A Time for Dilemma: John Adams and the French Problem President John Adams The XYZ Affair The Alien and Sedition Acts

1792 Election Results (16 states in the Union) George WashingtonVirginiaFederalist % John AdamsMassachusetts Federalist % George ClintonNew YorkDemocratic- Republican % Thomas JeffersonVirginiaDemocratic- Republican 43.0% Aaron BurrNew YorkFederalist10.7% Electoral Votes Not Cast % Total Number of Electors132 Total Electoral Votes Cast264 Number of Votes for a Majority 67

1792 Election Results

1796 Election Results (16 states in the Union) John AdamsMassachusettsFederalist7151.4% Thomas JeffersonVirginiaDemocratic- Republican % Thomas PinckneySouth CarolinaFederalist5942.8% Aaron BurrNew YorkDemocratic- Republican % Samuel AdamsMassachusettsFederalist1510.9% Oliver EllsworthConnecticutFederalist118.0% George ClintonNew YorkDemocratic- Republican 75.1% Other % Total Number of Electors138 Total Electoral Votes Cast276 Number of Votes for a Majority 70

1796 Election Results Adams Jefferson

The Election of 1796  Hamilton was the first Federalists choice for president but he was considered to controversial to run  Adams (Federalist) is chosen and is elected president in 1796  President Adams will be asked by both France and Britain to join their side against the other

The XYZ Affair  The French are angered by Jay’s Treaty and begin attacking American ships  Adams send agents to to enter in a treaty with the French as well

The XYZ Affair  French agents demand a bride before they talk to the American agents about a treaty  Adams embarrasses the Republicans by announcing to the nation how the French behaved  The nation prepares for a possible war

His Presidency  Adams was strong willed and disliked the Jeffersonian Republicans  Adams’ personality makes it hard for him to unify the Federalists  He’s perceived as weak when threatened by France with war and does not act on their threat

Trouble on The High Seas

The Alien and Sedition Acts  Federalists fear that Republicans and the French will become allies  French and British refugees are coming to the United States to escape the war  The Federalists will pass several laws to keep the Republicans for complaining against how the Federalist are running things

The Alien and Sedition Acts  June 18, 1798 The Naturalization Act requires a longer time of residence to become a citizen  June 25, 1798 Alien Act gave the president the power to expel foreigners (used against the French)  July 14, 1798 Sedition Act made it a crime to publish criticisms of the government

Politicians can be vindictive  The Federalists (Adam’s party) attempted to silence criticism from the Republican party by enforcing the Sedition Act  Ben Franklin’s son is actually arrested for violating the Act

The Kentucky and Virginia Resolves,1798  Jefferson and Madison believe that the Sedition Act violates the 1 st Amendment  They argue that states can nullify a federal law if the state believes it to be unconstitutional  The Resolves were a ploy to jumpstart Jefferson’s bid for president in the next election