Part 2 of My Presidential Review Series
With the very, very long article on George Washington out of the way, it is time to move on to John Adams. The only president to ever be elected under the Federalist party, Adams served March 4, 1797 to March 4, 1801. He was the first president to be denied reelection.
When Adams took office, relations with France had deteriorated badly due to Washington's pro-British foreign policy. Despite the popular calls for war, Adams sent Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry to negotiate a treaty with France. However, Foreign Minister Talleyrand refused to see them, and sent three men to demand a bribe of $250,000 in order to talk to him. The Americans refused. When Adams learned of it, he prepared for war. Many Democrat-Republicans, including Adams' own Vice President, Thomas Jefferson, believed Adams was exaggerating as an excuse for war. When they demanded to see the documents, Adams refused on the grounds of executive privilege. After urging by Alexander Hamilton and other Federalists, he released the documents but replaced the name of the 3 frenchmen with the letters X, Y, and Z. Though pro-French sentiment in Congress was effectively destroyed, there was now the danger of being swept into a war America was not prepared to fight. Despite increasing clamors for war, and a two-year undeclared naval war between America and France, known as the Quasi-War, Adams refused to outright declare war. Against all advice, Adams sent another peace mission to France. This time, not only did Talleyrand have an audience with them, but the Convention of 1800 was written, in which France agreed to respect U.S. neutrality at sea and released America from its obligations as ally from the Revolution. In return, France was granted most-favored nation status as a trading partner.
During the period after the XYZ Affair, Dr. George Logan of Pennsylvania spoke with French officials in an attempt to normalize relations. Congress then passed the Logan Act, which outlawed private diplomacy. It is still in effect today.
After the XYZ Affair created anti-Democrat-Republican sentiment, Adams kicked his opponents while they were down in passing four bills designed to destroy the party.
1. The Naturalization Act, which made it more difficult for immigrants (most were Democrat-Republicans) to become citizens.
2. The Alien Act, which gave the president authority to deport any aliens deemed dangerous.
3. The Enemy Aliens Act, which gave the president authority to arrest aliens from a country the U.S. was at war with.
4. The Sedition Act, which made it illegal to slander the government in the press. Of course, Federalists and Adams translated "slander" as disagreeing with them.
The Naturalization Act was repealed in 1802, and the rest were allowed to lapse by Thomas Jefferson in 1800.
In 1798 Adams approved of legislation levying federal taxes on property. John Fries led a group of Pennsylvanians in resistance to tax collectors and assesors. They were arrested and sentenced to be hanged, but all were pardoned by Adams.
Bitter about being denied reelection by Jefferson, Adams appointed a Federalist to nearly every judgeship in America under the hastily passed Judiciary Act of 1801. He hoped this would provide a strong check to Democrat-Republican executive power. Jefferson removed most of the appointments upon becoming president.
He died on July 4th, 1826, the same day as Jefferson, his Vice President, successor, and biggest political rival, died.
Adams remarkable achievement in successful, peaceful negotiations with France was nearly overshadowed by his attempts to cripple the opposition. The 4 bills that he passed with this express intention were not only terrible ideas, one was unconstitutional. However, Adams achieved more good than evil during his four years, and he should be commended for having a cooler head by holding out for peace despite so much clamor for war.
Overall Ranking: 11