Recap of the popular vote.
After the results of the popular election were known, it was clear that the presidential election still was undecided. Pres. Adams led by a narrow margin of 58-53 with 27 electoral votes undecided. Three states remained in contention: GA, PA, and SC.
State Legislatures Vote
Georgia was a special case. After the Pinckney Treaty with Spain granted Georgia all its claims in the future Alabama and Mississippi areas, the Federalist Party rebounded there. President Adams’s work in strengthening the army was also popular in Georgia, which always feared an attack by the Spanish in Florida. As a result, the Federalists won dramatic victories in the election of 10/6/1798. They defeated both members of the U.S. House and gained many seats in the legislature. Both new congressmen were more moderate than the Hamiltonians and supported the moderate policies of Pres. Adams. Members of the GA state legislature elected in 1800 would be choosing Presidential Electors and a U.S. Senator. James Gunn, the incumbent, was one of a very few Senators who had served continuously since 1789. He was also a leader of Georgia Federalists. When the legislature assembled, the DRs had control. They chose Electors pledged to Jefferson and voted to retire Sen. Gunn. The electoral vote now stood at Adams 58, Jefferson 57, not decided 23.
In Pennsylvania, the legislature was divided: the Federalists controlled the state senate and the Democratic
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Recap of the popular vote.
After the results of the popular election were known, it was clear that the presidential election still was undecided. Pres. Adams led by a narrow margin of 58-53 with 27 electoral votes undecided. Three states remained in contention: GA, PA, and SC.
State Legislatures Vote
Georgia was a special case. After the Pinckney Treaty with Spain granted Georgia all its claims in the future Alabama and Mississippi areas, the Federalist Party rebounded there. President Adams’s work in strengthening the army was also popular in Georgia, which always feared an attack by the Spanish in Florida. As a result, the Federalists won dramatic victories in the election of 10/6/1798. They defeated both members of the U.S. House and gained many seats in the legislature. Both new congressmen were more moderate than the Hamiltonians and supported the moderate policies of Pres. Adams. Members of the GA state legislature elected in 1800 would be choosing Presidential Electors and a U.S. Senator. James Gunn, the incumbent, was one of a very few Senators who had served continuously since 1789. He was also a leader of Georgia Federalists. When the legislature assembled, the DRs had control. They chose Electors pledged to Jefferson and voted to retire Sen. Gunn. The electoral vote now stood at Adams 58, Jefferson 57, not decided 23.
In Pennsylvania, the legislature was divided: the Federalists controlled the state senate and the Democratic Republicans controlled the state house. The two bodies maneuvered for days about how to appoint the Electors. Neither house would back down. Finally on 12/2/1800, the last day the Electors could be appointed, the two houses realized that some compromise had to be reached to prevent the commonwealth from losing all 15 electoral votes. The agreement: 8 Democratic Republican Electors and 7 Federalist Electors.
South Carolina also did not make its choice until the very last day. There, the legislature was comprised of nearly equal numbers of Federalists and Democratic Republicans. However, SC Federalists were like those found in other southern states: much more moderate than Hamilton or even Adams. The legislature offered Charles C. Pinckney a deal in which it would appoint eight Electors pledged to him and Jefferson. He refused to be elected President with any such deal. Therefore on 12/2/1800, the legislature narrowly approved the selection of eight Electors pledged to Jefferson and Burr.
Result. The Presidential Electors met on 12/3/1800 in their respective state capitols to cast the electoral vote. By 12/18/1800, it was clear that Jefferson had defeated Adams.
Joint Session of Congress
Congress assembled in joint session in the U.S. Senate chamber in Washington DC on 2/11/1801 to count the electoral votes, with VP Jefferson presiding (American Mercury, 2/19/1801). The tellers were U.S. Senator William H. Wells and U.S. Reps. John Rutledge and John Nicholas. The tellers reported an informality with the vote of Georgia, but since all present believed it to be a correct account of the vote of that state, it was entered into the tally. The result: Jefferson 73, Burr 73, Adams 65, Pinckney 64, and John Jay 1. Each DR Elector voted for Jefferson and Burr, resulting in a tie. VP Jefferson declared that the leading vote getters being tied, it was left to the U.S. House to make a choice. For the first time, the U.S. House would be responsible for choosing the President (see Contingent Election of 1801).
Federalist Caucus of 1800
Democratic Republican Caucus of 1800
Popular vote of 1800
Contingent Election of 1801
Key sources
The Glorious Burden, pp. 57-60.
The Presidential Game, pp. 65-68.
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