Jeff er son's strength.

didates of the other party would be brought in as VicePresident. Just this, as we shall see, occurred in 1797. Let us now return to the candidates at the third presidential election. In addition to the advantages which Mr. Jefferson derived from the definitive retirement of Washington from public life, from the unpopularity of many of the measures of the closing administration, and from the growing democratic spirit of the country, he possessed an immense source of power in the fact that he was the sole possible candidate of his party and its universally recognized leader. No man stood near him for the nomination; no rival divided with him the confidence and support of the Republicans of the United States. On the other hand, Mr. Adams was only one of three great leaders of the Federalist party. Hamilton and Jay came also within the possible range of nomination. Each of them had hosts of followers, who held Mr. Adams in less esteem. Jay, however, just at this time, was an undesirable candidate, on account of the British treaty; and his own support of Adams was loyal and hearty; but between Adams and Hamilton was mutual distrust, while the soaring ambition of the younger statesman and his consciousness of vast powers made him unhappy at seeing another preferred to himself, mainly on the ground of revolutionary services. Adams had always been disposed to charge Hamilton with the responsibility for the large reduction of his vote in 1789; and in 1796 he fully believed that, at the election then impending, Hamilton was not indisposed to secure his defeat, even at the cost of bringing in Jefferson. But while the Republicans thus entered upon the third presidential election with greatly increased force, the time had not as yet been long enough completely to wear away the hold which the Federalist party had, at the beginning,

upon the mind of the country. It was to require four years more to break down Federalist supremacy and give the leadership to the party which Mr. Jefferson had been so assiduously and astutely building up.

Mr. Adams triumphed; but it was only by the narrowest majority. He received seventy-one votes in the electoral college; Mr. Jefferson, sixty-eight. Adams electEven this hairbreadth escape was due more to ed by a narrow majority. personal than political reasons. "A single voice in Virginia and one in North Carolina," writes Mr. Charles Francis Adams, "prompted by the lingering memory of revolutionary services, had turned the scale. Had these two electors consented to forget how John Adams stood up for American liberty in the days of the Stamp Act and the Boston port bill; how he urged on the cause of Independence and defended the Declaration upon the floor of the Revolutionary Congress, Jefferson might have been elected in 1797, for those two votes would have just brought him in. The narrowness of his majority could not have been pleasant to Mr. Adams. He jocosely called himself "a President of three votes," but there is reason to believe that he took the matter in his heart more seriously. It would even appear that the Republicans made an attempt, or at least put out "“feelers" in that direction, to draw Mr. Adams, in his natural irritation at the manner in which he had been dealt with, over to themselves; but if they really thought that this was possible, they did know their man, who was as sturdy, sincere, and loyal, as he was vain, dogmatic, and obstinate.

In the same connection we see the evil consequences of the peculiar provision we have recited regarding the choice of Vice-President. Thomas Pinckney had been nominated for this office with Adams; but, in fact, he received fewer votes than Mr. Jefferson, who thus, though the Republican candidate for the presidency, be

Jefferson

President.

Washing

came Vice-President under a Federalist chief, a result conducive neither to his own dignity and pleasure, nor to honest politics and good government. The becomes Vice- reason for "cutting " Mr. Pinckney had largely been the fear of the Federalist electors that there might be a tie between him and Adams. On retiring from public office, Washington issued an address to the American people, of whom he had for twenty-two years been the leader, alike in ton's Farewell war and in peace. This Farewell Message Address. is among the most precious of the nation's many legacies from its great men of thought and action. Written simply and without rhetorical artifice, it is dignified in form, earnest in tone, clear in statement, effective in argument, impressive in admonition, powerful in appeal. As was natural on such an occasion, the address deals less with policies and with positive recommendations than with the dangers to which the new nation, so strangely and curiously composed, would surely be subjected in the days of its trial and experiment; less with precepts than with warnings. Chief among its themes are the evils of entangling alliances with foreign nations and of sectional animosities and jealousies at home. On these two points the address dwells with a fulness which reveals how strongly the apprehension of them had taken possession of the great patriot-chieftain's mind and heart. In the most solemn terms he adjures his fellow-citizens to be Americans above all things and in all things, cherishing the interests of their whole country with equal affection, and knowing no foes and no friends, politically, but the foes and friends of the United States. Respect for law, the sacredness of national credit, moderation in party feeling, public and private virtue are all made the subjects of earnest admonition and argument.

CHAPTER VIII

THE ADMINISTRATION OF JOHN ADAMS

President Adams Retains Washington's Cabinet-Foreign AffairsDifficulties with France Aggravated-A Special Mission sent -Envoys Insulted-War Imminent-Federalist Enthusiasm — Washington appointed Commander-in-Chief - Schemes of Hamilton and Miranda-Spanish Possessions to be SeizedPresident Adams sends a New Mission-The French Treaty -The Spoliation Claims-Taxation in this AdministrationStamp Duties arouse Opposition-The Direct Tax-Inefficiency of this Tax in the United States-Resistance to the LawConviction of the Rioters-Fries Pardoned-Anger of the Federalists-What Constitutes Treason ?-Navy Department Created-Alien and Sedition Laws-Furious Opposition by the Republicans-Nullification Resolutions of Virginia and Kentucky-Responses of Federalist States-Madison's Defence -Congress Meets in the New Capital-The First Bankruptcy Law-The Second Census-Death of Washington-Split in the Cabinet Secretaries Intrigue against the President-Hamilton's Opposition to Adams-His Pamphlet-The Fourth Presidential Election-Adams Defeated-Jefferson and Burr receive an Equal Vote-Contest in the House - Federalists take up Burr-Jefferson finally chosen President-Causes of the Defeat of the Federalists-Marshall becomes Chief-Justice.

UPON his inauguration, March 4, 1797, Mr. Adams retained in office the cabinet of Washington. This, as we shall see, became the cause of much The Cabinet. trouble to him. The Senate was still strong

ly Federalist; but many of its members were not well disposed toward the President.

The importance of foreign affairs under this administration seems to require that we should deal first with

them. It has been said that France deemed itself injured by the British treaty; and that General Pinckney was notified that the French government would receive no minister from the United States until reparation should be made. Soon news arrived that Pinckney had been ordered out of France. French cruisers were already seizing our ships, under a decree of their government authorizing the capture of neutral vessels having on board any of the productions of Great Britain or of any of her possessions. War seemed* imminent; and Congress was convened for a special session. It met with an administration majority in both France immi- branches. In his opening message, President Adams used language so strong that it was resented by the French Directory as an additional grievance. Having effected its organization, Congress proceeded to make provision for defence.

War with

nent.

The mission

Mr. Adams, however, was resolved to make one more effort to secure a peaceful settlement; and, with this in view, nominated to the Senate as envoys to France. to France, Charles C. Pinckney, Elbridge Gerry, and John Marshall-Gerry being a Republican but an intimate personal friend of Adams. Time would fail to describe the ludicrous and shameful incidents of that embassy. Suffice it to say that, the French Directory being composed of low and irresponsible persons, the negotiations soon degenerated into an attempt to fleece the American envoys, apparently for the benefit of covetous individuals in the Directory. After our representatives had been for some time kept waiting, certain strikers" (in the phrase of modern municipal

* Whether, in the result, France, engaged, as she was, in a deadly struggle, would have carried matters so far with us, may now be doubted; but that was the way in which it appeared to the statesmen and people of the time.