Early Presidents Discussion Board Assignment July 14

JEFFERSON TO JOHN QUINCY ADAMS

Thomas Jefferson was elected in a disputed election in 1800; he was elected by the House of Representatives and the Federalist Party- the first Republican party- was afraid that Jefferson would change the system of government and cater to the majority who happened to be farmers. But Jefferson saw that the system was working, so he did not start a "revolution" but he did try to change the emphasis of government and he did try to start programs that would benefit the farmers. This was the Jefferson tradition: when a new president with a new party comes into power, the government system does not change, but a new direction or emphasis in government is apparent. His first inaugural speech stressed the need for a government of limited powers. Thomas Jefferson is the first Democratic president in American history; he is also referred to as a study in contract and he is rated above average. His eight year presidency was a mixed bag with some highly rated policies and some questionable policies. He is also the first of the Virginia Dynasty. This term refers to twenty four years of Virginia Democrats as president.

Why was Thomas Jefferson referred to as a study in contrast? Thomas Jefferson was well educated; he was our first college graduate president. He was also very wealthy with his plantation home at Monticello. Take a tour: http://www.monticello.org/ This home reflected the multi-talented personality of Jefferson. Actually he may be the most talent president we have ever had. He was an architect, an educator as the founder of the University of Virginia, an inventor, a bilingual traveler with his many trips to France, a musician, the first Secretary of State, the second vice president of the United States, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the founder of the Democratic Party. Plus he played the violin beautifully. He was not just the first Democratic president; he was Mr. Democrat. He even composed his own epitaph: "Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of Independence, of the statue of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of VA." Yet this multi-talented, wealthy man believed in majority politics. What a contrast! This means that he wanted to follow policies in government that would benefit the farmer. Actually in many ways Jefferson was a farmer at heart. He was the first president to serve in the newly created Washington, D.C. In those days Washington, D.C. was in the middle of the wilderness. The initial white house was like a barn and Pennsylvania Avenue was mud. Jefferson felt that he had a rural capital for a rural nation. As president Jefferson tried to invent various farm implements such as plows and he also sponsored an agricultural fair. But the contrast would continue. He made the government more accessible by allowing anyone to attend public government party and function; he wanted to be addressed as "Mr. Jefferson" rather than "Mr. President." He even walked to his own inauguration. This well educated, talented man was one of the worst dressers as president. His clothes would never match and he loved being informal and wearing a bathrobe and slippers. It is believed that he had the largest wine bill of any president in our history because he preferred expensive French wine. His wife had died and he was a widower president. But he was a womanizer with slave women and many writers believe other women. This informal president also had a very interesting cabinet. James Madison, known as little Jimmy due to his size, was a very colorful Secretary of State whose wit was evident in cabinet meetings and James Madison's wife Dolly was the adopted first lady who was responsible for many a white house party. It is clear that Thomas Jefferson was a study in contrast.

Thomas Jefferson served eight years as the first Democratic president and is rated an above average president. It is again important to mention that he did not change the basic system of government that clearly favored the wealthy but that was working. There are three major polities of Jefferson that need to be discussed: his land policy, his court policy, and his foreign policy. He is considered to be rated high on his land policy, but his court policy and foreign policy were not very successful. This is why he is not rated as high as George Washington and is rated above average.

When Thomas Jefferson became president, Napoleon was in power in France. Napoleon had just acquired from Spain the region to the west of the United States known as Louisiana. This area comprised what is the midwest region today. Napoleon now had the idea of making this region his American empire. Meanwhile, Jefferson was concerned about western trade. The Spanish had allowed the United States to use their city of New Orleans for western trade; Jefferson now felt that Napoleon would cut off the use of this city and even limit the use of the Mississippi River. So Jefferson sent James Monroe as a special minister to France to negotiate with Napoleon and his ministers to purchase the city of New Orleans for up to $10 million which may also include parts of Florida and to guarantee the continual use of the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, the plans of Napoleon for an American empire had fallen apart, plus Napoleon desperately needed money as he was about to go to war with England. Napoleon even was afraid that England may acquire the region to the west of the United States. So Napoleon's ministers offered to the American ministers the following deal: we will sell all of Louisiana for $15 million. After negotiations and counter negotiations, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty was put together and sent to Jefferson. He knew that there would be opposition to this land acquisition and there was. Plus he was a believer in the strict interpretation of the constitution and there was nothing in the constitution about expanding the boundaries of the United States. Still Jefferson believed that this treaty would be of great benefit for the future of the United States; it would double the size of the United States. So Jefferson supported the treaty and the treaty was ratified. The Louisiana Purchase has become the greatest real estate deal in American History; the United States acquired more than 875,000 square miles and did double its size. Thomas Jefferson is the first of two major land presidents in our early history. He also becomes the first exploration president; he decided to use the United States army to begin to explore this nearly acquired region. A detailed description of the Louisiana Purchase can be found at: http://www.inlink.com/~terryl/LPTerritory.html. It was this purchase that made Jefferson very popular and ensured his re-election in 1804.

Jefferson and his ministers' adept handling of the negotiations with France helped the rating of Jefferson, but his court policy and his foreign policy would hurt his rating. Thomas Jefferson believed that the court should reflect the philosophy of the president. But the courts were filled with Federalist or conservative judges. To make matters worse, John Adams had appointed more Federalist judges and court officials just before he left office. These appointments were known as the midnight judges. Jefferson tried to stop as many of these appointments as possible. He withheld the appointment papers from Willliam Marbury who had been appointed by Adams as justice of the peace of the District of Columbia. Marbury eventually took his case to the supreme court. John Marshall who was cousin of Jefferson but who did not like his cousin was now chief justice of the supreme court. Marshall wanted to avoid a conflict with the Thomas Jefferson in this matter, but he did rule in the case of Marbury v. Madison that the supreme Court did have the power to review laws of congress. This power of judicial review has become the major power of the supreme court. But Jefferson's problems with the courts would continue.

Jefferson now tried to use impeachment as a political weapon and to remove judges who were unpopular and/or conservative. He had little trouble in removing Judge John Pickering because Pickering had problems with mental illness, but he now tried to remove Judge Samuel Chase. But this attempt to remove Chase failed and it was an embarrassing moment for Jefferson. Chase may have been conservative and a Federalist judge, but he was not incompetent and he was not removed as judge. Jefferson no longer would use impeachment as a political weapon. Jefferson even had a court problem with his own vice president Aaron Burr. Burr was part of a plan to set up a separate government system in the New England area that would stop new Western territories from altering the power balance in Congress. But Alexander Hamilton thwarted this plan by blocking Burr's attempt to become governor of New York. It was also believed that Aaron Burr, a known womanizer, had a personal conflict with Hamilton over a woman. Burr eventually challenged Hamilton to a duel and Hamilton accepted. He was afraid that the government would collapse under the leadership of Jefferson and he saw himself as an American Napoleon. The Burr-Hamilton duel occurred on July 11, 1804 in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hamilton missed on his first shot, but Burr's shot was deadly. Hamilton, the founder of the Federalist party, was mortally wounded and died several hours later. Jefferson's main political opposition was gone, but problems with his vice president would continue. In 1804 George Clinton replaced Burr as vice president under Jefferson. Burr now participated in an illegal expedition in Spanish territory and was arrested for treason. Jefferson wanted Burr to be found guilty of treason, but Chief Justice John Marshall would again frustrate Jefferson. Marshall's definition of treason was so strict that Burr received an acquittal and now spent many years in exile in Europe. Jefferson was not successful in his struggles with the court system; many Americans felt that he wanted to control the courts. This is one of the more unpopular aspects of the Jefferson presidency. But his problems in foreign policy would become very evident in his second term and also led to his unpopularity.

During Jefferson's second term, France and England were at war. Both countries would violate the neutral rights of the United States on the sea. Both countries would stop our ships and seize our ships, but the British practice of impressment- stopping of United States ships, seizing some sailors on board, and "impressing" them into service in the British navy- really angered the American public While Jefferson and his Secretary of State James Madison tried to resolve this situation diplomatically, they had no success. Plus tension increased on the sea. 12 United States ships were detailed off the coast of New York. Then in June, 1807 the United States frigate Chesapeake was stopped by the British frigate Leopard. A battle resulted in which 3 Americans were killed and 18 wounded. Cries for war were heard from Democrats and Federalists alike. But Jefferson saw that the United States was in no position militarily to go to war, so he sound an unpopular diplomatic solution. He sent emissaries to negotiate with England for payment of damages and then as a last ditch effort, he supported an embargo which allowed no exports from the United States to any country. He felt that the French and England needed our exports and they would change their policy toward the United States on the sea. But this Embargo Act of 1807 made Jefferson very unpopular, particularly along the Atlantic coast. (Incidentally the word "embargo" was used as a word that could be spelled forward as well as backward- This was the O Grab Me law). Many merchants discovered that Jefferson had created an economic crisis and they resorted to smuggling to avoid this law. This law did not have its attended success and before Jefferson left office it was withdrawn. Thomas Jefferson left the presidency on a low in 1808. He is rated an above average president. He did not change the system of government that was working. He became a flexible president in supporting the Louisiana Purchase Treaty- the high point of his presidency. But he did have problems with the court and he was unsuccessful in resolving problems in foreign policy.

James Madison was the choice of the Democratic Party in 1808 and he was easily elected president. James Madison becomes the fourth president of the United States and the second president in the Virginia Dynasty. He is the shortest(height-challenged) president in American History at barely over five feet tall. And he is referred to as a "study in frustration." James Madison became president with a great deal of potential. Here is an excellent biography of Madison: http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/bios/04pmadi.html and you can see what type of background he had before becoming president. He may have been small in stature and unimpressive physically, but he achieved a great deal in his lifetime. He has been referred to as "the father of the constitution" and he has earned this title for his working during the constitutional convention and in his defense of the constitutional system of government. He was the co-founder of the Democratic party and was a congressman who was responsible for the Bill of Rights- the first ten amendments to the constitution- one of the most widely used parts of the constitution. He had been Secretary of State during the Jefferson presidency. So here was a experienced congresssman, politician, and statesman. But he was frustrated by events in foreign policy and by the War of 1812.

James Madison inherited the deteriorating situation with England as well as growing discontent over Jefferson's embargo and avoidance of war. James Madison was now forced in his first term to deal primarily with problems in foreign policy. And he was very inconsistent in foreign policy. He was embarrassed by his dealings with England and he was taken in by Napoleon's diplomatic tricks and now Madison reopened trade with France while he limited trade with England. Madison now issued a war ultimatum to England with a time limit. Communications in those days were slow and the time limited passed. Madison felt that he had no choice and he now declared war on England. While Madison was frustrated by his foreign policy and his spending little time in domestic affairs, he would be more frustrated by the worst war in our early history: the War of 1812.

The War of 1812 will be discussed in detail in our last topic: early war. But we now need to discuss the role of James Madison as our first war president and our worst war president. There is no question that Madison's inconsistent foreign policy was a major factor in the coming of the war. Madison not became a war president with little understanding of war, with no military experience, and with virtually no military. The United States was inadequately prepared for the War of 1812. Madison also had very poor military leaders and military advisors. His Secretary of War was William Eustis and was referred to as Willy Useless. He did a poor job of coordinating the military effort. James Madison, however, is considered the only war president who ever participated in a battle. He rode to the area near Washington,D.C., where the Battle Bladensburg was taking place; some report that he even fired a shot. But he saw we were losing, so he rode back to the capitol and ordered that it be abandoned. The British army marched unopposed into Washington, D.C. and set fire to all public buildings and caused over $1.5 million in damages. Meanwhile, Madison was a president in hiding as he fled to Virginia. Plus Madison was one of the most criticized war presidents; the major critics were the Federalists in New England and they called the war: "Mr. Madison's War" and many state governors in that area tried to stop their citizens from supporting the war and participating in the war. Plus the war ended in a tie. There were 1,877 killed and 4,000 wounded; the United States had major war debts. Washington, D.C. was in shambles. Madison's last days as president were involved with creating a peacetime military, with the establishment of a second government bank and in failing to create a federally funded network of roads and canals. The Federalist party had been major critics of Madison and the war. James Madison never reached his potential and was frustrated for much of his presidency; he is rated a below average president. After the war ended, many Americans considered the Federalists traitors. This was the death blow to the Federalist party: the first Republican party. Their leader and founder had been killed in a duel and the party now disappeared.

The election of 1816 featured the election of Democrat James Monroe: the last of the Virginia Dynasty. Here are some highlights of the life and times and presidency of Monroe: http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/bios/05pmonr.html The eight year presidency of James Monroe is identified by the term The Era of Good Feelings. There were many reasons for this period of good feelings. Political tension disappeared as there was only one political party: the Democratic Party. Actually it appeared that there were no formal political parties. Good feelings were evident in major westward expansion; Americans were moving in large numbers into the midwest area. It was a time of mass capital and mass labor; the American Industrial Revolution with beginning and factory labor led to mass labor. It was a time for the growth of national culture and for patriotism. Our national anthem was adopted as our national song. There was peace in politics at home and peace in foreign policy. France and England were no longer at war, the few problems in foreign policy were minimal. The nation didn't seem to need a president. And they had one who actually did little as president. He was not much of a speaker or writer, but he was always pictured as a friendly and honest man. He is rated average as an early president. While the Boston newspaper referred to this time as the era of good feelings, there were both good feelings as well as bad feelings.

In 1819 there was a America's first real economic depression known as the Panic of 1819. Various economic factors such as inflation and speculation in western lands and overextended investments in factories led to this severe depression. This depression led to economic suffering and to the closure of many banks, but Monroe did not take a leadership role in dealing with this depression. Actually Monroe would start a long standing tradition of presidents not getting involved in economic crisis and assuming that these economic setbacks would eventually go away.

Of course, the major source of bad feelings would be the rise of political sectionalism. The North was becoming increasing urban and industrial. New York City had now become the financial center of the country, meanwhile the South was moving toward the land of cotton plantations and slaves. Eventually the South would become the world's major supplier of raw cotton. Then there was the West. This was a much more open, democratic and liberal area than the South and North. The North and South came together in the federal government but their economic goals and values were becoming more and more different. The first crisis that occurred between North and South came in 1820 with the Missouri Crisis; this is the early beginning of problems between north and south that would eventually lead to war in 1861.

In 1820 Missouri wanted to be admitted to the union as a state; Missouri was a Southern slave state. If Missouri was admitted to the union, the South would control the Senate. The population in the north was growing faster than in the south, so the south knew that its political future lay in the Senate. Northern congressmen such as Rufus King from New York tried to block statehood for Missouri. Monroe took no leadership role in this crisis. It was up to congress to resolve the first crisis of political sectionalism. A compromise known as the Missouri Compromise was reached; Missouri was admitted as a southern state and Maine was admitted as a northern state. So the balance in the senate continued. Also a line was created along 36 30 that prohibited slavery north of that line.

Monroe's accomplishments are limited. He was an honest individual who did little to cause the good feelings or did little to alleviate the bad feelings. Today he is remember primarily for his statement in foreign policy known as the Monroe Doctrine. During Monroe's second term the United States recognized the independence of many new Latin American countries. England now put pressure on the United States to issue a statement that would limit Spain and France in particular from extending their land holdings in the New World. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams reacted to that pressure created a statement in foreign policy that Monroe included in his annual address to Congress in 1823. This Monroe Doctrine basically warned the nations of Europe that colonization of the Americas was over and that the United States would become the guardian of the Western Hemisphere. At the time of the announcement of this doctrine, it meant little, but over the years it has become an essential part of America' s foreign policy.

In 1824 political unity was over and five men wanted to be president. This would be the last time that a congressional caucus would choose a candidate for president. The congressional caucus nominated Secretary of War William Crawford. Now state legislatures added their nominations. Tennessee nominated Andrew Jackson, while Kentucky nominated Henry Clay. Massachusetts nominated John Quincy Adams, while South Carolina nominated John Calhoun. Crawford suffered a paralytic stoke and was no longer a viable candidate. Calhoun agreed to run for vice-president on the Adams and Jackson tickets. Jackson received the most popular votes greatly due to the fact that he was a military hero and Indian fighter. But he did not receive enough votes to be elected. For the second and last time the election was held in the House of Representatives. To understand the win by John Quincy Adams, we need to discuss the second road to the White House.

We have already discussed the reasons why Washington was elected first president. All the next presidents had first been Secretary of State: Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. It now appeared that this was the position to hold in order to be president. So John Quincy Adams who needed the support of Clay to win; so he offered him a deal: if you support me, I will make you Secretary of State. Remember that Adams himself had been Secretary of State. This was obviously an attractive offer to Clay and with Clay's support, John Quincy Adams was elected the sixth president of the United States by the House of Representatives. It was a legal election, but an unpopular one. Jackson's followers screamed, "We was robbed" in their good English. John Quincy Adams would become a one term below average rated president.

There was a great deal of similarity between John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams. Both of these men had poor images and they were both loners. They took little advice and trusted few people. John Quincy Adams walked alone with his dog every evening and would write some of his key ideas at night in his diary. Plus when the weather permitted, he would swim nude in the Potomac River. He did not trust or like the media. One of the few interviews he gave was to a lady reporter who came to the bank of the Potomac River when he was swimming nude and hid his clothes. She would not give them back until he gave an interview which he did reluctantly. But John Quincy Adams is rated higher than his father because he took the job of president as a job. His father believed it was an honor not a job. John Quincy Adams, however, did have problems different from his father and those were family problems. Adams and his wife did not get along well. They would continually fight in the White House; she would throw things and would break plates over his "massive bald head." He also did not get along well with his children. In fact one of the great tragedies of the Adams presidency was the suicide of his son. In addition, as the nation celebrated its fiftieth birthday on July 4, 1826, Adams learned that his father as well as Thomas Jefferson had died.

John Quincy Adams is known as the prophet president due to his future ideas. He wanted the United States to become a naval power; he wanted with federal funding road and canal construction projects. And he wanted a national university and to turn Washington,D.C. into a cultural center. He had much opposition to his ideas, especially from those who believed that states should be responsible for many of these projects. Plus Andrew Jackson wanted to try and embarrass Adams any way that he could. Jackson and his followers in congress, for example, blocked Adams' plan to participate more actively in the affairs of Latin America. Andrew Jackson could not wait until the election of 1828; he was nominated for president as was John Quincy Adams. The election of 1828 not only featured the election of the most popular early president, it also featured the beginning of modern politics.