The campaign of 1800, which Jefferson won-- "The only Federalist creation that Jefferson really tried to destroy was the judiciaryàà(President Adams)àfilled up every newly established judicial office by 'midnight appointments' on the evening of March 3" (Morison 1965 362). The new President, in those days, was sworn in on March 4.) The campaign was nasty. Jefferson was accused of being an atheist and an agent of France, while Adams was considered too friendly to the British monarchy. At this time, there were separate votes for President and Vice President. "As no Republican elector dared to throw away his second vote, Jefferson and Burr were tied for first place" (Morison 1965 356). The election went to the House of Representatives, which had to make a final choice, voting by states. It took 33 votes before three Federalist electors cast blank ballots which permitted Jefferson to become President by a majority of two states. In 1804, the 12th Amendment then removed any possibility of a tie between two candidates of the same party. The eventual outcome of the election doomed the Federalist arty, but historians make it clear that Jefferson never really won by a "popular" vote, since the electors were chosen by state legirlatures. "So parsed into minority the party that contained more talent and virtue, with less common senseà" (Morison 357). Somehow, the facts treat Jefferson far less kindly, at least in 1800, than we normally believe. It is significant, however, that despit4e all the rancor and anger, when the Presidency passed to Jefferson it was done peacefully, and obviously his eight years as President achieved much.
"Following the Republican triumph in 1800, Jefferson's immediate successors were nominated by caucuses of congressmen. But by 1824, every major political leader was in the Republican fold, and many of them wanted to be president. A surfeit of candidates -- Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, William Craw...