Editing Federalist Party (section)

====French Revolution====
The [[French Revolution]] and the subsequent war between royalist Britain and republican France decisively shaped American politics in 1793–1800 and threatened to entangle the country in wars that "mortally threatened its very existence".<ref>Elkins and McKitrick, ch 8; Sharp (1993) p. 70 for quote</ref> The French revolutionaries [[Execution of Louis XVI|guillotined]] King [[Louis XVI]] in January 1793, and subsequently declared war on Britain. The French king had been decisive in helping the United States achieve independence, but now he was dead and many of the pro-American aristocrats in France were exiled or executed. Federalists warned that American republicans threatened to replicate the horrors of the French Revolution and successfully mobilized most conservatives and many clergymen. The Republicans, some of whom had been strong Francophiles, responded with support even through the [[Reign of Terror]], when thousands were guillotined, though it was at this point that many began backing away from their pro-France leanings.<ref>Elkins and McKitrick pp. 314–16 on Jefferson's favorable responses.</ref> Many of those executed had been friends of the United States, such as the [[Charles Henri Hector, Count of Estaing|Comte D'Estaing]], whose fleet had fought alongside the Americans in the Revolution ([[Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette|Lafayette]] had already fled into exile, and [[Thomas Paine]] went to prison in France). The republicans denounced Hamilton, Adams and even Washington as friends of Britain, as secret [[monarchism|monarchists]], [[aristocracy|aristocrats]] and as enemies of the republican values. The level of rhetoric reached a fever pitch.<ref>Marshall Smelser, "The Federalist Period as an Age of Passion," ''American Quarterly'' 10 (Winter 1958), 391–459.</ref><ref name = "Smelser">Smelser, "The Jacobin Phrenzy: Federalism and the Menace of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity," ''Review of Politics'' 13 (1951) 457–82.</ref>

In 1793, Paris sent a new minister, [[Edmond-Charles Genêt]] (known as ''Citizen Genêt''), who systematically mobilized pro-French sentiment and encouraged Americans to support France's war against Britain and Spain. Genêt funded local [[Democratic-Republican Societies]] that attacked Federalists.<ref>Elkins and McKitrick, ''Age of Federalism'', pp 451–61</ref> He hoped for a favorable new treaty and for repayment of the debts owed to France. Acting aggressively, Genêt outfitted [[privateer]]s that sailed with American crews under a French flag and attacked British shipping. He tried to organize expeditions of Americans to invade Spanish Louisiana and Spanish Florida. When Secretary of State Jefferson told Genêt he was pushing American friendship past the limit, Genêt threatened to go over the government's head and rouse public opinion on behalf of France. Even Jefferson agreed this was blatant foreign interference in domestic politics. Genêt's extremism seriously embarrassed the Jeffersonians and cooled popular support for promoting the French Revolution and getting involved in its wars. Recalled to Paris for execution, Genêt kept his head and instead went to New York, where he became a citizen and married the daughter of Governor Clinton.<ref>Eugene R. Sheridan,  "The Recall of Edmond Charles Genet: A Study in Transatlantic Politics and Diplomacy". ''Diplomatic History'' 18#4 (1994), 463–68.</ref> Jefferson left office, ending the coalition cabinet and allowing the Federalists to dominate.<ref>Elkins and McKitrick, pp. 330–65.</ref>

The [[Jay Treaty]] battle in 1794–1795 was the effort by Washington, Hamilton and [[John Jay]] to resolve numerous difficulties with Britain. Some of these issues dated to the Revolution, such as boundaries, debts owed in each direction and the continued presence of British forts in the [[Northwest Ordinance|Northwest Territory]]. In addition, the United States hoped to open markets in the British Caribbean and end disputes stemming from the naval war between Britain and France. Most of all the goal was to avert a war with Britain—a war opposed by the Federalists, that some historians claim the Jeffersonians wanted.<ref>Elkins and McKitrick, pp. 375–406.</ref>

As a neutral party, the United States argued it had the right to carry goods anywhere it wanted. The British nevertheless seized American ships carrying goods from the [[French West Indies]]. The Federalists favored Britain in the war and by far most of America's foreign trade was with Britain, hence a new treaty was called for. The British agreed to evacuate the western forts, open their West Indies ports to American ships, allow small vessels to trade with the French West Indies and set up a commission that would adjudicate American claims against Britain for seized ships and British claims against Americans for debts incurred before 1775. One possible alternative was war with Britain, a war that the United States was ill-prepared to fight.<ref>Elkins and McKitrick, pp. 406–50.</ref>

The Republicans wanted to pressure Britain to the brink of war (and assumed that the United States could defeat a weak Britain).<ref>Miller (1960) p. 149.</ref> Therefore, they denounced the Jay Treaty as an insult to American prestige, a repudiation of the American-French alliance of 1777 and a severe shock to Southern planters who owed those old debts and who would now be never compensated for their escaped slaves who fled to British lines for their freedom. Republicans protested against the treaty and organized their supporters. The Federalists realized they had to mobilize their popular vote, so they mobilized their newspapers, held rallies, counted votes and especially relied on the prestige of President Washington. The contest over the Jay Treaty marked the first flowering of grassroots political activism in the United States, directed and coordinated by two national parties. Politics was no longer the domain of politicians as every voter was called on to participate. The new strategy of appealing directly to the public worked for the Federalists as public opinion shifted to support the Jay Treaty.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor = 3125063|title = Shaping the Politics of Public Opinion: Federalists and the Jay Treaty Debate|journal = Journal of the Early Republic|volume = 20|issue = 3|pages = 393–422|last1 = Estes|first1 = Todd|year = 2000|doi = 10.2307/3125063}}</ref> The Federalists controlled the Senate and they ratified it by exactly the necessary two-thirds vote vote (20–10) in 1795. However, the Republicans did not give up and public opinion swung toward the Republicans after the Treaty fight and in the South the Federalists lost most of the support they had among planters.<ref>Sharp 113–37.</ref>