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　　This week in our series, we continue the story ofAmerica's second president, John Adams. He tookoffice in 1797. He had served eight years as vicepresident under President George Washington. Now,state electors had chosen him to govern the newnation.

　　Adams was an intelligent man. He was a patriotand an able diplomat. But he did not like party politics. This dislike caused trouble during hispresidency because two political parties struggled for power during his time in office. Adams wascaught in the middle.

　　Making of a Nation

　　John Adams was a member of the Federalist Party. As president, he should have been partyleader. But this position belonged to a man who really knew how to get and use political power,Alexander Hamilton.

　　Hamilton had served as treasury secretary under President Washington. Now, Hamilton was aprivate citizen, a lawyer in New York City. But he continued to have great influence over thenational government. Federalists loyal to Hamilton controlled the Congress.

　　Even President Adams' top cabinet secretaries were loyal to Hamilton. In fact, they workedtogether against the new president.

　　This political situation made Adams' term in office very difficult. It also led to the end ofFederalist Party power.

　　John Ferling is a professor emeritus of history at the University of West Georgia. He has writtenmany books about early American history. He says every 50 years or so the countryexperiences a period of extreme partisanship. He says the late 1700s were such a time. Thatpartisanship helped split the Federalist Party.

　　John Adams

　　"It was a group under Hamilton who were called the ultra-federalists, or the high federalists, atthe time that were making war on the centrists. In their case it resulted really in thedestruction of the Federalist Party. They never were a viable party again after the election of1800."

　　Two major issues marked Adams' presidency. One concerned foreign policy. The otherconcerned the rights of citizens.

　　The first involved America's relations with France. Americans were divided on whether tosupport the revolution in France. At first, many saw it as similar to the American Revolutionagainst Britain. Vice President Thomas Jefferson, especially, supported the French.

　　France helped America win its war for independence from Britain. The countries' friendshipcontinued when Thomas Jefferson served as minister to Paris.

　　But many Federalists came to strongly oppose the revolution in France. They were horrified bythe execution of the French king and queen. They did not like the idea of common peopletaking power. Federalists wanted an alliance with Britain. Over time, they demanded war withFrance. They used their power to prevent the American government from sending a pro-Frenchrepresentative to Paris. They also searched for any signs of insult, any excuse to declarewar.

　　John Ferling says President Adams did not agree with the majority of Federalists.

　　"Adams, from the very beginning, seeks what he called an honorable peace. He tried to lookfor some sort of central position, centrist position, between the radical conservatives on theright and the radical liberals on the left."

　　Adams was afraid that the French Revolution would destroy America. He believed the Americaneconomy and government would collapse if the country became involved in Europe's struggle.So Adams tried to improve relations with France through negotiations. At the same time,Adams strengthened America's defenses. We will be ready, he said, if war comes.

　　The "X, Y, and Z Affair" threatens war with France...

　　One incident, especially, brought France and America close to war. It is known in Americanhistory books as the "X, Y and Z Affair."

　　President Adams had appointed a committee of ministers to negotiate with the Frenchgovernment. French officials kept the ministers waiting for several weeks. While they waited, theministers had a visit from three Frenchmen -- later called X, Y and Z.

　　X, Y and Z told the American ministers that France would sign an agreement if the UnitedStates did three things.

　　It had to lend the French government $12 million. It had to apologize for anti-Frenchstatements in a recent message from President Adams to the American Congress. And it had topay the French foreign minister $250,000.

　　The American ministers were willing to pay. But they wanted to sign the agreement first. TheFrench foreign minister refused. First the money, then the agreement.

　　The Federalists finally had the excuse they were looking for. France had insulted the UnitedStates. The only answer was war, they said. Federalist newspapers added fuel to the fire bypublishing anti-French propaganda. In a few places, pro-war groups became violent.

　　The Republican Party could do little. Even Thomas Jefferson was helpless. He remained inPhiladelphia, the capital of the United States at that time. But he had few friends there anymore.

　　Congress quickly passed laws to create a permanent army and navy. It also approved newtaxes to pay for them.

　　And it passed two new laws by a narrow majority. These laws greatly increased the powers ofthe national government. They were known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. Federalists said thelaws were necessary to protect national security. But, in effect, the Federalists used them toweaken the power of the Republican Party.

　　Under the Alien Act, the president could accuse any foreigner living in the United States ofbeing a threat to national security. He could order that person out of the country.

　　The act also increased the time a foreigner had to wait to become a citizen, from five years to14 years.

　　Republicans were furious. Most foreigners, when they became naturalized citizens, joined theRepublican Party.

　　Republicans argued that the Alien Act violated the Constitution. They said it gave thegovernment more powers than were stated in the Constitution. Federalists said the act wasconstitutional. They said the Constitution gave the government the right to defend thecountry against foreign aggression.

　　The other law, the Sedition Act, barred the publication of anything that might incite publichostility against the government.

　　Republicans argued that this act violated Americans' constitutional rights of free speech and afree press. Federalists, once again, defended it as necessary for national security.

　　The Federalists tried to use the Sedition Act to quiet Republican critics of President Adams'administration. About 25 people were charged under the Sedition Act. These included severalleading Republican newspapermen and a Republican member of Congress.

　　Some of the men were tried, found guilty, and sent to prison. But other Republicans took theirplaces in the fight against the act. The Federalist plan to stop criticism did not succeed.

　　President Adams had signed the Alien and Sedition Acts into law. He believed they werenecessary to protect the United States at a time when war with France was still possible. Andhis wife, Abigail, believed that passing the laws would stop newspapers from criticizing him.

　　"The one piece of advice that she offers that is unfortunate and is, in fact, catastrophic isthat she really urges him to pass the Alien and Sedition Acts, which becomes the biggestblunder of his presidency."

　　Joseph Ellis is a history professor at Mt. Holyoke College and the author of a book about Johnand Abigail Adams. He says Adams regretted passing the laws.

　　In early 1799, Adams received several reports that France was ready to reopen negotiations onimproving relations. He immediately nominated a new minister to France. Federalist senatorsthreatened to reject the nomination. In the end, Adams agreed to nominate a committee ofthree ministers. The Senate approved them.

　　It was many months before the three men went to France to negotiate the agreement. And itwas many more months before they completed their work. But they did so on September 30, 1800.

　　After several years of bitter political struggle at home, President Adams finally prevented warwith France. Later he wrote that there was one thing he would like to be remembered for morethan anything else. He gave himself the task of making peace with France, and he succeeded.

　　"We can't say that about every American president. But we can say it about John Adams."

　　Historian John Ferling says he believes the United States would not have survived if theAmericans had gone to war with France. Historian Joseph Ellis agrees.

　　"I think that the long term achievement of the Adams' presidency is to preserve thecoherence of a stable government and to see that the revolution survives and consolidatesits energies and continues on into the 19th century."

　　Eighteen hundred was another presidential election year in the United States. The FederalistParty appeared to be dying.

　　It failed in its effort to force the nation into war with France. And it failed to silence its criticsthrough the Alien and Sedition Acts. Party leaders knew the election would be their last chanceto keep political power.

　　The Republican Party had more popular support. It also had gained an increasing number ofseats in state legislatures and in Congress. Party leader Thomas Jefferson was sure to beelected president -- unless the Federalists could find a way to change the electoral process.

　　The election of 1800 will be our story next week.

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