Democracy in Distress: The Violence of Party Politics, 1788–1800
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CH07.PPTDEMOCRACY IN DISTRESS: THE VIOLENCE OF PARTY POLITICS, 1788-1800
America: Past and Present
Chapter 7
Force of Public Opinion
- Root cause of political parties: ambiguity of republican ideology
- Federalists (Hamiltonians) stress national economy to preserve U.S. independence
- Republicans (Jeffersonians) prefer government small, local, responsive
- Parties agree on ends, differ about means
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Principle and Pragmatism:
Establishing a New Government
- George Washington unanimously elected president, 1789
- Washington’s reputation helps legitimize new government
- Dominant assumptions
all will work together for the common good
voters will defer to "betters" in political affairs
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Conflicting Visions:
Alexander Hamilton
- Secretary of the Treasury
- Believed strong central government preserves national independence
- Envisioned U.S. as an industrial power
- Feared democracy would lead to anarchy
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Conflicting Visions:
Thomas Jefferson
- Secretary of State under Washington
- Believed limited government preserves liberty
- Envisioned U.S. as an agrarian nation
- Trusted the common people
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Hamilton's Plan for Prosperity and Security
- A plan to pay off a federal debt of $54 million, additional state debt of $25 million
- Proposed "funding," "assumption" of debt
- Proposed national bank
- Proposed government aid to manufacturing
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Funding and Assumption
- Funding: Congress redeems federal certificates of debt at face value
Unsuccessfully opposed because most certificates currently held by speculators
- Assumption: federal government purchases states' debts
Initially defeated, salvaged through payments to Virginia, location of new capital on Potomac
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Interpreting the Constitution: The Bank Controversy
- National bank privately owned, Federally chartered to regulate finance
- Madison opposes as benefit to the rich
- Jefferson opposes as unconstitutional
- Hamilton defends constitutionality through doctrine of “implied powers”
- Congress charters Bank, 1791
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Setback for Hamilton
- Report on Manufacturing (1791) seeks Federal encouragement for manufacturing
- Madison warns program will strengthen federal government at state expense
- Jefferson warns that the rise of cities will destroy agriculture and agrarian civic virtue
- Hamilton's recommendations defeated
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Charges of Treason:
The Battle over Foreign Affairs
- European context
French Revolution
War in Europe
- Division over foreign policy divides nation
- Jeffersonian Republicans favor France
- Hamiltonian Federalists favor England
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The Peril of Neutrality
- Franco-British War breaks out 1793
- England violates American sovereignty, neutrality on high seas
Jefferson: punish England by cutting off trade
Hamilton: appease England because too strong
- French diplomat Edmond Genet challenges American neutrality repeatedly in public
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Jay's Treaty Sparks
Domestic Unrest
- John Jay to England to demand:
removal of the English from American soil
payment for ships illegally seized
better commercial relations
acceptance of United States’ neutrality
- Hamilton informs English U.S. not firm
- Jay’s Treaty wins no concessions
- Washington dislikes, but accepts, treaty
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Jay's Treaty Sparks
Domestic Unrest (2)
- Senate ratified by smallest possible margin
- Newspapers viciously attack Treaty
- Republicans, press criticize Washington
- Nation rallies behind Washington
- Federalists brand Republicans as traitors
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Pushing the Native Americans Aside: The Ohio Country
- Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794)--U.S. Army defeats alliance of Indian nations in Ohio
- Treaty of Greenville (1794)--forces Indian removal from Ohio Country
- English withdraw support from Indians, pull back into Canada
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Pushing the Native Americans Aside: New Orleans & Florida
- Spain interprets Jay's Treaty as Anglo-American alliance against Spain
- Treaty of San Lorenzo (Pinckney’s Treaty)
Spanish open the Mississippi to U.S. West
Settle disputed border between Florida, U.S.
Spanish cease supplying the Indians
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Conquest of the West
Popular Political Culture
- Political “parties” condemned as faction
- Widespread concern over loss of common Revolutionary purpose
- Federalists and Republicans suspect each others’ loyalty
- Party members thought it a patriotic duty to destroy opposing party
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Informing the Public: News and Politics
- Common people highly literate
- Newspapers widely read, highly influential
- Newspapers shrill, totally partisan
- Political clubs promote political ideas
- Clubs associated with Republican Party
- Newspapers and clubs the main sources of political information
Whiskey Rebellion: Charges of Republican Conspiracy
- Excise tax on whiskey imposed 1791
- 1794--Pennsylvania farmers protest
- Republican governor refuses to act
- Federalist interpret as Republican conspiracy
- Jefferson sees crisis as Federalist invention
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Washington's Farewell
- Washington not limited to two terms
- 1796--announces decision to retire
- Warns against political parties
- Announcement timed to prevent Republican organization of presidential campaign
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The Adams Presidency
- 1796-1800--Federalists control government
- Attempt to suppress Republicans
- Federalist division thwarts suppression
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The XYZ Affair and Domestic Politics
- Jay’s Treaty prompts France to treat U.S. as unfriendly nation
- Quasi-War: French fire on U.S. ships
- Diplomatic mission fails when three French officials (X, Y, and Z) demand bribe
- Provokes anti-French outrage in U.S.
- Federalists attempt to crush Republicans by branding as pro-French
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Crushing Political Dissent
- Federalists begin building up the army
ostensible purpose: repel French invasion
actual intention: stifle internal opposition
- Hamilton commands army, controls officers
- Hamilton seeks declaration of war against France to begin operations against dissent
- Adams refuses to ask Congress for war
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Silencing Political Opposition: The Alien and Sedition Acts
- Alien Enemies Act, Alien Act gives the president power to expel any foreigner
- The Naturalization Act requires U.S. residency of fourteen years for citizenship
- Sedition Act criminalizes criticism of the government
- Federalist appointees in federal courts enforce Sedition Act in absurd ways
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Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
- Republicans see Alien and Sedition Acts as dire threat to liberty
- Jefferson’s Kentucky Resolutions--states may nullify unconstitutional federal law
- Madison's Virginia Resolutions--urge states to protect their citizens
- Purpose of resolutions: clarify differences between Republicans and Federalists
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Adams‘s Finest Hour
- 1799--Adams breaks with Hamilton
- Negotiates settlement with France
- War hysteria against France vanishes
- Hamilton's army seen as a useless expense
- Adams’ action costs him election in 1800
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The Peaceful Revolution:
the Election of 1800
- Hamilton’s High Federalists lead campaign to replace Adams with Pinckney
- Federalists unpopular
- Republican Thomas Jefferson wins
- Attempts to unite nation by stressing values shared by each party
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Danger of Political Extremism
- Election of 1800 one of the most important
- Transfer of power from Federalists to Republicans achieved peacefully
- Nation averted ideological civil war
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