American Presidency Chapter 3

What was the primary purpose of George Washington's administration?

"To make the government which had been adopted, often by the thinnest of majorities, and in only eleven out of the thirteen states, happily acceptable to the overwhelming majority of the entire population" (75)

What was the Newburg incident?

A group of army officers were planning on rebelling against the newly formed government and create their own with them as the leaders, but Washington talked them out of it.

How did George Washington view the heads of the Executive Departments?

Although the constitution required their opinion, Washington mostly wanted advice and input and considered them assistants or deputies of the president.

What were the tensions between and within the political parties?

Because of the tensions with France, some of the Federalists led by Hamilton thought Adams's compromise too weak and they demanded a declaration of war. But, the other half of the Federalists agreed with the president, so there was a split in the party itself and created the Federalists and the Hamiltons. The Democratic-Republicans opposed Adams, as he was a Federalist, and especially disliked him for raising taxes in order to pay off the Quasi-War with France. This essentially split the country in half, so much so that there was fear of a complete split in the South. (oh, the irony)

How was Hamilton influential in the Adams' administration?

Hamilton insisted on policing Adams's actions, even though he had retired from the Washington administration and was not technically part of the current government at the time. He also split the opposing party and rallied people against Adams.

How did Adams rescue the authority of the presidency?

He appointed William Vans Murray, the American minister to the Netherlands, to make some kind of diplomacy with France without congressional consent. He did it so quickly and with so little warning, the Senate only had time to suggest a 3-man party to go to France. Adams agreed, and the mission was a success. The president, pretty much by himself, had resolved the conflict with France.

What were some of the routine matters that George Washington had to determine regarding his daily schedule, access to the public and his title?

He knew that he would be creating precedent on how presidents would meet with the public, and he didn't want the president to seem like they disdained the public or for them to become so busy with the people that they did not have solitude to get work done. He ended up deciding that the public could meet with him on tuesdays and thursdays if they were well dressed. As to do with his title, he at first liked the idea of a grand title, but after he heard about all of the controversy about it, he decided to stick with "the President of the United States"

Why was George Washington so revered?

He was seen as very selfless and he seemed to care about the people because of acts like his long trip from Virginia to New York. And he was a famous general.

What was the significance of the Neutrality Proclamation 1793?

It set the precedent that the president's power is supreme in foreign affairs, because in the absence of a declaration of war by congress, the executive has full power to proclaim and enforce American neutrality.

What was the Whiskey Rebellion?

Many people opposed the whiskey tax, and created a militant opposition because of it. Washington decided to put down the rebellion with a massive display of force to establish the president's leadership in such situations.

How did Adams and Jefferson respond to the possibility of being president?

Neither led their own campaigns; in fact, they didn't even leave their farms that fall. They let others who were more radical in their Federalist or Democratic-Republican beliefs run their campaigns through newspapers and political rallies; none of which the two candidates attended.

What precedent was set by the Senate's rejection of George Washington nominee of John Rutledge as Chief Justice to replace John Jay?

That they have the power to veto supreme court justices and not just accept what the president decides.

What was the tension with France?

The French kept harassing American trading ships to the point of needing to send diplomats to deal with the problems in secret.

What was the Jay Treaty and Why was the passing of the Jay Treaty in the senate not a guarantee the House would appropriate "money bills"?

The Jay Treaty stated that Great Britain would evacuate its American posts and was very controversial among the American people. The Senate had narrowly passed the bill, and because it needed an appropriation of funds, it was a money bill, so it needed to move to the House to vote on it. But the president, who wanted the treaty to be passed, was sure the House would vote against it and was reluctant to let them vote on it, but in the end they did vote on it and the bill was passed setting the precedent that the House has control on money bills.

What was the XYZ affairs?

The XYZ Affair was a political and diplomatic episode in 1797 and 1798, early in the administration of John Adams, involving a confrontation between the United States and Republican France that led to an undeclared naval war called the Quasi-War.

What were the circumstances of the country when Adams took office?

The aftermath of the Jay treaty was leaving tensions with Napoleonic France at sea.

Detail the establishment of the first 3 major executive departments and the significance of their roles.

The three major executive departments were and held by: Secretary of State: Thomas Jefferson Secretary of Treasury: Alexander Hamilton Secretary of War: Henry Knox

What was meant by the President claims the "silences of the Constitution"?

They take authority where the constitution is vague; namely, the "take care" clause, because the president can do whatever necessary to make sure laws are executed fairly and correctly because the constitution isn't specific on what is needed to be done

Why was the "removal" power of executive officials critical in establishing the supremacy of the President over the executive branch?

To maintain the energy that a solitary executive brings. If all of his department officials constantly made things difficult and argued nothing would get done, so the president needs the power of removal to keep them in check.

Why did George Washington take his time traveling from Virginia to New York?

To show the people that he cared, and he really wanted to learn as much as he could about America and its people. He was also worried that the future of the government relied on its acceptance by the people, so he made himself as a very nice, concerned, and personable man during this trip.

How did George Washington view the power of Veto?

Washington believed that he should veto bills that were unconstitutional, not just ones he disagreed with and because the first three grievances in the Declaration of Independence had to do with the king's veto, Washington was reluctant to use his veto; He only used his veto twice in eight years.

How did George Washington regard his role as a party leader and how did this create tension between Jefferson and Hamilton?

Washington didn't see himself as the leader of any party. He opposed political parties in general. But, this didn't last long and didn't even survive his first term, as Jefferson and Hamilton held such different beliefs and the government was so evenly split in ideologies that a partisan government was necessary, no matter how much Washington opposed it.

What was George Washington's dilemma in establishing America's first "Republican Monarch"?

Washington needed to embody the new government's dignity and authority without rising to monarchical success, and he needed to make executive power compatible with a republican government.

Describe how George Washington's attempt to extend respect to senate regarding "Advice and Consent" for the Creek Indian Treaty. What precedent did this experience establish?

Washington tried to get the senate to give him advice on a proposed treaty, but when he met with them, the encounter ended up being awkward and embarrassing for him. He ended up setting the precedent that presidents don't get senate approval for treaties because he never returned to them with proposed treaties ever again.

How did George Washington determine who was best for the job in the newly established executive branch?

​Even though congress created nearly a thousand offices for Washington to fill, he took careful deliberation for each office: "No collector of customs, captain of cutter, keeper of lighthouse, or surveyor of revenue was appointed except after specific consideration by the President" (79)

What areas did George Washington focus his efforts as he established the role of the President as it relates to the executive and legislative branches?

​He focused on gaining the trust of congress and the people so that future presidents could be more powerful. He also focused on asserting his primacy in diplomatic affairs, and develop a line of communication with congress. His main three priorities were: 1) Managing the executive branch 2) Foreign Policy 3) Upholding the law

Explain why George Washington knew the "enduring precedents" of his role and the first Congress.

​He knew that what he did would be repeated by future presidents for years to come, so he was very careful in creating the right precedent. For example, he knew so that he needed to use force to put down the whiskey rebellion to set the precedent that insurrections like this must be suppressed. He also stepped down after eight years so that the future presidents would be dissuaded from a nearly life term.

Who ran in the 1796 election?

​​Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

What was the significance of the Alien and Sedition Act?

​​​The Alien act was passed so that the president could expel foreigners who were suspects of subversion. The Sedition act made it illegal for anyone to speak ill of the president, as Adams had gotten paranoid over the dramatic split in the political parties and feared rebellion. However, both these acts were seen as unconstitutional and reflected the past regime under George III.