Chapter One: The Election of 1800
As a young, avid writer of Alternate History, I have written numerous timelines in my free time. However, I have never had the confidence to post them to this site, but I finally have a timeline I feel excited and proud enough to post here. I hope you enjoy.
President John Adams's shocking reelection in 1800 proved a lot of things. For starters, it proved how powerful the de facto Federalist Party leader Alexander Hamilton truly was. It also proved how the way elections worked then was, to put it bluntly, very stupid. Alexander Hamilton, who despised the President Adams, had made plans to write a long Anti-Adams polemic. However, his friend Mr. Rufus King had reminded him of the consequences that such an action would lead to. King's letter to Hamilton read like this:
"Mr. Hamilton, I feel your letter would be catastrophic for the efforts you are attempting to accomplish. I know of your plan, but I fear the letter falling into the hands of the press[1]. Such a long and detailed letter criticizing the President would potentially turn the favor of New York towards the Vice President and Mr. Burr. I cannot fathom the catastrophe that would play out if Burr ever achieved the office of Presidency. I ask, as a friend and partner, that you scrap the letter and let the lesser of two evils win the Presidency. For all of us, for the party, for your goals.
Your friend,
R. King"
Hamilton sat there at thought about King's letter. He was right. "Adams' Presidency has been a disaster, but a Burr Presidency, I cannot imagine how terrible that would be," Hamilton muttered to himself. It was hard for Hamilton to scrap the 54 pages of work he had written, but it was for the best. Plus, Hamilton's scheme would still be able to work.
Adams received word of his victory in New York. He was ecstatic...at first. But then he remembered if he won Pinckney must've tied with him, and he was correct. The final vote tally was 77 votes for Adams, 77 for Pinckney, 61 for Jefferson, and 61 for Burr. The 1801 Contingent Election wasn't close, despite Hamilton's efforts. Adams' home state of Massachusetts went for him following a tie for the first 3 ballots. Also for Adams was the entire south besides South Carolina. Adams, as the lesser of two evils, was the natural choice for the south, and even more so following the endorsement of Jefferson [2], even if Pinckney was a good southern man. Pennsylvania and Maryland also followed. Vermont and New Hampshire were less radically Federalist than southern New England, and thus voted for the more moderate John Adams. Pinckney only won his home state, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York (And even then, he only won New York because of Hamilton pulling a few strings).
The election proved Hamilton's power was waning. He already had plans for 1804 the nominate someone more radical like Pinckney or King in order to get control over the party back, but for now he had to step to the side. Adams had just won re election, albeit with an unfriendly Congress. Jefferson, crushed by his loss, would not make another attempt at the Presidency. However, Jefferson was still active in D-R politics, mostly serving as the de facto leader and "wise man" that party men would go to for advice.
[1] This is what happened OTL
[2] Burr made no such endorsement
President John Adams's shocking reelection in 1800 proved a lot of things. For starters, it proved how powerful the de facto Federalist Party leader Alexander Hamilton truly was. It also proved how the way elections worked then was, to put it bluntly, very stupid. Alexander Hamilton, who despised the President Adams, had made plans to write a long Anti-Adams polemic. However, his friend Mr. Rufus King had reminded him of the consequences that such an action would lead to. King's letter to Hamilton read like this:
"Mr. Hamilton, I feel your letter would be catastrophic for the efforts you are attempting to accomplish. I know of your plan, but I fear the letter falling into the hands of the press[1]. Such a long and detailed letter criticizing the President would potentially turn the favor of New York towards the Vice President and Mr. Burr. I cannot fathom the catastrophe that would play out if Burr ever achieved the office of Presidency. I ask, as a friend and partner, that you scrap the letter and let the lesser of two evils win the Presidency. For all of us, for the party, for your goals.
Your friend,
R. King"
Hamilton sat there at thought about King's letter. He was right. "Adams' Presidency has been a disaster, but a Burr Presidency, I cannot imagine how terrible that would be," Hamilton muttered to himself. It was hard for Hamilton to scrap the 54 pages of work he had written, but it was for the best. Plus, Hamilton's scheme would still be able to work.
Adams received word of his victory in New York. He was ecstatic...at first. But then he remembered if he won Pinckney must've tied with him, and he was correct. The final vote tally was 77 votes for Adams, 77 for Pinckney, 61 for Jefferson, and 61 for Burr. The 1801 Contingent Election wasn't close, despite Hamilton's efforts. Adams' home state of Massachusetts went for him following a tie for the first 3 ballots. Also for Adams was the entire south besides South Carolina. Adams, as the lesser of two evils, was the natural choice for the south, and even more so following the endorsement of Jefferson [2], even if Pinckney was a good southern man. Pennsylvania and Maryland also followed. Vermont and New Hampshire were less radically Federalist than southern New England, and thus voted for the more moderate John Adams. Pinckney only won his home state, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York (And even then, he only won New York because of Hamilton pulling a few strings).
The election proved Hamilton's power was waning. He already had plans for 1804 the nominate someone more radical like Pinckney or King in order to get control over the party back, but for now he had to step to the side. Adams had just won re election, albeit with an unfriendly Congress. Jefferson, crushed by his loss, would not make another attempt at the Presidency. However, Jefferson was still active in D-R politics, mostly serving as the de facto leader and "wise man" that party men would go to for advice.
[1] This is what happened OTL
[2] Burr made no such endorsement
