Beginning in the early 1790s, opponents of the Washington administration sought closer ties to the revolutionary government in France. Many Americans felt a kinship with the French, who they perceived were throwing off their monarchy in favor of a form of government like that of the USA. Pro-French rhetoric was scaled back following the election of 1796, as the French government became more belligerent towards the USA.

The first glimmer of hope for the DR Party was the passage of the four acts which were later dubbed the Alien and Sedition Acts. VP Jefferson wrote a document which was named the Kentucky Resolutions when the legislature of that state adopted them on 11/16/1798. James Madison authored a similar protest which was adopted by Virginia (12/24/1798) and came to be known as the Virginia Resolutions. Opposition press began to publish the documents and discuss them as the congressional elections of 1798-1799 were taking place. At the time, however, the populace was not interested, as the Federalist Party made major gains in both the Senate and House.

Over the course of 1799, however, continued discussion of the VA and KY Resolutions marred the Federalist Party. Aaron Burr mounted a highly organized campaign in New York State for local elections there on 4/29 to 5/1/1800, and the DR Party gained control of the legislature in an upset.

One of the first decisions of the election of 1800 came i

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Beginning in the early 1790s, opponents of the Washington administration sought closer ties to the revolutionary government in France. Many Americans felt a kinship with the French, who they perceived were throwing off their monarchy in favor of a form of government like that of the USA. Pro-French rhetoric was scaled back following the election of 1796, as the French government became more belligerent towards the USA.

The first glimmer of hope for the DR Party was the passage of the four acts which were later dubbed the Alien and Sedition Acts. VP Jefferson wrote a document which was named the Kentucky Resolutions when the legislature of that state adopted them on 11/16/1798. James Madison authored a similar protest which was adopted by Virginia (12/24/1798) and came to be known as the Virginia Resolutions. Opposition press began to publish the documents and discuss them as the congressional elections of 1798-1799 were taking place. At the time, however, the populace was not interested, as the Federalist Party made major gains in both the Senate and House.

Over the course of 1799, however, continued discussion of the VA and KY Resolutions marred the Federalist Party. Aaron Burr mounted a highly organized campaign in New York State for local elections there on 4/29 to 5/1/1800, and the DR Party gained control of the legislature in an upset.

One of the first decisions of the election of 1800 came in Virginia. The state legislature, assuming that Jefferson would be the DR nominee, decided to change the way Presidential Electors would be chosen. Massive Federalist gains in 1799 indicated that Adams would carry at least four electoral districts. The legislature therefore switched the mode of election from Electoral Districts to the General Ticket (at large) to ensure that Jefferson would win all Virginia’s electoral votes.

First Democratic Republican Caucus. The first Democratic Republican caucus assembled secretly in Marache’s Boarding House in Philadelphia on 5/11/1800. At the time, the delegates were certain to nominate VP Jefferson as one of their two candidates. Aaron Burr’s striking victory in New York gave him a lot of clout, since he effectively controlled 12 electoral votes. He was thus chosen for the second slot, with the understanding that the Presidential Electors would vote for both Jefferson and Burr.

Popular vote of 1800

Electoral vote of 1800

Contingent Election of 1801

2d DR Caucus (1804)

Key sources

The Glorious Burden, pp. 53-57.

The Presidential Game, pp. 58-65.

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