Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/175

THOMAS JEFFERSON 139 wisdom, and the feeling that the subject demanded. Happily the presidential election of 1800 freed the country from those laws without a convulsion. Through the unskilful politics of Hamilton and the adroit management of the New York election by Aaron Burr, Mr. Adams was defeated for re election, the electoral vote resulting thus: Jeffer son, 73; Burr, 73; Adams, 65; Charles C. Pinck- ney, 64 ; Jay, i. This strange result threw the elec tion into the house of representatives, where the Federalists endeavored to elect Burr to the first office an unworthy intrigue, which Hamilton hon orably opposed. After a period of excitement, which seemed at times fraught with peril to the Union, the election was decided as the people meant it should be: Thomas Jefferson became president of the United States and Aaron Burr vice-presi dent. The inauguration was celebrated through out the country as a national holiday; soldiers paraded, church-bells rang, orations were delivered, and in some of the newspapers the Declaration of Independence was printed at length. Jefferson s first thought on coming to the presidency was to assuage the violence of party spirit, and he com posed his fine inaugural address with that view. He reminded his fellow-citizens that a difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. "We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists. If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve