The Federal Republic of America 1808-1820 Part I
The Senate Election of 1807: No Respect, we get no respect, no gratitude
The Elections of October 2, 1806 would see the most sweeping change in the Federal Senate yet. The lead up to the Election saw a surprising number of strong American Democracy Party candidates who ran against the excesses of the Federalist Party and the “Over centralization of power. Within the Federal Republic” The chief plank in the American Democracy Party’s platform was the direct election amendment which would allow the people to elect the president of the republic no the Senate. Now this wasn’t new it had been part of the party’s platform since George Clinton but for some reason in the fall of 1807 having beaten the British and reclaimed much of the lost territories it took root like never before. October 2, 1806 was a crisp fall day and would see the American Democracy Party take control of the Senate sending the Federalist Party into the minority for the first time since the founding of the country.
1806 election results (seats taken/the state’s total seats)
American Democracy Party
NY: 1/3
NJ: 2/3
Del: 2/3
Pen:3/3
Erie: 1/3
Total: 9/15
Federalist Party
NY: 2/3
NJ: 0/3
Del: 1/3
Pen:0/3
Erie: 2/3
Total: 5/15
Anti-Mason Party
NY: 0/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 0/3
Pen:0/3
Erie: 0/3
Total: 1/15
Meaning that the new Senate when sworn in on March 4, 1807 for the first time since the country was founded the Federalist would be in the Minority in the Senate. As the Christmas holiday passed and the republic moved into the New Year the parties began to sound out their presidential candidates. The American Democracy Party chose New York Governor Arron Burr. Burr had pushed hardest for the party to stump hard on the Election amendment and as its latest and greatest champion he was the natural choice, for an easy victory come March. The Federalist had a harder choice to make they needed someone who could reach across the aisle and swing the Anti Mason and three American Democracy Party Senators. They offered it to Hamilton’s right hand man John Jay of New York who looking at the incoming senate politely declined and chose instead to run for the vacant New York Governor’s office once Burr won the Presidency. So instead the Federalist nominated Richard Paul Burbank the Attorney General of Erie; a westerner and son of a tanner was the party’s best bet at accomplishing the impossible.
Hamilton and the Federalist now decide to use their lame duck session to pass the Western Territory Act of 1807. This Act divides the reclaimed territory into two territories the Ohio Territory in the east and the Mississippi Territory in the west. This act also sets the path for these two territories to become states setting the threshold for statehood when each had reached a population of 90,000 people and created its own state constitution.
Richard Paul Burbank of Eire Federalist Candidate for President 1807
March 11, 1807
The Day was an energetic on in the temporary capital of Philadelphia with a 4 vote majority the American Democracy Party was set to elect its first president and change the course of the Republic at least a little. On the other side of the aisle Richard Burbank and the federalist hoped to pull off a miracle. Then the first vote of the day occurred and low and behold it came in Burr 7, Burbank 7. Burbank had done it he had at least flipped one ADP senator as well as the Anti-Mason senator. As the parties huddled in the recess before the second vote the mood in senate hall grew heated. The second vote was held at 11am. This time Burr would carry all 9 ADP votes, Burbank would still carry the Anti-Mason vote for a total of 6. At 11:10 am Arron Burr was sworn in to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of America. However this would not be the last appearance of Richard P. Burbank from Erie. Burr would appoint William Findlay of Pennsylvania as Consul to the Senate.
Governor of New York Arron Burr, American Democracy Party; Second President of the Federal Republic of America.
Consul William Findlay of Pennsylvania
1807-1811
Burr’s first term would be marked by the bringing of the Presidential Election Amendment to the floor of the Senate. It would pass on June 21, 1808 with a vote of 10 to 5, it would take effect on January 1, 1809 and be implemented for the first time on October 2, 1810 the fall before Burr’s first term ended on March 11, 1811.
We the Senators of the States of the Federal Republic of America and the people who make up those states. Here by change the Constitution of the Federal Republic of America so that it shall read “The President of the Federal Republic of America shall be elected by the majority vote of the people of the states of the Federal Republic of America. This election shall be held every October 2nd of the year preceding the end of the current President’s term in office.
After signing the Presidential Election amendment into law Burr would kill two military approbations Act that the Senate passed. This soured him in the minds of many of the military personal of the country and their families. This would see the Federalist reclaim the majority in the Senate in the 1810 elections.
Senate Election of 1809
American Democracy Party
NY: 0/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 2/3
Pen:2/3
Erie: 1/3
Total: 6/15
Federalist Party
NY: 3/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 1/3
Pen:1/3
Erie: 2/3
Total: 8/15
Anti-Mason Party
NY: 0/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 0/3
Pen:0/3
Erie: 0/3
Total: 1/15
The loss of control of the senate means that Burr has to barter in order to get his agenda though the senate this would see the passage of the Defense Bill of 1811. This law raised the size of the Federal Army from 55,000 to 90,000 active troops and allowed the State Guard units recruit from a maximum of 35,000 to 45,000 active troops per state. This Defense bill also allocated money for the acquisition of ships for the Federal Navy. The Lake Ontario Fleet was to receive six 24 gun sloops, and two 52 gun Great Lakes Ships of the Line. The Lake Erie Fleet would receive identical ships. The Atlantic Fleet was to receive seven new ships of the line ranging from 64 to 100 guns, twenty frigates ranging form 28 to 48 guns, and fifty sloops ranging from 18 to 24 guns.
In the summer of 1810 the political parties of the Federal Republic of America began getting ready for the first election of the president to take place outside of the Senate. The American Democracy Party would run Burr for his second term. The Federalist were forced to hunt Burbank was serving out is first year as Governor of Erie and declined John Jay was in retirement at his home in upper New York. After much arm twisting Jay was convinced to run. The In the Run up to October 2, 1811 surrogates of both men crisscrossed the republic making the case for their candidate, while party owned newspapers attacked the other. October 2, 1810 was a cool rainy day though out much of the Federal Republic as the people went to vote to choose who would be president for the first time ever. Burr would carry the day taking 52% of the national vote, Jay came in a close second with 47% of the national vote, and the Anti-Mason Party’s Paul McHenry of New Jersey would bring in just 1% of the national vote. Burr had won his second term as President.
John Jay of New York Federalist Candidate for President in 1812
The Elections of October 2, 1806 would see the most sweeping change in the Federal Senate yet. The lead up to the Election saw a surprising number of strong American Democracy Party candidates who ran against the excesses of the Federalist Party and the “Over centralization of power. Within the Federal Republic” The chief plank in the American Democracy Party’s platform was the direct election amendment which would allow the people to elect the president of the republic no the Senate. Now this wasn’t new it had been part of the party’s platform since George Clinton but for some reason in the fall of 1807 having beaten the British and reclaimed much of the lost territories it took root like never before. October 2, 1806 was a crisp fall day and would see the American Democracy Party take control of the Senate sending the Federalist Party into the minority for the first time since the founding of the country.
1806 election results (seats taken/the state’s total seats)
American Democracy Party
NY: 1/3
NJ: 2/3
Del: 2/3
Pen:3/3
Erie: 1/3
Total: 9/15
Federalist Party
NY: 2/3
NJ: 0/3
Del: 1/3
Pen:0/3
Erie: 2/3
Total: 5/15
Anti-Mason Party
NY: 0/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 0/3
Pen:0/3
Erie: 0/3
Total: 1/15
Meaning that the new Senate when sworn in on March 4, 1807 for the first time since the country was founded the Federalist would be in the Minority in the Senate. As the Christmas holiday passed and the republic moved into the New Year the parties began to sound out their presidential candidates. The American Democracy Party chose New York Governor Arron Burr. Burr had pushed hardest for the party to stump hard on the Election amendment and as its latest and greatest champion he was the natural choice, for an easy victory come March. The Federalist had a harder choice to make they needed someone who could reach across the aisle and swing the Anti Mason and three American Democracy Party Senators. They offered it to Hamilton’s right hand man John Jay of New York who looking at the incoming senate politely declined and chose instead to run for the vacant New York Governor’s office once Burr won the Presidency. So instead the Federalist nominated Richard Paul Burbank the Attorney General of Erie; a westerner and son of a tanner was the party’s best bet at accomplishing the impossible.
Hamilton and the Federalist now decide to use their lame duck session to pass the Western Territory Act of 1807. This Act divides the reclaimed territory into two territories the Ohio Territory in the east and the Mississippi Territory in the west. This act also sets the path for these two territories to become states setting the threshold for statehood when each had reached a population of 90,000 people and created its own state constitution.
Richard Paul Burbank of Eire Federalist Candidate for President 1807
March 11, 1807
The Day was an energetic on in the temporary capital of Philadelphia with a 4 vote majority the American Democracy Party was set to elect its first president and change the course of the Republic at least a little. On the other side of the aisle Richard Burbank and the federalist hoped to pull off a miracle. Then the first vote of the day occurred and low and behold it came in Burr 7, Burbank 7. Burbank had done it he had at least flipped one ADP senator as well as the Anti-Mason senator. As the parties huddled in the recess before the second vote the mood in senate hall grew heated. The second vote was held at 11am. This time Burr would carry all 9 ADP votes, Burbank would still carry the Anti-Mason vote for a total of 6. At 11:10 am Arron Burr was sworn in to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of America. However this would not be the last appearance of Richard P. Burbank from Erie. Burr would appoint William Findlay of Pennsylvania as Consul to the Senate.
Governor of New York Arron Burr, American Democracy Party; Second President of the Federal Republic of America.
Consul William Findlay of Pennsylvania
1807-1811
Burr’s first term would be marked by the bringing of the Presidential Election Amendment to the floor of the Senate. It would pass on June 21, 1808 with a vote of 10 to 5, it would take effect on January 1, 1809 and be implemented for the first time on October 2, 1810 the fall before Burr’s first term ended on March 11, 1811.
We the Senators of the States of the Federal Republic of America and the people who make up those states. Here by change the Constitution of the Federal Republic of America so that it shall read “The President of the Federal Republic of America shall be elected by the majority vote of the people of the states of the Federal Republic of America. This election shall be held every October 2nd of the year preceding the end of the current President’s term in office.
After signing the Presidential Election amendment into law Burr would kill two military approbations Act that the Senate passed. This soured him in the minds of many of the military personal of the country and their families. This would see the Federalist reclaim the majority in the Senate in the 1810 elections.
Senate Election of 1809
American Democracy Party
NY: 0/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 2/3
Pen:2/3
Erie: 1/3
Total: 6/15
Federalist Party
NY: 3/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 1/3
Pen:1/3
Erie: 2/3
Total: 8/15
Anti-Mason Party
NY: 0/3
NJ: 1/3
Del: 0/3
Pen:0/3
Erie: 0/3
Total: 1/15
The loss of control of the senate means that Burr has to barter in order to get his agenda though the senate this would see the passage of the Defense Bill of 1811. This law raised the size of the Federal Army from 55,000 to 90,000 active troops and allowed the State Guard units recruit from a maximum of 35,000 to 45,000 active troops per state. This Defense bill also allocated money for the acquisition of ships for the Federal Navy. The Lake Ontario Fleet was to receive six 24 gun sloops, and two 52 gun Great Lakes Ships of the Line. The Lake Erie Fleet would receive identical ships. The Atlantic Fleet was to receive seven new ships of the line ranging from 64 to 100 guns, twenty frigates ranging form 28 to 48 guns, and fifty sloops ranging from 18 to 24 guns.
In the summer of 1810 the political parties of the Federal Republic of America began getting ready for the first election of the president to take place outside of the Senate. The American Democracy Party would run Burr for his second term. The Federalist were forced to hunt Burbank was serving out is first year as Governor of Erie and declined John Jay was in retirement at his home in upper New York. After much arm twisting Jay was convinced to run. The In the Run up to October 2, 1811 surrogates of both men crisscrossed the republic making the case for their candidate, while party owned newspapers attacked the other. October 2, 1810 was a cool rainy day though out much of the Federal Republic as the people went to vote to choose who would be president for the first time ever. Burr would carry the day taking 52% of the national vote, Jay came in a close second with 47% of the national vote, and the Anti-Mason Party’s Paul McHenry of New Jersey would bring in just 1% of the national vote. Burr had won his second term as President.
John Jay of New York Federalist Candidate for President in 1812
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