Hail, Columbia! (The Election of 1800)

[Cranberry]

John Jay's reelection, and the keeping of overall control in Congress cemented the Continental Party's hold on the juvenile nation. Any opposition was, with the Federalist's demise into oblivion, centred around the Democratic Party, which, far from any unity, struggled with internal conflict. Abolitionist movements that strongly gained ground in the North and the Southwest proved to fatal to the party, with its Southeastern slaveholder wing breaking off and forming a new party, the Federal Unity, aiming to unite the elitist upper classes - the Federalists former base. Meanwhile, French interests in Quebec and Louisiana, as well as the French minority in other provinces all throughout the Northeast, united under the "Républicain" banner.

John Jay's domestic record was mostly shaped by conflict with his Vice President, who as leader of the Congress' Upper House, the Senate, was often able to blanket important legislation. This, coupled with a personal emnity between the two, went as far as that John Jay asked Congress in a joint session to approve an amendment to Commonwealth Charter, thus unseen before, that would make the Vice Presidency an entity elected by a joint session of Congress, and with little power but ceremonally preside before the Senate. Adams was furious, but was forced to sit by and see the Continental Party's large majority in Congress approve the amendment.

Other than that, John Jay's presidency was little more than a continuation of the path crafted by Franklin and Hidalgo. He saw the law preventing slave trade going into effect by January 1, 1800; under protests of many in the Southeast. The abolitionist movement however was gaining steam at a rapid pace, with slavery all but eliminated in most of the Southwestern and Northern provinces.

Going into the election season of 1800, the Continental Party sees still a large majority in Congress, but its stronghold on the nation seems to crumble. While some territories in the west were re-organised, no new provinces were admitted since 1792, leaving the needed majority of electors at 27.


President John Jay of New York [Continental]
The President is seen by many as the consensus option of the centre, always trying to balance often conflicting interests. His party still enjoys widespread support by being seen as the party of the creation of the Commonwealth itsself, and of the popular first Presidents Franklin and Hidalgo.


Senator Aaron Burr of New York [Democratic]
The Democrats have lost their Southeastern wing, but their support in the frontier provinces and among the lower class in rural areas is strong and growing. While trying to ignore the slavery question as good as possible, they envision a nation of a weaker central government, and stronger participation of the individual provinces; as well as the abolition of the Central Bank.


Gilbert Lafayette of Quebec [Républicain]
Lafayette was a hero of the Independence Wars, fighting alongside the colonists ahead of a French support army. While returning home initially, the troubles of the revolution found him leave his home for Quebec, where he went on to become a strong voice for Quebecois and French Catholic interests. While his chances to be elected President atop a singular French ticket are seen as slim, he might become important as a consensus option for Vice President to be elected by Congress after the election. His policies inlcude a strong distaste of slavery, support for regionalist interests of the French populace, but also for some of the Continental central government policies, including the Central Bank.


Governor Charles Pinckney of South Carolina [Federal Unity]
The Governor of South Carolina, Charles Pinckney, is running a single-issue platform for a single-issue party: the prevention of the abolition of slavery. He aims to reach out to the upper classes of other provinces - the old Federalist base - but his efforts' sucesses are limited by the slavery issue.

[Intell]

Keep with Jay.

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

Lafayette!

[Mr. Smith]

Keep with Jay.

[TDAS04]

Jay

[Zioneer]

Lafayette, let's give every region a chance. Plus it's Lafayette, he's a war hero.

[Maxwell]

Keep with Jay.

[Cranberry]

Still one day to go

[Cranberry]

Unexpected to most observers, the election of 1800 produced an upset with war hero Lafayette topping both Democrats and Continentals, but by virtue of not obtaining a majority of electors, the election was to be sent into a second round. Jay and Burr, receiving the same number of electoral support, were subject to a coin toss on who would face Lafayette, which the President won.



Gilbert Lafayette of Quebec [Républicain] - 23 Electors
President John Jay of New York [Continental] - 12 Electors
Senator Aaron Burr of New York [Democratic] - 12 Electors
Governor Charles Pinckney of South Carolina [Federal Unity] - 5 Electors

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Looks like the new President will be speaking about a similar, yet very different "Revolution of 1800". LaFayette should have a very interesting Presidency, assuming the French Revolution is still a thing.