What if Jefferson won the 1796 presidential election? How might this happen? What might the results be? How would US/French relations be effected?
On the other hand, Jefferson is far more likely to do something intensely stupid as a result of his uncritical support of the French Revolution.
He managed well enough IOTL, I would actually ask you to give some sort of substantiation here. He believed as strongly in American neutrality as anyone else, even going so far as to embargo BOTH Britain and France during the 1803 round of wars.
I don't know about this. The First Party System was a very paranoid time for partisan politics. One of 'em was bound to make human rights violations sooner or later; just depended on who was in power during the late 1790's crisis.No Alien or Sedition Acts.
Quite. Instead, we'll have the penetration of the judiciary by the Democratic-Republicans.No penetration of the judiciary by the Federalists.
Not quite. Robespierre was from the Convention and Committee of Public Safety period. He died in 1795. The Directory was what came after, and was relatively conservative.The difference is the date and the affairs in France. in 1796 Napoleon is not an emperor and Robespierre still runs the show. Jefferson had some very flattering things to say about the directory and their love of the guillotine.
I don't know about this. The First Party System was a very paranoid time for partisan politics. One of 'em was bound to make human rights violations sooner or later; just depended on who was in power during the late 1790's crisis.
I don't know about this. The First Party System was a very paranoid time for partisan politics. One of 'em was bound to make human rights violations sooner or later; just depended on who was in power during the late 1790's crisis.
On a state level somewhere, maybe, but Jefferson was all about being a strict constructionist and the most embarrassing part (for him) of his OTL presidency was the situation surrounding the Louisiana Purchase (the Federal government technically didn't have the power to purchase land from a foreign country). He isn't about to pass proto-fascist laws against free speech, one of the rights he (and other D-Rs) fought to have explicitly protected in the Bill of Rights.
Not to mention he doesn't really have to. As I said before, the Federalists were a minority party of wealthy urban merchants, whereas the Democratic-Republicans were populists, it should be easy to see who gains from censoring public writings and who doesn't.
Although Jefferson did violate the Constitution he loved so much, when he bought the Louisiana territory without Congressional approval, I don't think he would stoop so low as to limit freedom of speech.
Not quite. Robespierre was from the Convention and Committee of Public Safety period. He died in 1795. The Directory was what came after, and was relatively conservative.
John Marshall won't become the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Which means no Marbury v. Madison and Judical Review. Supreme Court has much less power then it does now. Justices will look at there postition on the court as unimportant and more will leave if they have the ability to get better positions in other places.