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PARTISAN REVIEW
The antipathy between the two burgeoning parties exploded in the
early 1790s, in reaction especially to their opposing stands on the political
turbulence in revolutionary France. While Federalists looked on with hor–
ror and revulsion at the shocking guillotining of Louis XVI and the lawless
executions of the so-called enemies of the people, enthusiastic
Republicans cheered their French brethren, hailing the radical revolution–
ary cause. Federalists branded their Republican adversaries "Jacobins," and
Republicans returned the compliment by labeling the Federalists
"monocrats." Each group portrayed its opponent as conspiratorial and trea–
sonous, an ally either of reactionary England or sanguinary France.
In this climate of hostility and paranoia, Federalists and Republicans
battled for the presidency.Jefferson showed himself extremely adept in par–
tisan politics. The key to his success as a party builder was his passionate
commitment to democratic ideals. His ability to inspire others with his
vision of popular democracy and a classless society-a vision that disput–
ed Federalist elitism-gained him fervent followers and a broad and solid
political base. The people, Jefferson believed, could be rallied to the truth,
their Republican spirit resurrected if they could be educated and persuad–
ed to resist the "dupery practised on them" by Federalists.
Underlying Jefferson's belief in party politics lay his unshakable faith
in majority rule, which he called a "fundamental law of nature." An orga–
nized, unified, and ideologically galvanized majority, by means of an
election, could take over one, two, or even three branches of national gov–
ernment and proceed to fulfill-or to attempt to fulfill-i ts ideological
agenda. The party and its leaders could conceivably govern the nation vig–
orously and freely. The majority could recapture its power and its voice
from the anti-majoritarian system of checks and balances, making "ener–
getic" government a possibility.
And how did the defeated Federalists feel about turning the reins of
government over to men they loathed and feared? Was there no way to save
the republic, Alexander Hamilton wondered, "from the fangs
ofJqJerson?"
Would not the transfer of power "to hands hostile to the system hereto–
fore pursued with so much success" jeopardize the new federal union? So
angry and disturbed was Hamilton at the prospect of Jefferson's ascension
to the presidency that he considered "the immediate calling together of the
exiting Legislature" to block the election by declaring it invalid.
"In times like these in which we live," Hamilton wrote ominously to
John Jay, "it will not do to be over-scrupulous. It is easy to sacrifice the
substantial interests of society by a strict adherence to ordinary rules." He
believed that he had a "solemn obligation" to "prevent an atheist in
Religion, and a fanatic in politics, from getting possession of the helm of
state." Resorting to Jacobin-style discourse, he even declared that blocking
