Launching the New Ship of State 1789-1800

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Launching the New Ship of State1789-1800

• The American Pageant
• Chapter 10

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Ship on Uncertain Sea

• 1790 Pop. doubling every 25 yrs, cities grew,
  but 90 rural.
• Only 5 west of Appalachians, most in KY, TN,
  OH.
• 1791 Vermont becomes 14th state.

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Ship on Uncertain Sea (2)

• Revolution problems under Articles eroded
  respect for authority a necessary evil.
• Frontier was less loyal, esp. with Spain ruling
  mouth of Miss., Spanish/English agents.

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Ship on Uncertain Sea (3)

• Govt operating on very little revenue, huge
  public debt, little metallic money.
• Many regarded creation of huge Republic as
  impossible, monarchs afraid of success.

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Wash.s Profed Regime

• 1789 Wash. unanimously elected Pres. by Elec.
  College.
• Triumphal procession from Mt. Vernon to NYC, took
  oath on April 30, 1789 on balcony over Wall
  Street.

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Wash.s Profed Regime (2)

• Wash. established cabinet, with Secretaries of
  State (Jefferson), Treasury (Hamilton), War
  (Henry Knox).
• Developed practice of cabinet meetings.

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The Bill of Rights

• Many states had ratified Const. on grounds that
  bill of rights would be added.
• Madison drafted amendments, guided them through
  Congress.

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The Bill of Rights (2)

• 1791 1st 10 amendments adopted by req'd of
  states.
• Incl. basic rights freedom of religion, speech,
  press, bear arms, trial by jury, assembly,
  petition govt for grievances.

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The Bill of Rights (3)

• Also prohibits cruel unusual punishment and
  arbitrary govt seizure of private property.
• 9th Amendment just because these rights are
  listed, doesnt mean thats all the rights.

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The Bill of Rights (4)

• 10th Amend. For states righters rights not
  specifically given to Fed. govt are reserved to
  states, people.
• 1789 Judiciary Act created federal courts,
  Supreme Court under John Jay (CJ).

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Hamilton Revives Credit

• Brilliant Treasury Sec. Hamilton developed plan
  to help economy help wealthy, who will help
  govt, prosperity will trickle down to masses.
• 1st goal bolster US credit.

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Hamilton Revives Credit (2)

• Urged Congress to fund debt at par (principal
  interest).
• Urged Congress to assume debts of states, as debt
  was to pay for war, assumption would chain states
  to union, attach wealthy creditors to fed.
  govt.

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Hamilton Revives Credit (3)

• Heavy debt states (e.g. MA) delighted, light debt
  VA didnt like plan, needed convincing.
• Hamilton persuaded Congress to create DC near VA,
  got enough votes in Congress for assumption
  (1790).

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Customs Duties/Excises

• B/c funding at par, assumption, govt had huge
  debt (75M).
• Hamilton not worried, felt that debt was union
  adhesive.
• Money to pay debt? Customs duties from tariffs
  req'd large foreign trade.

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Customs Duties/Excises (2)

• 1789 1st tariff law, 8 tariff on imports.
  Goal revenue protection for new industries.
• 1791 Excise tax on few domestic items, e.g.
  whiskey (7/gallon).

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Battle for a Bank

• Hamilton desired Bank of US, in order to

• Provide place for govt funds, which would
  stimulate business by remaining in circulation.
• Print paper money, providing sound national
  currency.

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Battle for a Bank (2)

• Bank useful, but would it be constitutional?
• Jefferson the Constitution does not authorize
  creation of bank, that power reserved for states.
• Developed theory of strict construction.

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Battle for a Bank (3)

• Strict constructionists held to strict/literal
  interpretation of Constitution fed. govt can
  only do what is specifically allowed.
• Hamilton argued that govt could do whatever not
  for-bidden by Constitution.

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Battle for a Bank (4)

• Hamilton used necessary proper (or elastic)
  clause resulting implied powers to justify
  this view (loose construction).
• A loose or broad interpretation of the
  Constitution.

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Battle for a Bank (5)

• Hamilton convinced Wash. to his view, Wash.
  signed bank bill into law.
• Debate over bank revealed North/South split.
• Bank created in 1791, chartered for 20 years.

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Mutinous Moonshiners

• 1794 Whiskey rebellion in PA challenged new
  govt.
• Hamiltons high excise tax angered PA pioneers,
  as whiskey was economic necessity, even used as
  money.

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Mutinous Moonshiners (2)

• Revenue officers were tarred feathered,
  collections halted.
• Wash. summoned militia, but found no significant
  rebellion, criticized for excessive force.
• However, Wash.s government commanded new respect.

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Political Parties Emerge

• Hamiltons successes resulted in solid US credit,
  but policies infringed on states rights.
• Organized opposition began to build (Jefferson
  Madison) 1st in Congress, but flowed out to
  public via newspapers.

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Political Parties Emerge (2)

• Founders had not anticipated political parties,
  and, in fact, their existence in a democracy
  seemed disloyal.
• However, 2-party system has existed ever since,
  providing needed check on maj. party.

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Impact of French Rev.

• Americans, esp. Jeffersonians, cheered beg. of
  French Rev.
• However, when Reign of Terror began, Federalist
  opposed, aristocrats afraid of masses.
• Became war which spread to New World.

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Neutrality Proclamation

• Franco-American alliance of 1778 still in effect,
  bound US to protect French West Indies.
• Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans favored
  honoring the alliance, entering conflict against
  Britain.

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Neutrality Proclamation (2)

• However Wash. knew US weak militarily,
  economically war must be avoided. Needed
  another generation of American fertility to
  increase power.
• 1793 W/out Congress, issued Neutrality
  Proclamation.

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Neutrality Proclamation (3)

• Proclamation warned citizens to be impartial.
• Citizen Genêt arrives from French Republic at
  Charleston. Zealously promotes alliance with
  France, accepted by Demo-cratic-Republicans.

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Neutrality Proclamation (4)

• Genêt believed Proclamation did not reflect
  people, recruited Americans for invasions of FL,
  LA, Canada.
• Wash. demanded his recall.
• France never actually reqd. US to honor treaty
  obligation.

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Conflicts with Britain

• British made neutrality difficult maintained
  trading posts on US soil, sold firearms to
  Indians, collaborated with Indians to check US
  expansion to frontier.

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Conflicts with Britain (2)

• British expected Americans to defend Fr. W.
  Indies, so attack-ed US merchant ships, seizing
  about 300, impressed and imprisoned American
  sailors.
• Jeffersonians called for war, Feds resisted
  (financial system).

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Jays Treaty/Wash. Leaves

• To avoid war, Wash. sent CJ Jay to London (1794).
  Jeffs concerned about Jays loyalty.
• Hamilton feared war with England, secretly
  supplied Brits with US bargaining strategy.

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Jays Treaty/Wash. Leaves (2)

• Brits agree to pay some damag-es, but req'd US to
  pay old debts on pre-Revolution accounts.
• Jeffs felt treaty was surrender to Britain,
  betrayal of South (who had debts).

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Jays Treaty/Wash. Leaves (3)

• Jays Treaty gave life to new Democratic-Republica
  n party, tarnished Wash.s popularity.
• Spain, fearing US-British alliance, gives US free
  use of Miss., disputed territory north of FL.

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Jays Treaty/Wash. Leaves (4)

• 1796 Exhausted from diplomatic partisan
  battles, Wash. decides not to seek 2nd term, est.
  2-term precedent.
• Farewell address advised US to avoid permanent
  alliances.

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Adams Becomes President

• 1796 campaign Dem-Reps criticized crushing of
  Whiskey Rebellion, Jays treaty.
• Adams was supported by New England, def.
  Jefferson 71-68 in Electoral College. Jefferson
  becomes VP.

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Fighting with France

• French upset by Jays treaty, saw as violation of
  France-US treaty, step toward alliance with
  England.
• French warships begin to seize US merchant ships,
  about 300 by 1797.

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Fighting with France (2)

• French refused to receive new US envoy,
  threatened arrest.
• Adams, like Wash., wanted to avoid war, sent
  3-person delegation, incl. John Marshall.
• 1797 Delegation reaches Paris to meet with
  Talleyrand.

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Fighting with France (3)

• Rather than Talleyrand, approached by 3
  go-betweens, later called X, Y, Z.
• XYZ demanded loan, bribe of 250,000 to merely
  talk with Talleyrand. US delegation shocked,
  refused demands.

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Fighting with France (4)

• Americans wanted war millions for defense, but
  not one cent for tribute.
• Feds delighted, Jeffersonians embarrassed by
  French.
• US prepares for war, expands navy, est. US Marine
  Corps.

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Fighting with France (5)

• 1798-1800 In undeclared hostilities, mostly
  around West Indies, US captured over 80 French
  ships, lost several hundred to France.
• Needed only slight push for war.

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Patriotism Above Party

• France/Talleyrand did not want war, or push US to
  Britain.
• French send back-channel message that new US
  minister would be received properly.
• 1799 Adams submits to Senate new minister to
  France.

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Patriotism Above Party (2)

• Hamilton/war-hawk Feds enraged, but most
  Americans agreeable to try for peace.
• 1800 new US envoys come to find Napolean as new
  dictator, desiring to resolve US conflict.

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Patriotism Above Party (3)

• Convention of 1800 signed ended Franco-American
  alliance.
• Adams deserves credit avoided war unknowingly
  laid foundation for LA Purchase.

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Federalist Witch Hunt

• 1798 Using anti-French hysteria, Feds in
  Congress pass Alien Sedition Acts.
• Alien Laws raised residency req'd for
  citizenship to 14 years (from 5), resulting in
  fewer Dem-Rep voters.

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Federalist Witch Hunt (2)

• Alien Laws also gave Pres. authority to deport
  (peace) or imprison (wartime) foreigners.
• Sedition Act prohibited impeding policies of
  govt or falsely defaming officials aimed at
  Jeff. newspapers.

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Federalist Witch Hunt (3)

• Sedition Act violated Const., but Fed SC would
  not overturn.
• Law wrote to expire in 1801 in case Feds lost
  election.
• Despite violation of freedoms, Acts were very
  popular.

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VA KY Resolutions

• Jefferson (secretly) Madison write resolutions
  adopted by KY VA legislatures arguing
  nullification.
• US govt had overstepped bounds, compact with
  states had been violated.

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VA KY Resolutions (2)

• As a result, states could nullify federal laws,
  specific-ally the Alien Sedition Acts.
• Feds response its people, not states, that
  formed union, therefore up to SC to nullify.

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Feds vs. Democratic-Rep.

• Federalists in 1800 campaign held

• Rule by the best people.
• Distrusted full-blown democracy.
• Advocated strong central govt to crush
  democratic excess (Shays).
• Govt should support enterprise.
• Pro-British (trade)

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Feds vs. Democratic-Rep. (2)

• Jefferson led Democratic-Republicans, appealed to
  middle class, underprivileged.
• So-called traitor to his upper class, Jefferson
  opposed any kind of tyranny.

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Feds vs. Democratic-Rep. (3)

• Dem-Reps in 1800 campaign held

• Weak central govt, most power retained by
  states.
• No special privileges for upper class,
  manufacturers (agriculture most important).
• Rule by people, voting for all literate, educated.

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Feds vs. Democratic-Rep. (4)

• Dem-Reps held (2)

• Importance of land ownership to democracy, sadly
  req'd slavery.
• Jefferson championed free speech, press to expose
  misdeeds of tyranny.
• Pro-French supported liberal ideals of French
  Revolution.

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