DEMOCRACY IN DISTRESS: THE VIOLENCE OF PARTY POLITICS, 1788-1800

1. DEMOCRACY IN DISTRESS: THE VIOLENCE OF PARTY POLITICS, 1788-1800 America: Past and Present Chapter 7

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Conquest of the West

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

22. The Adams Presidency • 1796-1800--Federalists control government • Attempt to suppress Republicans • Federalist division thwarts suppression

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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