Federalist Goals by 1809

Ratification of the Constitution did not come easily, and many were still opposed to a strong federal government when the new federal government came into power. The first two presidents of this new republic, George Washington and John Adams, were both Federalists, even though Washington believed in no permanent political parties. The third president, Thomas Jefferson, was the ideological head of the democratic-republicans. By 1809, Jefferson's last year in office, The Federalist parties ideas still reigned as the national norm. Even after Jefferson finished his two-term presidency the Federalist party had a stronger impact on the federal government through the channels of supreme court judges, presidential policies, and the financial program.

George Washington and John Adams appointed so many federal judges that the power to interpret the constitution lay in the hands of the Federalist party by 1809. One of the first instances where the Federalist party achieved it's goals in spite of Democratic-Republican opposition was the landmark case "Marbuy v Madison." After Thomas Jefferson had been elected president, but before he had taken control of the office, a federalist-controlled congress passed The Judiciary Act of 1801. This act doubled the amount of circuit courts from 3 to 6 and added ten new district courts. On his last day in office John Adams appointed over fifty new federal judges, and the next day a federalist-controlled Senate approved the appointments. Now came the decision of power, would a Democratic-Republican president allow his Secretary of State to deliver the commission to the newly appointed judges and finalize the process, he wouldn't. In the end a federalist-controlled Supreme Court ruled that Marbury, one of the newly appointed judges, had a right to his commission. Even though the federalist party did not have control of the presidency, the supreme court judges appointed by Adams and Washington could interpret the constitution in a broad view, and all the other federalist- judges could interpret laws in a way that aligned with the federalist party's views. The federalist party's goal of interpreting the constitution loosely was achieved, even though Jefferson was president. Through the judicial system was one of the many ways the Federalist party achieved it's goals.

Thomas Jefferson acted in a federalist manner with the Louisiana territory purchase, even though he was a democratic-republican. While many federalists opposed the Louisiana purchase on the grounds that it would add too many states aligned with the democratic-republicans, it was clearly an action that was not given to the president in the Constitution, and furthered the Federalist goal of expanding the federal government. Federalists favored a strong national government, democratic-republicans despised a large federal government. Before he had taken power, Thomas Jefferson had criticized both Washington and Adams for their flexing of the federal government's arm, especially Washington;s use of brute force to quell the Whiskey Rebellion. Once he had taken the seat of power Thomas Jefferson's actions strayed from the ideals he preached. Many of his actions reduced governmental power, but The Louisiana purchase set a precedent for the President to create new powers for himself when the need arose. Thomas Jefferson inadvertently achieved the Federalist parties goals through his actions, and allowed many Federalist policies to stay in place.

While Alexander Hamilton was Secretary of Treasury under George Washington he set into place many financial policies that remained in place well after 1809. Alexander Hamilton, the father of the national debt, was in the purest definition of the word, a federalist. He established a national bank, created the national debt, and an excessive system of excises, duties, and tariffs. His financial policies, especially the assumption of debt, were hated by the democratic-republicans, but remained in place. Not only did the policies stay in place, but they helped establish America as a firm nation by making sure lenders relied on the United States ability to pay it's debt. Without Hamilton's policies the country we live in today would be very different, and his policies are the epitome of Federalist goals. He created a national bank, which was not specifically listed in the constitution as a power of the federal government, and made sure the Federal Government was in plenty of debt. Federalist goals absolutely outlasted those of the democratic-republicans, as is evidenced by the national debt in 1809 and now.

Federalist goals embody the National Government we have now, and the one that operated under Thomas Jefferson. Through the judicial system the Federalists ensured a loose construction of the constitution. Through future presidents, especially Thomas Jefferson, the Federalists ensured that the federal governments executive power would grow with age. Through Alexander Hamilton's financial policies the Federalist party ensured that America had a strong, powerful Federal government. By 1809 the federal government had already taken to an agenda founded on ideals of federalism, and the goals of the Federalist party survived.