JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY Chapter 6 The American Nation, 12e, Mark C. Carnes John A. Garraty ELECTION OF 1800 • Election 1800: Republicans won in February 1801 electoral vote 73 to 65 – Both Jefferson and Aaron Burr had 73 votes – House of Representatives was deadlocked for over 35 votes – Hamilton exerted influence in favor of Jefferson (who may have promised to preserve Hamilton’s financial system and continue Washington-Adams foreign policy) – February 17, 1801, Jefferson became president and Burr vice president • 12th Amendment drafted (ratified 1804) providing for separate balloting for President and Vice President THE FEDERALIST CONTRIBUTION • March 4, 1801 Jefferson took oath of office at new national capital, Washington, DC • Federalists had been moderate until fear of Republican strength led them to attempt revolution in 1798 • Failed and led to landslide for Republicans at Congressional level in 1800 • U.S. passed test and transferred power and changed policy peacefully THOMAS JEFFERSON: POLITICAL THEORIST • Jefferson thought human beings basically selfish • Suspected blacks were inferior to whites • Felt human race had unlimited potential • Believed in democracy • Wanted society to remain one of small independent farmers because believed ALL government was a necessary evil at best • Disliked Hamilton’s desire to commercialize and centralize government and his proBritish orientation JEFFERSON AS PRESIDENT • New administration marked by style and moderation • Positions included: – Against “entangling alliances” – For economy in government • Promised to – Pay off national debt – Preserve government’s credit – Stimulate both agriculture and commerce – Cool partisan passions Jefferson, Thomas. Charcoal drawing (bust). 59-PP-3 National Archives JEFFERSON AS PRESIDENT • Repealed whiskey and other excise taxes • Cut military and naval expenditures to balance budget • Naturalization returned to five years • Sedition and Alien Acts expired in 1801 and 1802 respectively • Played down ceremony and formality • Held stag dinners to get to know congressmen personally • Easily won re-election in 1804 JEFFERSON’S ATTACK ON THE JUDICIARY • Jefferson had prejudices against – Kings – British system of government – Entrenched judicial power • Judiciary Act of 1801 – Created 6 new circuit courts, presided over by 16 new federal judges – Federalists, in their last days, shamelessly appointed partisan politicians – Jefferson had act repealed – So angry he held up a number of appointments for Justices of the Peace for DC JEFFERSON’S ATTACK ON THE JUDICIARY • Marbury v. Madison (1803) – Resulted from William Marbury’s petition for a writ of mandamus to obtain his commission – Chief Justice John Marshall ruled: • Marbury by right should have his commission • But court could not require secretary of state James Madison to give it to him since request was based on unconstitutional clause of Judiciary Act of 1789 • As a result Court did not have the right to issue writ of mandamus – Gave court power to invalidate federal laws that conflicted with the Constitution JEFFERSON’S ATTACK ON THE JUDICIARY • Jefferson decided to press for impeachment of some of more partisan federal judges – Senate easily removed District Judge John Pickering – Went after associate supreme court justice Samuel Chase who had been high handed in handling Sedition Act cases—acquitted THE BARBARY PIRATES • Lull in European War between France and England— Treaty of Amiens, 1802 • Barbary Pirates: North African Arab states of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli who seized ships and crews whom they held for ransom • Europeans, and Americans, paid them annual protection (cheaper than increased shipper insurance) • Pasha of Tripoli raised rates, Jefferson balked, pasha declared war May 1801 and Jefferson dispatched squadron • Pirates underwhelmed and USS Philadelphia burned after ran aground • Payment of tribute continued to 1815 • Pasha did agree to new treaty more favorable to U.S. THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE • Treaty of San Ildefonso: – Spain gave Louisiana, including all important New Orleans, to France – Napoleon hoped to use Louisiana as breadbasket for West Indian sugar plantations • Jefferson, worried what Napoleon would do, asked Robert Livingston – to seek assurances of U.S. rights in New Orleans – potentially buy West Florida if France also had THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE • Napoleon’s plans undermined by rebellion in Saint Domingue (Haiti) – Had been granted personal freedom n 1793 – Rebellion continued and had defeated French by 1801 – Napoleon sent 20,000 more men • Jefferson now sought to buy New Orleans • October 1802 Spanish (had not yet turned over New Orleans) revoked American right of deposit • James Monroe sent to France with offer of $10 million for New Orleans THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE • When the French force sent to Haiti was wiped out by yellow fever, Napoleon reconsidered his plans especially as he was now intending to invade England • April 10 told Foreign Minister Tallyrand to sell all of Louisiana • In early May the Americans agreed to buy entire area for $15 million • In U.S. there was concern over constitutionality but treaty passed THE FEDERALISTS DISCREDITED • West and South solidly for Jefferson and North leaning toward him • Some in New England, feeling threatened, formed Essex Junto in 1804 with intentions of creating separate northern confederacy • Supported Aaron Burr for Governor of New York • Burr defeated but took offense at comments made by Alexander Hamilton during the campaign • Result was duel on July 11, 1804, in which Hamilton was killed LEWIS AND CLARK • Jefferson used $2,500 from Congress to send Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the Louisiana Purchase – Scientific and practical interests – Establish relations with Indians • The Journey – Start St. Louis spring 1804 – Stay North Dakota (build Fort Mandan) for winter – April 1805 headed for Pacific – Spring 1806 made return trip reaching St. Louis by September OTHER EXPLORERS • Thomas Freeman went up Red River but had to retreat in face of Spanish • Lieutenant Zebulon pike explored upper Mississippi Valley and Colorado region between 1805 and 1807 • By 1808 St. Louis fur traders were invading Rockies • By 1812 75,000 people were in southern section of purchase—admitted as Louisiana JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY • Jefferson’s moderation calmed fears that rule by Republicans would result in a French style revolution • Managed to achieve prosperity without expense or infringement on personal liberties – Order without discipline – Security without a large military establishment – Prosperity without regulatory legislation – Freedom without license THE BURR CONSPIRACY • Jefferson treated Aaron Burr vindictively and Burr began to contemplate treason • Offered British separation of Western part of U.S. for £110,000 and support of British fleet off mouth of Mississippi – British ignored but Burr proceeded – Joined forces with Jefferson’s appointed governor of Louisiana Territory, James Wilkinson (secretly in pay of Spanish) – 1806 Burr and Wilkinson headed to New Orleans with small force – Wilkinson betrayed Burr to Jefferson – In partisan trial pitting Jefferson vs. Marshall, Marshall favored Burr who was acquitted NAPOLEON AND THE BRITISH • When Napoleon resumed warfare in Europe, it stimulated American economy – Shipbuilding boomed – Foreign trade doubled between 1803 and 1805 • Balance in Europe by 1807 – British controlled the seas – Napoleon controlled the continent • Commercial Warfare – Berlin Decree—November 1806, Napoleon: prohibited trade with Great Britain – Orders In Council—Britain: blockaded continental ports and barred them from foreign vessels unless they stopped first in England and paid customs duties – Milan Decree—December 1807, Napoleon: an vessel that submitted to British search was thereby British property and subject to seizure NAPOLEON AND THE BRITISH • Broken voyages—attempts to circumvent British maritime regulations by taking goods to U.S. before they went to final destination – 1803-1806 re-export went from $13 million to $60 million – Britain in Essex & William cases cracked down on reexport trade at same time both Britain and France were putting limits on direct trade by neutrals THE IMPRESSMENT CONTROVERSY • British Law: any able bodied subject could be drafted by the Royal Navy in an emergency – In addition to press gangs in British ports and the stopping of British merchant vessels, might stop NEUTRAL ship and impress British subjects – British were high-handed and denied naturalization rights for Americans claiming once British, always British THE IMPRESSMENT CONTROVERSY • At least 10,000 British sailors were working in U.S. merchant marine due to better conditions – – – – Some naturalized U.S. citizens Some worked under false papers Some admitted were British citizens Some were deserters from British Navy • U.S. government conceded British right to impress own citizens but not Americans – As many as 3 out of every 4 of the at least 5,000 sailors removed from U.S. ships between 1803 and 1812 were Americans – British did return those who could prove citizenship (some 3,800) THE EMBARGO ACT • Between 1803 and 1807 – British seized more than 500 U.S. ships – Napoleon seized more than 200 • June 22, 1807: USS Chesapeake (46-gun frigate) stopped by HMS Leopard – When refused to hand over 4 “deserters,” Chesapeake was fired on and three sailors killed – Deserters returned and ship limped home – Attack was violation of international law • Jefferson ordered British ships out of U.S. waters and passed Embargo Act THE EMBARGO ACT • Prohibited all exports • Jefferson hoped bad effects on U.S. economy would be offset by – Keeping U.S. merchant marine off seas thus ending potential injury to themselves and to U.S. honor – Pressuring Britain & France, through the withholding of U.S. goods, to moderate policies • Loses for maritime industry huge: – Massachusetts owned ships were earning over $15 million – Foreign commerce was most expansive force in U.S. economy THE EMBARGO ACT • Exports fell – 1807: $108 million – 1808: $22 million • Imports fell – 1807: $138 million – 1808: less than $57 million • Other effects – Prices of farm and manufactured goods reacted violently – Seamen thrown out of work – Merchants had businesses disrupted THE EMBARGO ACT • Attempts to circumvent – Smuggle goods into Canada – Ship out to sea before embargo in place and not return until over – Claim “distress” in between U.S. ports and “have to land” in foreign ports – Law allowed merchants with property abroad to fetch it—some 800 did – Juries failed to convict those charged with violating act • Congress finally replaced with Non-Intercourse Act which forbade trade only with Britain and France though President could restart trade with either if country stopped violating American rights WEBSITES • Thomas Jefferson http://www.pbs.org/jefferson • Thomas Jefferson Resources Online http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson • The Jefferson Home http://www.monticello.org