1789-1800, pt. 4

Overview of the Time Period 1800-1820

  • Focus on the year 1800 and its significant developments.

The Election Year 1800

  • Political Context: Election year with two main political parties:
      - Federalists
      - Democratic-Republicans

  • Key Figures:
      - John Adams (incumbent president, Federalist, elected in 1796)
      - Thomas Jefferson (primary competitor, Democratic-Republican)

Election Dynamics

  • Insults and Campaign Mud-Slinging:
      - Insults directed at Adams:
        - Claims he wanted his son to marry a daughter of King George III, implying a royalist traitor-type agenda to reunite with Britain.
        - Accusations of being a "hermaphrodite", a term defined (in today's understanding) as a person born with both male and female genitalia.
      - Insults against Jefferson:
        - Called an atheist, questioning his morality and suggesting he would legalize grave moral offenses such as rape, robbery, murder, incest, and adultery.
        - Suggestion of introducing public executions, based on his admiration for the French Revolution and its known executions.

Jefferson's Unconventional Campaign Strategy

  • Promise of Vice Presidency:
      - Jefferson's claim to guarantee someone will be his Vice President, contradicting electoral process norms at the time which did not allow for “running mates.”
      - Proposed vice president: Aaron Burr.

Aaron Burr: A Complex Figure

  • Background:
      - Military service in the American Revolution, noted heroism.
      - Business partner to Alexander Hamilton, with whom he eventually had a tumultuous relationship.

  • Career Progression:
      - Became a Senator and later Attorney General of New York.
      - Personal life controversies with significant numbers of illegitimate children (8 out of 10 children were born out of wedlock).

Election Results

  • Electoral Vote Outcomes:
      - Adams received 68 electoral votes.
      - Jefferson received 73 electoral votes.
      - Burr tied with Jefferson, both receiving 73 votes; an outcome resulting from all Jefferson's voters also backing Burr, causing a voting overcount.

Constitutional Resolution for Electoral Tie

  • House of Representatives' Role:
      - The tie goes to the House of Representatives for decision.
      - Explanation of delegation: each state has congressmen that form a congressional delegation and vote as a unit.
      - Total states: 16, leading to potential complications in voting (especially with an even number of delegations).

Voting Process in the House

  • First vote resulted in a tie (8 for Jefferson, 8 for Burr).

  • Repeated voting led to 36 tie votes, indicating a stalemate.

Alexander Hamilton's Involvement

  • Influence on the Election:
      - Despite being a Federalist, Hamilton actively worked against Burr, viewing him as of worse character than Jefferson.
      - Hamilton's intervention led to Jefferson receiving 10 delegations' votes versus Burr’s 6.

  • Outcome:
      - Jefferson elected President and Burr became Vice President under these contentious circumstances.

Revolutionary Implications of the 1800 Election

  • Peaceful Transition of Power:
      - The election is termed the "Revolution of 1800" as it showcased a non-violent transition of power between political adversaries.
      - No revenge taken against Adams; Jefferson allowed him to retire without consequences for previous transgressions (e.g., Alien and Sedition Acts).

Twelfth Amendment: Reforming the Electoral Process

  • Context of Reform: By 1803, the issues in the election process were apparent.

  • Passage of the Twelfth Amendment (Ratified by 1804):
      - Introduced a system where electors cast two separate votes: one for President and one for Vice President.
      - This aimed to prevent future occurrences of ties and ensure smoother transitions and logically congruent ticket formations.

Modern Implications of the Twelfth Amendment

  • Separation of Votes:
      - The current electoral process still uses a version influenced by the Twelfth Amendment, though modern practices now include designated running mates.

  • Concluding Note:
      - The election of 1800 was pivotal in establishing key precedents for American political practice and is critical for understanding the evolution of the electoral system in the United States.