorized to regulate the police of that city. But one may be erected
in relation to the collection of taxes, of to trade with foreign countries, of to trade
between the states, of with Indian tribes; because it is the province of the federal
government to regulate those objects, and because it is incident to a general sovereign or
legislative power to regulate a thing, to employ all the means which relate to its
regulation to the best and greatest advantage.
Document D
Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank, Feb. 15, 1791
I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground: That "all powers not
delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States or to the people." [XIIth amendment.] To take a single step beyond
the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of congress, is to take possession
of a boundless field of power, no longer susceptible of any definition.
The incorporation of a bank, and the powers assumed by this bill, have not, in my
opinion, been delegated to the United States, by the Constitution.
Document E
Hamilton Upholds Law Enforcement (1794)
The constitution you have ordained for yourselves and your posterity contains this
express clause: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts,
and excises, to pay the debts, and provide for the common defense and general welfare or
the United States.." You have, then, by a solemn and deliberate act, the most important
and sacred that a nation can perform, pronounced and decreed that your representatives in
Congress shall have power to lay excises. You have done nothing since to reverse or
impair that decree.
Document F
The Alien and Sedition Acts, 1798
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That it shall be lawful for the president of the United
States at any time during the continuance of this act, to order all such aliens as he shall
judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, of shall have reasonable
grounds to suspect are concerned in any treasonable or secret machinations against the
government thereof, to depart out of the territory of the United States, within such time as
shall be expressed in such order, which order shall be served on such alien by delivering
him a copy thereof, or leaving the same at his usual abode, and returned to the office of
the Secretary of State, by the marshal or other person to whom the same shall be directed.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall write, print, utter, or shall cause
of procure to be written, printed, uttered or published, or shall knowingly and willingly
assist or aid in writing, printing, uttering of\r publishing And false, scandalous and
malicious writing or writings against the government of the United States, with intent to
defame the said government, or either house of the said Congress, or the said President,
or the bring them, or either of them, into contempt or disrepute; or to excite against them,
or either or any of them, the hatred of the good people of the United States, or to excite
any unlawful combinations therein, for opposing or resisting any law of the United
States, or any act of the President of the United States done in pursuance of any such law,
or of the powers in him vested by the constitution of the United States, or to resist,
oppose, or defeat any such law or act, or to aid, encourage or abet any hostile designs of
any foreign nation against the United States, their people or government, then such
person, being thereof convicted before any court of the United States having jurisdiction
thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by
imprisonment not exceeding two years.
Document G
Hamilton’s views on the French Revolution Date Unknown
...The cause of France is compared with that of America during its late revolution. Would
to heaven that the comparison were just. Would to heaven we could discern in the mirror
of French affairs the same humanity, the same decorum, the same gravity, the same order,
the same dignity, the same solemnity, which distinguished the cause of the American
Revolution Clouds and darkness would not then rest upon the issue as they now do. I own
I do not like the comparison.
...There was a time when all men in this country entertained the same favorable vies of
the French Revolution. At the present time, they all still unite in the wish that the troubles
of France may terminate in the establishment of a free and good government; and
dispassionate, wee-informed men must equally unite in the doubt whether this be likely to
take place under the auspices of those who now govern... that country. But agreeing in
these two points, there is a great and serious diversity of opinion as to the real merits and
probable issue of the French Revolution.
Document H
On the Constitutionality of the Bank of the United States, 1791: Hamilton to Washington:
...It is not denied that there are implied as well as express powers and that the former are
as effectually delegated as the latter. And for the sake of accuracy it shall be mentioned
that there is another class of powers which may be properly denominated resulting
powers. It will not be doubted that, if the United States should make a conquest of any of
the territories of its neighbors, they would possess sovereign jurisdiction over the
conquered territory. This would be rather a result, from the whole mass of the powers of
the Government, and form the nature of political society, than a consequence of either of
the powers specially enumerated...
SAMPLE ESSAY
The post-revolutionary war period of the Unites States saw the establishment of the first
party system and an enlarging gap in viewpoints between the wealthy and the common
man. The contradictory views of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were
primarily responsible for the rise of political parties from 1783-1800.
Alexander Hamilton exerted the most influence in the new Federalist Party. He believed
that only an enlightened ruling class could produce a stable and effective federal
government. The government therefore needed the support of wealthy men. Thomas
Jefferson and the Republicans defended more the rights of the common man and an
agrarian society with little power from the federal government. His basic principle was
"in general I believe the decisions of the people in a body will be more honest and more
disinterested than those of wealthy men."
The Republican Party attracted more of the common people while the Federalist Party
drew support from the aristocracy. Although neither side was willing to admit to it, these
institutions were known as the "first party system." Both parties stance on who should
have more power in the government contributed to the largely divers views of the
common man and the wealthy man.
When the French Revolution grew to its most radical peak the Federalists reacted with
horror as citizens overthrew the aristocracy. In launching the New Ship of State Hamilton
said, "The cause of France is compared with that of America during its late Revolution. I
own I do not like the comparison...well informed men must equally unite in the doubt
whether this [free and good government] be likely to take place." Thomas Jefferson’s
response was "I still hope the Revolution will issue happily...The livery of the whole
earth was depending on the issue of the contest, and was ever such a prize won with so
little innocent blood?" Many Republicans even imitated French Jacobins in dress and in
speaking. The difference between the Federalist and Republican social philosophies is
most easily seen among their different reactions to the French Revolution.
Federalists called for a national debt to be funded and hoped to create a large national
bank credited by wealthy men. He defended it in a plan presented to Congress by
claiming "where the authority of the government is general it can create corporations...we
must employ all the means which relate to its regulation to the best and greatest
advantage." Jefferson and the Republican felt the bank was unconstitutional and his
opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank (1791) read "I consider the
foundation of the Constitution as laid that "all powers" not delegated to the United States
by the Constitution are reserved to the people...the incorporation of a bank has not been
delegated to the United States by the Constitution." Hamilton’s rebuttal can be seen in a
letter to George Washington that reads, "It is not denied that there are implied as well as
express powers [in the Constitution] and that the former are as effectually delegated as
the latter." Both parties reaction to the Constitutionality of a national bank show their
contrasting beliefs in how the strictly the Constitution was to be interpreted.
Federalists also called for an excise tax to be placed on distillers of alcohol. Hamilton
argued in Overawing the Whiskey Boys that "you have said "the Congress shall have the
power to lay excises to pay the debts and provide for common defense" you have then
pronounced and decreed that your representatives in Congress shall have the power to lay
such an excise and nothing since to reverse or impair that decree." The Whiskey
Rebellion was the inevitable consequence of the enactment of this tax. The Republicans
did not believe the excise to be constitutional and celebrated the Whiskey Rebellion. The
Federalist political cartoon "Mad Tom in a Rage" portrayed Thomas Jefferson as a liquor
soaked anarchist aided by the devil in order to bring the government down. The reactions
to the Whiskey Rebellion reflect how the Federalists and Republicans differed in their
interpretation of the Constitution.
When the Federalists tried to silence the Republican opposition the result was the Alien
and Sedition Acts. The Alien Act reads "Be it enacted...to order all such aliens as he shall
judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States...to depart out of the
territory." As a result many Republicans found much of its support. The Sedition Act
Read "That if any person shall write, print, utter, or publish....scandalous and malicious
writings against the government of the United States...such person shall be punished."
The Sedition Act convicted ten men most of whom were Republicans news editors
criticizing Federal government. The Republicans interpreted these laws as an attempt to
destroy them and fought back with the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. These read
"the Alien and Sedition Acts exercise a power nowhere delegated to the Federal
government...this commonwealth does declare that the said Alien and Sedition Acts are
violations of the said Constitution." The resolutions nullified the laws and contributed to
the rise of Republicanism and the fall of Federalism.
The differing opinions on how the government in the post-Revolutionary war period
should be run ultimately created the first rise in political parties. The Federalist belief in a
government run by wealthy men and opposing Republican support for and agrarian
society split the nations people in support of a government most beneficial to them.
Differing reactions to the French Revolution showed the distinct difference in Federalist
and Republican belief of who the government should be run under. The National Bank
and the excise tax on liquor revealed differing views on how strictly the Constitution
should be interpreted and the Alien and Sedition Acts reveal an attempt of one party to
dissolve another. The contrasting views of Hamilton’s Federalism and Jefferson’s
Republicanism were the ultimate contributors to splitting the nation on views and
establishing the first political parties.