The New Republic
An Age of Political Passion, 17891800
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Choosing the 1st President
– Electoral College 2/4/1789
• Washington President
• Adams Vice-President
Completing the Constitution
– James Madison-VA (F)
• Recognized the political necessity of
amendments
• 12 went to States/10 Bill of Rights
• Cured most fears of Anti-Federalists
Filling Out the Branches of Government
– Constitution doesn’t mention a cabinet for
executive but GW puts one in place
establishing precedent of advisors for a
president
• Sec of State: Jefferson- Republican
• Sec of Treasury: Hamilton-Federalist
• Sec of War: Knox
• Attorney Gen: Edmund Randolph
• Chief Justice: John Jay
– Gdub’s choices included a wide section of the
political spectrum
– Anti-Federalist feared that the Const. created a
large, expensive, and bureaucratic
• 350 total for the Federal Govt.
• Couple of buildings near Wall Street
Launching the New
Government
Yes, I am George Ha Ha I beat you
Mason and I am Anti-Federalist
somewhat
James
happy with the Monroe!!! Now,
Bill of Rights.
the Constitution
will be more
Fed. Friendly!!!
TJ you only get
only 5
employees.
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Hamilton’s Vision for the New Republic
– America a powerful nation w/ strong government
and strong commercial economy (like Great Britain)
– Very controversial views: conflict w/ Anti-Federalist
& Madison & TJ
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Elitist who view democracy w/ suspicion.
Class divisions
Must have ties to rich & powerful that most be tied to
the new govt.
Hamilton’s
Ambitious Program
– Successful lawyer & powerful friends in NY merchant
business & influential politician
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Hamilton's Financial Plan
– Congress requested report on new Economy
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“Report on Public Credit”
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$11 Million to Foreign / $ 63 Million to Citizens
Assumption of the State's Debt
» Consolidate State and Fed debt (Ties them to the
new govt)
» Buy old govt. money (notes) and replace with
new notes at equal or better value (create better
credit)
» Sell new govt. bonds (create int’l credit)
Whiskey Tax
– Wanted a permanently funded national debt
– Most Controversial issue was the speculation in the
paper notes (Poor sold notes early to speculators
who would benefitted with Ham’s plan)
– Dinner Compromise at Jefferson’s Home
•
Capital move to Potomac River in exchange of
Hamilton's Plan
• Madison's Opposition
– His desire to preserve the
constitutional system
– His vision of republican
agrarian society differed
than Ham’s powerful
merchant state
– Beginning of Parties
• Federalist # 10 vs. “A Candid
State of Parties”
– Two Parties Republican Party
vs. Anti-Republican Party
(Federalist)
Hamilton’s
Ambitious Program
• Ham’s Report on Bank of the United
States
– Bolster confidence in govt. securities
(only 3 private banks), loans, and stable
currency
– Govt & private owned
– Tie wealthy to new govt.
– Opposition: Loose interpretation vs.
Strict interpretation
Madison = Strict “spirit of 1787” & protect
state’s & people’s rights
Hamilton = Loose “necessary and proper” &
implied powers
• Still a controversial issue!!!!
– Federalist controlled Congress &
Washington did not veto: B.U.S. Charter
created
• Ham’s Report on Mint
– Federal Currency
• Ham’s Report on Manufactures
– Protective tariff to protect infant US
industries
• George Washington sided almost
always with Hamilton and against
Madison and Jefferson
Hamilton’s
Ambitious Program
• Jefferson vs. Hamilton:
Contrasting Visions of the
Republic
Hamilton’s
Ambitious Program
• French Revolution in
America
– Republicans supported the
Revolution
– Federalists denounced the
excess
• Adams vs. Clinton: A
Contest for VP
– Both parties unified behind
Gdub but went after other
Federalist, Adams
– Division begins Anti-Fed
George Clinton carried
South
Conflicts at Home
and Abroad
• Diplomatic Controversies and
Triumphs
– British Problems
• US vessels no longer under British
protection
• British remained in NW Forts &
stirring up trouble with Indians
• Confiscated our ships, cargo, and
men trading with France
• Jay’s Treaty of 1795
– G.B. compensate for confiscation
& vacate forts (Didn’t do both)
– Denied US right to be neutral and
trade w/ France
– Republicans were outraged with
generous terms
– Best case scenario: Jay negotiated
with Britain from a position of
weakness
– Spanish Problems
• Controlled Mississippi River & N.O.
• Pinckney Treaty 1795
– Access to River and New Orleans
– Pinckney negotiated with Spain
from a position of strength (Spain
feared that US wanted Florida!!!)
Conflicts at Home
and Abroad
• Violence along the Frontier
– Pan-Indian War along frontier
• Two major defeats for US Army and
failure to secure peace
• Gen. Mad Anthony Wayne defeated
the tribes at the Battle of Fallen
Timbers 1794
• Treaty Of Greenville Indians out of
Ohio River Valley for settlement
– Whiskey Rebellion-1794
• Resentment against Hamilton's tax
on whiskey
• Backcountry farmers turned grain
into whiskey for transportation and
for profit
• Peaceful turns violence (500 march
on tax collector’s house/two killed
and house burned, oh here we go
again!!!)
• Gdub sent militia to put down
rebellion after failed attempts (150
arrested/two treasons and
pardoned)
Conflicts at Home
and Abroad
Stormy Presidency of John Adams
• Washington’s Farewell
– Sets precedent by not seeking
a third term
– Sets precedent of peaceful
handing over of power
– Election of 1796
• Federalist-John Adams &
Pinckney
• Republicans-Jefferson & Burr
– Washington’s Farewell
Address
• Warned against political
parties and ‘foreign
entanglements’
• Set a tone of ‘isolationism’ for
the next 100 years!
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John Adams as President “Big shoes to fill”
Really!!!”
– Thomas Jefferson VP due to original
Constitution
not predicting the rise of parties
(1st Pres/2nd VP)
– Hamilton had attempted to unseat Adams
(Federalist divided)
XYZ Affair and Quasi-War with France
– Crisis was reaching a head with France over
British favoritism
• France recalled ambassadors
• Seized our ships that traded w/GB
– Adams sent diplomats to negotiate peace
• French Directory required a $250,000
bribe before talking, $12 million loan
and Adams to apologize
– Galvanized support to declare war on
France/Adams resisted pressure from
Hamilton's cronies
– Undeclared Naval War/Quasi-War 17981800
• Adams created new Department of
Navy
• Tripled the size of army/ Washington w/
Hamilton as aide (controversial)
Stormy Presidency
of John Adams
VS.
• Alien and Sedition Acts
– Protect America from the danger of foreign
and domestic subversion
– Federalist viewpoint
• Alien Acts Parts 1-3 Directed against
Aliens/made it more difficult to become
citizen/eased deportation
• Sedition Act- Directed against US citizens: illegal
to speak against policies of government (Prez
and Congress, but not VP)
• Federalists targeted 25 individuals ALL
Republican sympathizers (printers, politicians,
and public figures)
– Republican view point
• Alien Parts 1-3- Weakened Republican voter
base…French and Irish Immigrants
• Sedition Act- Aimed at weakening free speech of
anti-Federalists and their election opportunities
– Madison & Jefferson respond with Virginia
and Kentucky Resolutions
• Jefferson introduced that states could nullify
unconstitutional laws.
• State’s Rights Theory
• Federalist New England voted down and stated
that Federal Courts have the final say not states
on the constitutionality of laws
Stormy Presidency
of John Adams
You get a $400
fine and 18
months for
that one…
“No Stamp Act, No
Sedition, no Alien
Bills, no Land Tax (to
pay for new army):
downfall to the
Tyrants of America,
peace and
retirement to the
President, long live
the Vice-President”
• Disputed Election of 1800
– Jefferson defeats Adams in
election of 1800 because
Federalist had raised taxes to
prepare for a war with France that
never came…Feds also had split
over war with France and didn’t
fully support Adams…Alien and
Sedition were incredibly
unpopular
– Federalist Legacy
• Hamilton's financial policies/loose
interpretation
• Precedents of Washington’s
administration
• NO WAR with France
• Preserved democratic gains of the
Revolution
• Opposition to Hamiltonian
Federalists created first two-party
system
– John Adams steps aside
– Friends burry the old hatchet
Stormy Presidency
of John Adams