The 1The 1stst Party Party SystemSystem

• 1. Between 1783 and 1800, the new 1. Between 1783 and 1800, the new government of the United States faced the government of the United States faced the same political, economic , and constitutional same political, economic , and constitutional issues that troubled the British government’s issues that troubled the British government’s relations with the colonies prior to the relations with the colonies prior to the Revolution. Assess the validity of this Revolution. Assess the validity of this generalization. (80)generalization. (80)

• 2. “ Our prevailing passions are ambition and 2. “ Our prevailing passions are ambition and interest; and it will be the duty of a wise interest; and it will be the duty of a wise government to avail itself of those passions, in government to avail itself of those passions, in order to make them subservient to the public order to make them subservient to the public good.” -Alexander Hamilton, 1787 good.” -Alexander Hamilton, 1787 – How was this viewpoint manifested in Hamilton’s How was this viewpoint manifested in Hamilton’s

financial program as Secretary of the Treasury? financial program as Secretary of the Treasury? ( 71)( 71)

• 3. Evaluate the relative importance of 3. Evaluate the relative importance of domestic and foreign affairs in shaping domestic and foreign affairs in shaping American politics in the 1790’s. (94)American politics in the 1790’s. (94)

I. Washington and the 18I. Washington and the 18thth Century View of PartyCentury View of Party

• April 14, 1789: GW April 14, 1789: GW receives word of receives word of (unanimous) (unanimous) electionelection processions and processions and parades followed parades followed trip to NYC trip to NYC (capital)(capital) public public expressions of expressions of unityunity

• GW symbol of nation and unity above GW symbol of nation and unity above political partypolitical party

• Parties = faction = discord and Parties = faction = discord and confusionconfusion

• Parties reflect and foment disunityParties reflect and foment disunity• No concept of legitimate political No concept of legitimate political

opposition: parties tool of tyrannyopposition: parties tool of tyranny– Doc CDoc C

• Const. intended to diminish/abolish Const. intended to diminish/abolish factions; Ams painfully accept parties factions; Ams painfully accept parties as necessaryas necessary

II. Hamilton and the II. Hamilton and the Emerging Republican Emerging Republican

OppositionOppositionA. An Energetic A. An Energetic

GovernmentGovernment• AH believed “energy” of AH believed “energy” of

Fed required to transform Fed required to transform US from rural + US from rural + agrarianagrarian urban + urban + industrialindustrial

• Reverse “excesses” of Reverse “excesses” of democracy through democracy through strong central govstrong central gov

B. Hamilton’s ReportsB. Hamilton’s Reports

• 1790 +1: 3 position papers laying out 1790 +1: 3 position papers laying out programprogram

• 1) 1) Public CreditI Public CreditI (1790) Establish secure (1790) Establish secure credit + pay off debt (yes)credit + pay off debt (yes)

• 2) 22) 2ndnd Public Credit: Create Bank of the Public Credit: Create Bank of the United States (yes)United States (yes)

• 3) 3) Manufactures Manufactures (1791): Stimulate (1791): Stimulate manufacturing through protective tariffs, manufacturing through protective tariffs, bounties, encourage immigration, bounties, encourage immigration, internal improvements (no; but internal improvements (no; but eventually)eventually)

• Hamiltonian policies (esp. #3) Hamiltonian policies (esp. #3) push TJ and JM to active push TJ and JM to active oppositionopposition– Doc EDoc E

• Increasingly saw AH and Feds Increasingly saw AH and Feds as aristocratic + monocrats as aristocratic + monocrats attempting to recreate England attempting to recreate England in Amin Am– Came to see GW as senile pawn of Came to see GW as senile pawn of

younger AH (aide de camp in Rev)younger AH (aide de camp in Rev)

• To cleanse Fed threatTo cleanse Fed threat mobilize organized opposition mobilize organized opposition despite hatred of parties: temp. despite hatred of parties: temp. coalition to stop AH menace coalition to stop AH menace that would dissolve after that would dissolve after successsuccess– Doc F and GDoc F and G

• JM took point in House, TJ behind JM took point in House, TJ behind scenes in Cabinet (Sec’y State)scenes in Cabinet (Sec’y State)

• GW limited polarization: most GW limited polarization: most unwilling to believe his unwilling to believe his administration could be evil with the administration could be evil with the great hero at its headgreat hero at its head

• But, increasingly GW was an AH But, increasingly GW was an AH partisan + divisions about how US partisan + divisions about how US should look grewshould look grew– Doc HDoc H

III. Anglomen and III. Anglomen and GallomenGallomen

A. The French RevolutionA. The French Revolution• F Rev (was FR heir to AR?) and renewed B-F Rev (was FR heir to AR?) and renewed B-

F war ignited divideF war ignited divide• GW declares neutralityGW declares neutrality• 1793: TJ resigns bc GW too pro-Brit1793: TJ resigns bc GW too pro-Brit• Anglomen and Gallomen fight over meaning Anglomen and Gallomen fight over meaning

ARAR– Doc DDoc D

• Neutrality easy to declare, diff maintain: Neutrality easy to declare, diff maintain: B+ F willing step on young, weak USB+ F willing step on young, weak US

B. GenetB. Genet• Citizen Edmond Genet (1793) sent to Citizen Edmond Genet (1793) sent to

US: acts as if US F satellite + staging US: acts as if US F satellite + staging ground for attacks on B and Sground for attacks on B and S appoints George Rogers Clark appoints George Rogers Clark commander of army attempting to raise; commander of army attempting to raise; demands GW call special session demands GW call special session Congress to resolve Am policy toward F; Congress to resolve Am policy toward F; threatens to go over GW’s head to Am threatens to go over GW’s head to Am peoplepeople– Some success in raising money + troops, Some success in raising money + troops,

esp. among those who want to take more esp. among those who want to take more landland

C. British Provocation and C. British Provocation and Jay’s TreatyJay’s Treaty

• B extend embargo to Carib, seize 250 B extend embargo to Carib, seize 250 Am ships, claim right to stop all AM Am ships, claim right to stop all AM ships on high seas to search for ships on high seas to search for deserters (grab all sorts people)deserters (grab all sorts people) John John Jay sent to negotiateJay sent to negotiate

• Jay has no cards to playJay has no cards to play basically gives basically gives up Am rights to high seas + allows B up Am rights to high seas + allows B same power to regulate Am trade as same power to regulate Am trade as under Navigation Acts (but gets under Navigation Acts (but gets withdrawal Western forts)withdrawal Western forts)

• Jay burned in effigyJay burned in effigy

• GW throws weight behind Treaty, GW throws weight behind Treaty, narrowly passes (evidence sectionalism narrowly passes (evidence sectionalism and partisanship)and partisanship)

• GW attack as partisan + corruptGW attack as partisan + corrupt• Va DR toast: call for speedy deathVa DR toast: call for speedy death• Still powerful enough guarantee JA Still powerful enough guarantee JA

electionelection• Relations w/F disintegrate: revocation Relations w/F disintegrate: revocation

F-Am pact, negotiators sent to FF-Am pact, negotiators sent to F XYZ XYZ AffairAffair calls for war; even greater pol’l calls for war; even greater pol’l division (parties and society)division (parties and society)

IV. Alien and Sedition IV. Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)Acts (1798)

• Increasingly paranoid style of politics: not just Increasingly paranoid style of politics: not just opponents but enemies of nation (traitors)opponents but enemies of nation (traitors)– Doc SDoc S

• War imminent, worst enemies w/in: Gallic War imminent, worst enemies w/in: Gallic devotees, supposed F armies in West, and devotees, supposed F armies in West, and immigrants sent by F to start a rev (esp. immigrants sent by F to start a rev (esp. Catholic Irish)Catholic Irish)

• Naturalized Irish voting DRNaturalized Irish voting DR Alien Act Alien Act• Lengthened residency req from 5 to 14 yrs, Lengthened residency req from 5 to 14 yrs,

empowered Pres to imprison or deport “enemy empowered Pres to imprison or deport “enemy aliens” in case of waraliens” in case of war

Sedition ActSedition Act

• Speak or print or write scandalous or Speak or print or write scandalous or malicious criticism of gov’t (even if true)malicious criticism of gov’t (even if true) heavy fine or prisonheavy fine or prison– Used as weapon against DR papersUsed as weapon against DR papers

• Mathew Lyon (Spitting Lyon): July ’98: libel Mathew Lyon (Spitting Lyon): July ’98: libel vs. Adamsvs. Adams pleads unconstitutionality: pleads unconstitutionality: imprisoned, kept writing, elected to House imprisoned, kept writing, elected to House (from jail), and in 1800 cast deciding vote for (from jail), and in 1800 cast deciding vote for TJTJ

• Enforcement of sedition loose (only 10 of 25 Enforcement of sedition loose (only 10 of 25 convicted), and # DR papers doublesconvicted), and # DR papers doubles

V. Revolution of 1800V. Revolution of 1800• Election of 1800 broke hold of Feds (except Election of 1800 broke hold of Feds (except

Judiciary) and rise of DRsJudiciary) and rise of DRs• Successful, nonviolent transition of power Successful, nonviolent transition of power

from one party to another during period from one party to another during period intense partisan rancorintense partisan rancor

• Produced legitimacy of political opp. + opp. Produced legitimacy of political opp. + opp. entitled to gain reins of power if established entitled to gain reins of power if established a strong following (although F and DR still a strong following (although F and DR still hate + fear each other)hate + fear each other)

• How? Deep belief and faith in Const. (and How? Deep belief and faith in Const. (and otherwise) checks on excessive power otherwise) checks on excessive power – Party now an additional check on power of gov: Party now an additional check on power of gov:

necessary evilnecessary evil