Presidencies Of Thomas Jefferson And James Madison example essay topic

"With respect to the federal Constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans are usually characterized as strict constructionists who were opposed to the broad constructionism of the Federalist politicians". The accuracy of this statement can be depicted through the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who demonstrated the differences of the two parties in multiple cases involving the interpretation of the Constitution between 1801 and 1817. To begin with, Thomas Jefferson and his Republican followers had an entirely different idea for society than the Federalists. He envisioned a nation consisting of independent farmers who would live under a central government that participated very little in their lives.

He believed in a stronger state government to protect the individual liberties granted by the Constitution. In his conversation with Presbyterian minister Samuel Miller, Jefferson claimed the Constitution would preside over the government and not even God would interfere. Unfortunately for Jefferson, the nation was growing more industrial and urban, and required more power on the central level. Additionally, Jefferson was not a "War Hawk".

He attempted to avoid involvement in the war with the establishment of the Embargo Act. Under the act, ships were prohibited from leaving port for any foreign destination and therefore they would avoid any confrontations with hostile vessels. This proved to be his most unpopular policy during his time as president. The Embargo Act led the country to an economic depression. In the northeast, the damage was exceptionally severe, as portrayed in the political cartoon "OGRABME, or The American Snapping-turtle" by Alexander Anderson.

Eventually, the act resulted in the third proposed amendment of the Hartford Convention "Congress may not establish an embargo for longer then sixty days". Federalist Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton's vision of a strong central government promoting commercial and financial interests over the states' interests was becoming more appealing to Washington. Madison, who did not share this vision, decided to break away from Washington and as a result, joined Jefferson to form the opposing party of Democratic-Republicans. During John Adams's presidency, Madison was the leader of the Republican fight against the Alien and Sedition Acts.

He then wrote the Virginia Resolutions, which declared the laws unconstitutional. Under Jefferson, he served as secretary of state, and supported the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act. Madison's believed "that prominent success of the Constitution depends on a definite partition of powers between the general and the state governments". Consequently, Madison dominated foreign policy while Jefferson was in office, and later emerged to succeed him as president.

Adams administration however, differed in the interpretation of the Constitution in his Alien and Sedation Acts. Republican leaders were convinced that these acts were unconstitutional. However the process of deciding on the constitutionality of federal laws had not yet been established. Jefferson and Madison declared that the state legislature should have the power, and thus they drafted series of resolutions, which were introduced to Kentucky and Virginia.

They proposed the "compact theory" of John Lock be applied, which would allow the states to nullify. Moreover, one of the most vivid demonstrations of conflict between Federalists and Republicans is the case Marbury vs. Madison. William Marbury was one of Adams' midnight appointments who sued Madison to force delivery of his commission as a justice of the peace. John Marshall, the Supreme Court justice, refused to rule on the request. He stated the law giving the Supreme Court jurisdiction over such matters had exceeded the Constitutional grant of powers and was therefore unconstitutional. Marshall then established judicial review over federal legislation.

This power has now become the foundation of the Supreme Court's check on the other two branches of government. Evidently, the accuracy of the statement "With respect to the federal Constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans are usually characterized as strict constructionists who were opposed to the broad constructionism of the Federalist politicians". can be depicted through the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who demonstrated the differences of the two parties in multiple cases involving the interpretation of the Constitution between 1801 and 1817.