Chapter 10 Washington and Adams

• Population doubling every 25 years - 4 million people - 1790

• 90% rural - only 5% lived west of the Appalachian Mountains

• Largest city - Philadelphia

• World was watching: feared both failure and success of US

• Unanimous vote - no political party• Good character, not necessarily a

good politician!• Inauguration - NYC, April 30,

cannons, flowers, singing• Couldn’t blame others, set standards

for presidency

• Not mentioned in Constitution

• “May require” written opinions of the heads of the executive departments (supply advice)

• At first only 3 Departments - all headed by a Secretary

• Secretary of State - Thomas Jefferson - deals with foreign affairs

• Secretary of Treasury - Alexander Hamilton

• Secretary of War - Henry Knox - head of army and navy

• Attorney General - Edmund Randolph - comes in later

• Federalist, wanted active government - to help economic growth

• Powerful commercial nation with high tariffs to pay for education, growth, promote immigration

• Anti-Slavery, financial wizard• “Loves country more than countrymen”

• Republican Party (Democratic-Republicans)

• Laissez-faire government - “Government that governs least governs best”

• Quiet agrarian nation, low tariffs, for the common people

• Slaveholders and landowners

• Created the federal courts

• Organized Supreme Court - hear appeals from Circuits Courts

• Chief Justice - John Jay - and 5 Associate Justices

• 13 District Courts and 3 Circuit Courts

• 1791 - First 10 amendments

• Major criticism of Constitution by the Anti-Federalists

• Protect individual rights from the strong central government

• 2 Ways to propose amendments - 2/3 of Congress or Conventions

• James Madison feared a new convention would lessen Federalist victory - drafted amendments himself

• Adopted 1791

• Amendments 9 and 10 very important - other rights and states rights

• Alexander Hamilton

• Payment of the National Debt

• Payment of State Debts

• The Bank of the United States

• Customs Duties and Excise Taxes

• During Revolution - gov’t sold bonds (promised payment with interest) and issued paper money

• Hamilton wants government to fund national debt “at par” - face value with interest ($54 million)

• Thought debt would ensure longevity?!

• People had lost faith in bonds and sold them to rich speculators

• Hamilton criticized - rich are getting richer - mostly Northerners

• Plan passed by Congress - called the “funding fathers”

• Hamilton wants gov’t to assume state debts ($21 million +)

• South opposes - little debt - had already paid them off - angry - South would once again help pay debt of North

• Jefferson returns from France and argues against

• Hamilton pleads for his support

• Compromise - Jefferson will support and sway votes if Hamilton agrees that the nations new capital will be located in Virginia on banks of Potomac

• Hamilton wants federal bank in which Nat’l gov’t would be major stockholder - 1/5 of share to gov’t, 4/5 private investors

• Tax $ and private $, could make huge loans if necessary

• Washington asks for opinions!

• Jefferson cries out against the bank - fights for states rights - state banks would die

• Strict Constructionist

• Hamilton argues for the bank - Elastic Clause “necessary and proper”

• Loose Constructionist

• Washington signs into law

• Money to pay debts from customs duties derived from high tariffs

• Tariff on foreign trade (first one - 8% on imports)

• Also wants to protect US manufacturers - wants industrial revolution to spread to the US

• Agrarian Congress - little increases

• Levied an excise tax on making and selling of whiskey 7 cents/gallon

• Mainly affected backcountry distillers - easier to transport whiskey than grain

• Also a form of currency for many

• Angry farmers get together and rebel

• Washington summons militia to put down rebellion in western Pennsylvania (13,000)

• No real battle, most had fled (3 killed) Whiskey Rebellion - 1794

• Few captured and pardoned by Washington

• New respect for Washington’s new government

• Develop out of Hamilton/Jefferson feud

• Only factions before Washington era - No parties

• 2 Distinct parties by 1792/93 - Hamiltonian Federalists, Jeffersonian Republicans

• Believed in rule by the “best people” - upper classes

• Those who own the country ought to govern it - common man -dumb

• Supported strong central gov’t - should foster business not interfere with it

• Pro-British - wanted friendly ties with G.B. - needed them to trade with - some mild Loyalists still sentimental to mother country

• Made up mostly of merchants, shippers, and manufacturers

• Also party of James Madison

• Wanted weak central gov’t - “government that governs least governs best”

• Bulk of power should be retained by the states - people remain in closer contact

• Rule for the people, but not all of the people - only people who were literate and could make informed decisions

• Freedom of Speech necessary to voice against the government

• Pro-French - ideals of revolution

• Made up mostly of agrarians from the South and Southwest

• Began in 1789 (26 years)

• Affected American political and social life - saw is as continuation of own Revolution

• France proclaims itself a republic - excited Americans

• England later sucked into the conflict - Americans mixed

• Both France and G.B. want US on their side

• US had an alliance with France to help defend West Indies

• Republicans want to honor Alliance obligation

• Federalists want to avoid war altogether

• Washington wants to avoid war at all costs - weak military, shaky economy, political disunity

• Best for the country - need time to grow - both parties agree

• Issued Proclamation - warned people to be impartial to both countries

• Citizen Edmond Genet - French Representative in US - tried to bring US into the war - underhanded - replaced later

• France would actually gain more if US remained neutral - could be a provider

• G.B. upset with the proclamation

• Seizing US ships, taking supplies, impressing Americans into service, threw some in dungeons, people very upset

• Federalists stay calm - need British for the economy

• Republicans want war - defend liberties - at least an embargo

• Washington sends John Jay to England in 1794 - upset Republicans - thought he would sell out

• British promised to evacuate posts on US

• Promised to pay damages for the seizures - no promise to stop

• Bound US to pay pre-war debts

• Outraged Jeffersonians - Southern farmers would foot the bill again, Northern shippers being paid for damages

• Washington backs treaty - avoid war - narrowly passes Senate

• Created deep split between Federalists and Republicans

Jay’s TreatyJay’s Treaty

• John Jay (Chief John Jay (Chief Justice) sent to Justice) sent to London for London for agreementagreement–England leave all England leave all

forts in Northwest forts in Northwest TerritoryTerritory

–Expand trade Expand trade • Treaty didn’t end Treaty didn’t end

English stopping US English stopping US ships searching for ships searching for British subjectsBritish subjects

• Spain fears Anglo-American alliance - 1795

• Granted free navigation of the Mississippi River

• Yielded large area north of Florida to the United States

• Begins tradition by deciding not to run for a 3rd term - exhausted and tired of verbal abuse

• Great accomplishment - he kept us out of war

• Farewell Address - not delivered orally, but published in newspapers

Warns of the

dangers of three things!

Peace out!

• Rise of political parties - need cooperation to run government

• Sectionalism - political divisions based on geography

• Involvement in foreign wars - avoid permanent alliances - alright in emergencies - isolationism

Washington’s Death 1799Washington’s Death 1799

• Federalists - John Adams (71)

• Republicans - Thomas Jefferson (68) - becomes vice-president

• Campaign focuses on personalities

• Issue also becomes Jay’s Treaty

Election of 1796

• Washington’s successor

• Hated by Hamilton - resigns from Treasury

• Cabinet was against him

• Inherited quarrel with France

• Vice-President from different party

• Didn’t have prestige as Washington

• Known as very honest, devoted to public service

• Cooled relations with France

• Failed to silence critics (decreased popularity)

• Undeclared war with France

• French upset w/Jay’s Treaty - saw it as alliance w/England - violated Franco-American Treaty of 1778

• French warships begin to seize defenseless American vessels (about 300

• French regime refused American diplomats to Paris

• American people are outraged and want respect - Adams wants to stay out of any kind of war

• Leads to deteriorating relationship with France in the 1790’s

• Adams tries a final time to negotiate

• Cause of the undeclared war

• Adams sent 3 men headed by John Marshall to meet with Tallyrand (Foreign Minister)

• Secretly approached by 3 go betweens known as X,Y,Z

• Want loan and bribe to meet

• Intolerable - return home

Show us theMoney!

• Created Navy Dept., expanded Navy• Established Marine Corps• New Army of 10,000 led by

Washington/Hamilton• Undeclared battles, sea warfare• Navy captured 80 vessels, lost hundreds

of merchantmen

• France doesn’t want war - no new enemies, spread out the fight, didn’t want GB and US close again, Napoleon wants power in Europe

• Tallyrand invites America to send a new Minister

• Adams also wants to avoid full scale war - nations too weak and young - would have increased his popularity

• Sent 3 envoys to Paris• Welcomed by Gov’t - Napoleon• Granted break from Treaty of

1778• Americans had to pay damages to

American shippers• Impact on future (Louisiana)

Measures passed by the Federalists designed to

muffle or minimize their foes (Republicans) and

Silence their critics

• Aimed at Immigrants - tended to join Republican Party

• 1) Raised residency requirements for citizenship from 5 to 14 years

• 2) President could deport dangerous foreigners in peacetime

• 3) Deport or imprison them in times of war

• Aimed at newspapers/writers

• Fines or imprisonment for anyone who wrote false or damaging remarks about the gov’t

• Slapped control on Freedom of Speech/Press

• Unconstitutional? Fed. Judges

• Converted many to Jeffersonians

• Written in response to Alien and Sedition Acts - Jefferson and Madison

• “Compact Theory” between Federal gov’t and states - said states were final judge to decide if federal gov’t had overstepped its authority

• Jefferson’s approved by Kentucky Legislature - 1798-99

• Madison did the same in Virginia

• No other states followed - final decision left to the people

• Jefferson upset - uses it as a campaign platform

• Adams (65), Jefferson (73), Burr (73), Pinckney (64)

• Tie - had to be decided in the House of Representatives

• Majority of Federalists in House - many wanted Burr - didn’t vote - went to Jefferson

• Peaceful exchange of power

• J. Adams - last Fed. President

• Party of the Elite

• More Brains, talent, and ability than any other party past or present

• Leaders had kept peace

• Lost favor of the people, no appeal to common man