Presidential Transitions: Adams to Jefferson (1800)
At one time, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were good friends. Then politics killed that friendship. Their friendship would later be resurrected long after both men had left the White House. But by 1800 the two were political enemies. Adams was a Federalist who believed in a strong central government, who believed such a structure necessary to protect the collective states from world powers like Great Britain. Jefferson was a Democratic-Republican who thought that a strong central government increased the risk of the nation becoming a monarchy. He favored greater powers for the states.
The two ran against one another in the election of 1796, after George Washington had retired, having served two terms in office. Adams defeated Jefferson in that election, and in 1800 the two men would face one another once again, this time with a different result. It was a bitter re-match between the pro-French and pro-decentralization Democratic-Republicans under Jefferson and Aaron Burr against the incumbent Adams and Charles Pinckney, who were pro-centralization Federalists. The political fallout from the French Revolution, including opposition to the tax imposed by Congress to pay for the mobilization of the new army and the navy in the Quasi-War against France in 1798, were key issues in the campaign. Adams had hurt his popularity by the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which Federalists used to stifle dissent from Democratic-Republican newspaper editors.
The Federalists were split between their two major leaders, Adams and Alexander Hamilton. At the time members of the Electoral College were authorized to vote for two names for President. The candidate with the most electoral votes would become President and the candidate with the second most would become Vice President. The Democratic-Republicans had planned for one of the electors to abstain from casting his second vote for Aaron Burr, which would have led to Jefferson receiving one electoral vote more than Burr, making Jefferson President and Burr Vice President. But the plan failed when each elector who voted for Jefferson also voted for Burr, resulting in a tied electoral vote.
Although there would be a transition from the Adams administration, no one knew who power would transition to. The members of the House of Representatives balloted as states. There were sixteen states, and an absolute majority (nine) was required to determine whether Jefferson or Burr would become president. The outgoing House of Representatives, controlled by the Federalist Party, was would be voting to elect the new president.
Jefferson was intended to be the candidate for president and Burr for vice-president. It presented a dilemma for the many Federalists in the House. They did not want to support Jefferson, who had been their principal political opponent since 1789. They relished the chance to deny Jefferson the presidency, and so most Federalists voted for Burr, who received Burr six of the eight states controlled by Federalists. The seven delegations controlled by Democratic-Republicans all voted for Jefferson. Federalist Georgia also voted for Jefferson giving him eight states. The Vermont delegation was evenly split between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans and cast a blank ballot. The remaining state, Maryland, had five Federalist representatives to three Democratic-Republicans. But one of its Federalist representatives voted for Jefferson, forcing that state delegation also to cast a blank ballot.
Over the course of the next week, February 11 to 17, the House cast a total of 35 ballots, with Jefferson receiving the votes of eight state delegations each time—one short of the necessary majority of nine. Hamilton recommended that Federalists support Jefferson. While Hamilton disliked Jefferson, his contempt for fellow New Yorker Burr was even greater. He called Jefferson "by far not so dangerous a man" as Burr.Hamilton embarked on a letter-writing campaign to get delegates to switch votes.
On February 17, on the 36th ballot, Jefferson was elected. Federalist James A. Bayard of Delaware and his allies in Maryland and Vermont all cast blank ballots. This resulted in the Maryland and Vermont votes changing from no selection to Jefferson, giving him the votes of 10 states and the presidency. Bayard (the sole representative from Delaware) changed his vote from Burr to no selection. The four representatives present from South Carolina, all Federalists, also changed their 3–1 selection of Burr to four abstentions.
The transition of power from Adams to Jefferson was a smooth one. Jefferson was sworn in by Chief Justice John Marshall at the new Capitol in Washington, D.C. on March 4, 1801. He arrived on horseback to his inauguration, without escort, dressed plainly. He ignored formality, even tending to his own horse at a nearby stable. In his inaugural address, he called for national unity. He said: "We have been called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists." He also expressed his commitment to minority rights, freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
John Adams did not attend Jefferson's inauguration. He was unhappy about the acrimonious campaign, but was also grieving the recent death of his son Charles Adams from alcoholism. Adams left the President's House at 4 a.m. that morning on the early public stagecoach for Baltimore. This was the first time an outgoing President would not attend his successor's inauguration, but not the last. In 1828 his son did the same thing.
The two ran against one another in the election of 1796, after George Washington had retired, having served two terms in office. Adams defeated Jefferson in that election, and in 1800 the two men would face one another once again, this time with a different result. It was a bitter re-match between the pro-French and pro-decentralization Democratic-Republicans under Jefferson and Aaron Burr against the incumbent Adams and Charles Pinckney, who were pro-centralization Federalists. The political fallout from the French Revolution, including opposition to the tax imposed by Congress to pay for the mobilization of the new army and the navy in the Quasi-War against France in 1798, were key issues in the campaign. Adams had hurt his popularity by the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which Federalists used to stifle dissent from Democratic-Republican newspaper editors.
The Federalists were split between their two major leaders, Adams and Alexander Hamilton. At the time members of the Electoral College were authorized to vote for two names for President. The candidate with the most electoral votes would become President and the candidate with the second most would become Vice President. The Democratic-Republicans had planned for one of the electors to abstain from casting his second vote for Aaron Burr, which would have led to Jefferson receiving one electoral vote more than Burr, making Jefferson President and Burr Vice President. But the plan failed when each elector who voted for Jefferson also voted for Burr, resulting in a tied electoral vote.
Although there would be a transition from the Adams administration, no one knew who power would transition to. The members of the House of Representatives balloted as states. There were sixteen states, and an absolute majority (nine) was required to determine whether Jefferson or Burr would become president. The outgoing House of Representatives, controlled by the Federalist Party, was would be voting to elect the new president.
Jefferson was intended to be the candidate for president and Burr for vice-president. It presented a dilemma for the many Federalists in the House. They did not want to support Jefferson, who had been their principal political opponent since 1789. They relished the chance to deny Jefferson the presidency, and so most Federalists voted for Burr, who received Burr six of the eight states controlled by Federalists. The seven delegations controlled by Democratic-Republicans all voted for Jefferson. Federalist Georgia also voted for Jefferson giving him eight states. The Vermont delegation was evenly split between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans and cast a blank ballot. The remaining state, Maryland, had five Federalist representatives to three Democratic-Republicans. But one of its Federalist representatives voted for Jefferson, forcing that state delegation also to cast a blank ballot.
Over the course of the next week, February 11 to 17, the House cast a total of 35 ballots, with Jefferson receiving the votes of eight state delegations each time—one short of the necessary majority of nine. Hamilton recommended that Federalists support Jefferson. While Hamilton disliked Jefferson, his contempt for fellow New Yorker Burr was even greater. He called Jefferson "by far not so dangerous a man" as Burr.Hamilton embarked on a letter-writing campaign to get delegates to switch votes.
On February 17, on the 36th ballot, Jefferson was elected. Federalist James A. Bayard of Delaware and his allies in Maryland and Vermont all cast blank ballots. This resulted in the Maryland and Vermont votes changing from no selection to Jefferson, giving him the votes of 10 states and the presidency. Bayard (the sole representative from Delaware) changed his vote from Burr to no selection. The four representatives present from South Carolina, all Federalists, also changed their 3–1 selection of Burr to four abstentions.
The transition of power from Adams to Jefferson was a smooth one. Jefferson was sworn in by Chief Justice John Marshall at the new Capitol in Washington, D.C. on March 4, 1801. He arrived on horseback to his inauguration, without escort, dressed plainly. He ignored formality, even tending to his own horse at a nearby stable. In his inaugural address, he called for national unity. He said: "We have been called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists." He also expressed his commitment to minority rights, freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
John Adams did not attend Jefferson's inauguration. He was unhappy about the acrimonious campaign, but was also grieving the recent death of his son Charles Adams from alcoholism. Adams left the President's House at 4 a.m. that morning on the early public stagecoach for Baltimore. This was the first time an outgoing President would not attend his successor's inauguration, but not the last. In 1828 his son did the same thing.