CHAPTER II. THE ADMINISTRATION OF JOHN ADAMS. Federal. One Term, 1797 to 1801. I. CABINET. PRESIDENT. 1797. John Adams, Massachusetts. VICE PRESIDENT. 1797. Thomas Jefferson, Virginia. SECRETARIES OF STATE. 1797. Timothy Pickering, Massachusetts. 1800. John Marshall, Virginia. SECRETARIES OF THE TREASURY. 1797. Oliver Wolcott, Connecticut. 1800. Samuel Dexter, Massachusetts. SECRETARIES OF WAR. 1797. James McHenry, Maryland. 1800. Samuel Dexter, Massachusetts. 1801. Roger Griswold, Connecticut. SECRETARIES OF THE NAVY. 1798. George Cabot, Massachusetts (declined). 1798. Benjamin Stoddart, Maryland. POSTMASTER GENERAL. 1797. Joseph Habersham, Georgia. ATTORNEY GENERAL. 1797. Charles Lee, Virginia. f II. CHIEF JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT. 1800. December 19, John Jay, New York. (Declined the appointment.) 1801. January 31, John Marshall, Virginia. III. SENATORS ELECTED PRESIDENTS PRO 1797. July, William Bradford, Rhode Island. 1800. November, John E. Howard, Maryland, IV. SPEAKERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESEN TATIVES. V. Congress, 1797, Jonathan Dayton, New Jersey, 1797, George Dent, Maryland. V. 66 VI. 1799, Theodore Sedgwick, Massachu setts. V. THE THIRD ELECTION. John Adams, 71; Thomas Jefferson, 68; Thomas Pinckney, S. C., 95; Aaron Burr, N. Y., 30; Samuel Adams, Mass., 15; Oliver Ellsworth, Conn., 11; John Jay, N. Y., 5; George Clinton, N. Y., 7; S. Johnson, S. C., 2; James Iredel, N. C., 3; George Washington, Va., 2; C. C. Pinckney, S. C., 1; John Henry, Md., 2. Total, 139. Sixteen States voted. This election presents the peculiar feature of electing the chiefs of the two opposing parties; Adams, the leader of the federalists, becoming President, and Jefferson, the foremost republican, Vice President. VI. POPULATION AND REPRESENTATION. 1800. Whites 4,304,489, free colored 108,395, and slaves 893,041. Total, 5,305,925. The ratio of Representation for 1800 to 1810 was fixed at 33,000, making 142 members. March 4. VII. HISTORICAL RECORD. 1797. Inauguration of Adams and Jefferson. May 15. An extra session of Congress convened on account of complications with France and a suspension of diplomatic intercourse with the French Republic. The session was brief, and accomplished the two objects for which it was called. It prepared for defense, and three frigates-Constitution, Constellation and United States-were at once built and manned. A detachment of 80,000 militia was authorized. Its second object, to provide additional revenue for defense, was secured by passing a stamp duty, imposing a tax on salt, and authorizing a loan. "Defense was the great object of the session; invasion the danger; and its repulse by land and sea the remedy." November 30. Another memorial of the Quakers praying for redress of grievances, the abolition of slavery, and the discouragement of every species of extravagance, luxury, vice and dissipation. It was referred to a committee, who reported, Feb. 14, 1798, the following resolution, to-wit: "That the memo rialists have leave to withdraw the said memorial and address." The motion prevailed. 1798. January 8. President Adams declared in his message, that the Eleventh Amendment (proposed March 15, 1794) had received a three-fourths ratification of the States, and was a part of the Constitution. February 15. A Fracas occurred in the House. Mr. Griswold gave Mr. Lyon a severe caning, while the latter was writing at his desk. A resolution to censure, was defeated by a vote of 48 to 47. April 25. The Department of the Navy was created by a close party vote of 47 to 41. The Republicans, (in the minority,) were opposed to the establishment of a Navy. May 18. Congress voted to raise a provisional army of 20,000 men, and an appropriation of $150,000 for equipment. July 10. The Alien and Sedition Laws were passed. The violent denunciation heaped upon the administration by the friends and emisaries of France seemed to call for these acts. By the Alien law power was conferred upon the President to expel such persons as he might find, who were plotting against the public peace and authority. The Sedition act was designed to restrict the bitterness of free speech, and the violent criticism of the press. These measures were passed by the Federal party and had the effect of making it extremely unpopular. J. Q. Adams has remarked, "that if Jefferson and Madison deemed the Alien and Sedition acts plain and palpable infractions of the Constitution, Washington and Patrick Henry held them to be good and wholesome laws." July. Active preparations were made for war. An extra session convened for this purpose. Washington was appointed Lieutenant-General and Commander-in-chief, but subsequent events rendered it unnecessary for him to take the field. 1799. February 8. The House voted to enlarge the Navy. The Federalists were again opposed by the Republicans in this measure. December 14. Washington expired suddenly at Mt. Vernon, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. He was left childless, that his country might call him father. It has been permitted to but few men to gain such universal fame, admiration and love, as did Washington. In every land his name is honored, and in him humanity found a friend. He was content to be president for a few years, when he might have made himself king, or dictator for life. Such is true greatness and excellence of character. 1800. January 2. Free men of color, of Philadelphia, petitioned the House for a revision of the Slave laws. It was voted that Congress had no authority in the matter. August. The Seat of Government was permanently removed to Washington; Maryland and Virginia having ceded a tract of 10 miles square for the location of the new city. September 30. A Treaty of Peace made with France. The war, if such it may be called, was |