The Election of 1796: Adams, Jefferson, and the First Partisan Presidential Election

After George Washington’s Farewell Address in the fall of 1796, the venerable military and political hero of the United States warned against the division of the nation. This warning was informed by a particularly tumultuous four years, including continuing problems with the British and the French in North America and the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. The aforementioned rebellion was a particularly important episode for the American government, because Washington exerted the military role of the office against a group of taxpayers rebelling against prohibitive taxes on whiskey production. The executive branch, and the nation as a whole, was still in flux after Washington’s presidency but the fact that it was still in one piece was a testament to his leadership ability.

John Adams, who felt his time had come following eight years in the vice-presidential shadows, was the presidential nominee of the Federalist Party caucus. Thomas Jefferson, a former secretary of state and a small government advocate, was nominated by the Democratic-Republican caucus. Aside from being the first election with definitive party politics, it was also a particularly dirty battle for the presidency. Neither candidate did much campaigning personally, but their proxies were vicious in their character assaults. Thomas Jefferson, who had an affinity for French culture and language, was criticized as virulently pro-French as well as an atheist. John Adams was assaulted as an elitist, an advocate for an American monarchy, and personally cantankerous.

The election was close but John Adams was the victor with 71 electoral votes. In fact, John Adams, as President of the Senate under his vice-presidential duties, Adams cast the deciding vote in the Senate for his own election. Thomas Jefferson was a close second with 68 electoral votes and, under the pre-12th Amendment rules, Jefferson was the new vice president. This difficult arrangement guaranteed at least some gridlock over the four years of the term and led to the creation of the 12th amendment to prevent such an event from happening again.