Political factions or parties began to form during the struggle over ratification of the federal Constitution of 1787. Friction between them increased as attention shifted from the creation of a new federal government to the question of how powerful that federal government would be. The Federalists, led by Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, wanted a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists, led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, advocated states’ rights instead of centralized power. Federalists coalesced around the commercial sector of the country while their opponents drew their strength from those favoring an agrarian society. The ensuing partisan battles led George Washington to warn of “the baneful effects of the spirit of party” in his Farewell Address as president of United States.
“Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.”
George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796
James Madison, Father of the Constitution
Development of Political Factions and Parties
Letter from James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, December 8, 1788. Manuscript. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [88.00.00] [Digital ID# us0088]
Madison Calls for Amending the Constitution
Amending the Constitution
Roger Sherman. Draft Report of a Special Committee of Congress, ca. July 21, 1789. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [81.00.01] [Digital ID#s us0081_1, us0081]
Support for Amendments as Political Diversion
Letter from Samuel Johnston to James Madison, July 8, 1789. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [81.01.00] [Digital ID# us0081_01p1]
Amending the Body of the Constitution
Congress of the United States, in the House of Representatives, . . . [Report] from the Committee of Eleven. New York: Thomas Greenleaf, 1789. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [82.00.01] [Digital ID#s us0082_1, us0082]
Warning of Prematurely Amending Constitution
Letter from Richard Peters to James Madison, July 5, 1789. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [82.01.00] [Digital ID# us0082_01p1]
Senate Treats Amendments Contemptuously
Locating the National Capital
Letter from George Washington to Marquis de La Luzerne, August 10, 1790. Letter book. George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [088.04.00] [Digital ID # us0088_04]
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Location of Capital Spurs Partisan Bickering
Capital Location Negotiated
Survey of the Site for the Federal City of Washington
Georgetown: Suburb of the New Federal City
First Bank of the United States
William Birch & Son. “Bank of the United States with a View of Third St. Philadelphia” from The City of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania, North America, As It Appeared in the Year 1800. . . . Hand-colored engraving. Springland, Pennsylvania: William Birch and Son, 1800. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [54.00.04] [Digital ID# us0054_04]
William Birch & Son. Bank of the United States with a View of Third St. Philadelphia, from The City of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania, North America, As it Appeared in the Year 1800. . . . Hand-colored engraving. Springland, Pennsylvania: William Birch and Son, 1800. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [54.00.03] [Digital ID# us0054_06]
Partisan Clash over Creating National Bank
Washington Tries to Pacify the Parties
Letter from George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, August 26, 1792. Manuscript. George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [095.03.00] [Digital ID # us0095_03]
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Letter from George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, August 23, 1792. Manuscript.Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [088.03.00] [Digital ID # us0088_03a]
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Republican Party Christened by James Madison
Jay’s Treaty
Letter from Pierce Butler to James Madison, June 26, 1795. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [091.06.00] [Digital ID # us0091_06]
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John Jay
“His Excellency John Jay, President of Congress & Minister Plenipotentiary from Congress at Madrid” in Portraits of Generals, Ministers, Magistrates, Members of Congress and Others, Who Have Rendered Themselves Illustrious in the Revolution of the United States of North America. London: R. Wilkinson and J. Debret, May 1783. Engraving after drawing by Pierre E. DuSimitièrre. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [092.02.00] [Digital ID # us0092_02]
A Champion to Challenge Alexander Hamilton
Letter from Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, September 21, 1795. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [88.01.00] [Digital ID#s us0088_01p1, us0088_01p2]
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Factional Fighting after Washington's Farewell
George Washington, Commander in Chief
Seeking Women's Rights
James Thackera and John Vallance. Liberty. Frontispiece in The Lady's Magazine, and Repository of Entertaining Knowledge. Philadelphia: W. Gibbons, 1792–1793. Marian S. Carson Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [92.01.00] [Digital ID# us0092_01]
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Political Rights of Women Asserted
Letter from Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, July 19, 1799. Manuscript. Shaw Family Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [95.01.00] [Digital ID#s us0095_01p1, us0095_01p2]
Abigail Adams Sees Adams-Jefferson Administration as Sign of Unity
Political Infighting and a War with France
Letter from Abigail Adams to William Shaw, December 23, 1798. Manuscript. Shaw Family Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [092.03.00] [Digital ID# us0092_03p1]
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Ongoing, Undeclared Naval War
William Birch & Son. “Preparation of War to Defend Commerce” from The City of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania, North America, As it Appeared in the Year 1800. . . . Hand-colored engraving. Springland, Pennsylvania: William Birch and Son, 1800. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [54.00.05] [Digital ID# us0054p5]
Linking Jeffersonian Republicans to the French Revolution
“Stop the Wheels of Government,” illustration in [William Cobbett] Peter Porcupine’s Political Censor or Monthly Review of the Most Interesting Political Occurrences Relative to the United States of America. Philadelphia: William Cobbett, April 1796. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [090.05.00] [Digital ID# us0090_05]
William Cobbett Satirized
Congressman Declares Acts Unconstitutional
Right of States to Judge Constitutionality of Federal Laws
Opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts
To the Senate and Representatives of the United States, in Congress Assembled. Poughkeepsie, New York: Nicholas Power, 1798. Broadside. Rare Book and Special Collections Division. Library of Congress [90.03.00] [Digital ID# us0090_03p1]
Opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States. We whose names are hereunto subscribed being citizens of the county of Albemarle in the state of Virginia. Albemarle County, Virginia: 1798. Broadside. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [090.04.00] [Digital ID # us0090_04]
Virginia Resolutions Oppose Alien and Sedition Laws
Virginia to Wit. In the House of Delegates Friday, December 21st, 1798. Resolved that the General Assembly of Virginia doth unequivocally express a firm resolution . . . . Richmond, 1798. Leaflet. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [091.07.00] [Digital ID# us0091_07]
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Vindication of the Constitutionality of Alien and Sedition Laws
The Awful Crisis which has arrived Must be felt by us all. . . . [Richmond]: T. Nicholson, 1799. Pamphlet. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress [94.02.00] [Digital ID# us0094_02]
Libel Trial of Thomas Cooper
Thomas Cooper. An Account of the Trial of Thomas Cooper of Northumberland: on a Charge of Libel against the President of the United States. . . . Philadelphia: John Bios, April 1800. Rare Book and Special Collections Division. Library of Congress [94.00.00] [Digital ID# us0094]
Virginia Slave Rebellion Increases Election-Year Turmoil
Letter from James Monroe to Thomas Jefferson, September 15, 1800. Manuscript. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress [101.00.00] [Digital ID# us0101]