Culled from the book John Adams, by David McCullough:In 1796, Adams was called "His Rotundity" and "sesquipedality of belly" in opposition newspapers, and accused of wanting a hereditary monarchy for his son John Quincy.
In response, Jefferson was called a coward for fleeing Monticello from the British in 1791.
In 1800, Jefferson supporters called Adams a "hideous hermaphroditical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibilities of a woman," and "a wretch whose soul came blasted from the hand of nature, a wretch that has neither the science of a magistrate, the politeness of a courtier, more the courage of a man."
Jefferson was called a weakling, more a Frenchman than an American, a spendthrift and a libertine. He was accused of cheating clients as a young lawyer. As President, Jefferson would flood the country with French and Irish "refuse of Europe." But mostly, Jefferson was said to be an atheist, a godless man who mocked Christianity. Family Bibles would have to be hidden from a Jefferson government.
A whisper campaign spread rumors that Jefferson slept with his slave women.
Adams was called too old, toothless, easily confused, insane. Adams was accused of ordering the minister of France to bring back young girls for him.
Jefferson, a Virginia aristocrat, slave owner, who lived luxuriously at Monticello, was called a "man of the people."
Adams, a farmer's son who despised slavery, lived frugally in common style and means, was called an aristocrat who would enslave ordinary people.
Then the endorsement battle began.
Adams' Secretary of Treasury supported Jefferson. Alexander Hamilton, as Commanding General of the Army, traveled amongst the troops endorsing Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Longtime Adams friend Francis Dana (chief Justice of Massachusetts Supreme Court) declined to support him. Newspapers were split.
Finally, late in the campaign, Hamilton published a 54-page pamphlet called "A Letter from Alexander Hamilton on the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams," essentially a "Bush's Fault" treatise against Adams.
Despite all this, the election was fairly close. Adams won New England, Jefferson won the South. 70 electoral notes were needed to win, but this was before the 12th amendment so electors voted for two names for President. Jefferson got 73 to Adams' 65, but Aaron Burr of New York also got 73, tying Jefferson and throwing the election into the House of Representatives.
So far, 2016 isn't all that different from 1800.
-PJ
You got it!
Saw today at my local supermarket the most recent copy of Time Magazine showing on the front cover Sen. Ted Cruz and it sure looked “creepy”.
From a post of mine in a March 5 thread Think Trump was crude? The Founding Fathers were just as bad
Culled from the book John Adams, by David McCullough:
In 1796, Adams was called “His Rotundity” and “sesquipedality of belly” in opposition newspapers, and accused of wanting a hereditary monarchy for his son John Quincy.
In response, Jefferson was called a coward for fleeing Monticello from the British in 1791.
In 1800, Jefferson supporters called Adams a “hideous hermaphroditical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibilities of a woman,” and “a wretch whose soul came blasted from the hand of nature, a wretch that has neither the science of a magistrate, the politeness of a courtier, more the courage of a man.”
Jefferson was called a weakling, more a Frenchman than an American, a spendthrift and a libertine. He was accused of cheating clients as a young lawyer. As President, Jefferson would flood the country with French and Irish “refuse of Europe.” But mostly, Jefferson was said to be an atheist, a godless man who mocked Christianity. Family Bibles would have to be hidden from a Jefferson government.
A whisper campaign spread rumors that Jefferson slept with his slave women.
Adams was called too old, toothless, easily confused, insane. Adams was accused of ordering the minister of France to bring back young girls for him.
Jefferson, a Virginia aristocrat, slave owner, who lived luxuriously at Monticello, was called a “man of the people.”
Adams, a farmer’s son who despised slavery, lived frugally in common style and means, was called an aristocrat who would enslave ordinary people.
Then the endorsement battle began.
Adams’ Secretary of Treasury supported Jefferson. Alexander Hamilton, as Commanding General of the Army, traveled amongst the troops endorsing Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Longtime Adams friend Francis Dana (chief Justice of Massachusetts Supreme Court) declined to support him. Newspapers were split.
Finally, late in the campaign, Hamilton published a 54-page pamphlet called “A Letter from Alexander Hamilton on the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams,” essentially a “Bush’s Fault” treatise against Adams.
Despite all this, the election was fairly close. Adams won New England, Jefferson won the South. 70 electoral notes were needed to win, but this was before the 12th amendment so electors voted for two names for President. Jefferson got 73 to Adams’ 65, but Aaron Burr of New York also got 73, tying Jefferson and throwing the election into the House of Representatives.
So far, 2016 isn’t all that different from 1800.
-PJ