Worksheet # 56 Home Questions Puzzle Links Next

THE ELECTION OF 1800

Now, John Adams raised taxes and was viciously mocked.

Taxes aren’t much liked --- or aren’t you shocked?

And when the mean words reached a frightful condition,

New laws were set forth to ban such sedition.

Which is the stir of trouble with a whiff of treason

-- Though ‘twas often mis-used for political reason,

To scare all the writers with their harsh views to express,

By those hopping-mad from all the bad press.

And the Republicans balked: free speech is protected

By Amendment the First, and it can’t be rejected.

So Jefferson spoke out with some sharps words to convey:

Of laws so despotic... the states need not obey!

‘Twas alarming, indeed, with grave ramification

To propose a state’s right to nullification.

Hence the pot was aboil for the next election

As Adams and Jefferson both stood for selection...

Now plenty did think Mister Adams quite rotten.

He raised taxes, of course --- or had you forgotten?

But the tally of votes brought the strangest of spins:

A tie; yes, a tie... between Republicans!

As four names were put forth, but nowhere quite evident,

Who ran to be Vice and who ran to be President.

And how Jefferson fumed, how his teeth did gnaw:

The man picked as his second refused to withdraw!

Aaron Burr was the name at the point of deadlock,

The House tried 35 votes --- but got the same shock!

A strange bird, this Burr, who was meant to be V.P.,

And who, in Hamilton’s eyes, was a creature most creepy.

While in spite of their tussles and no matter what,

Every inch of old T.J. was a true patriot.

So Alex talked to a friend, to vote Jefferson in,

-- An odd way, to be sure, for bright Thomas to win.