In todays government, it is quite rare that two members of the cabinet have opposing political and economical views. Unknowing of this, George Washington appointed two men who he thought very highly of to be his head of Department of State and his Secretary of the Treasury, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, respectively. Jefferson and Hamilton supported two different political views.
Alexander Hamilton’s background helped shape his thoughts and ideas that would become a contributing factor of their rivalry. Hamilton’s father was a French nobleman who had left to tend to a sugar plantation in an attempt to attain wealth but was unsuccessful. Hamilton didn’t have an easy life as a child, his father abandoned him and his mother died when he was very young. From this, his independence grew and he found work. When he was 15 he was sent off to the English Colonies to explore and expand his knowledge. Upon his arrival, he is bombarded by the struggles that occurred in 1773. The British at the time were forcing their authority on the colonies and Hamilton quickly understood their troubles. When the Revolutionary War broke out, he took charge and became a lieutenant and soon became a close friend of George Washington; later becoming the first Secretary of Treasury. Through his difficulties he gained and understanding of working your way to the top, which was an essential step for his Federalists beliefs.
Jefferson’s strong democratic beliefs originated from his fairly wealthy life on the plantation. He grew up in a small town in Virginia, a young boy with red hair and freckles. He lived with his father, mother, and several other siblings. Jefferson had a comfortable life growing up. He lived on a large plantation, his family was fairly wealthy, and he had access to education. Jefferson had a great appreciation for learning. His love for knowledge also led him to pursue higher education, leading him to attend The College of William & Mary. There, he found George Wythe and Scottish scholar William Small, two influential figures and mentors in Jefferson’s life. They taught him everything from mathematics and political philosophy, to law and Enlightenment. Later, he became part of the continental congress and the main author of The Declaration of Independence, eventually becoming Secretary of State, which led to the clash between Hamilton and Jefferson.
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Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had opposing views on economy, leading to conflict. Hamilton believed in a strong central government and to acquire this, wealth was the key. He wanted to make the United States rich in order for it to become a very powerful government. Hamilton learned first hand what it is like to earn a living, and that is why he believed, that wealth was the foundation in building a strong nation. He felt that those with wealth, merchants known now as businessman, would launch the U.S. into wealth and power. He also believed that with wealth came knowledge. When Hamilton started his journey as Secretary of Treasury, he was faced with many difficulties; The National Debt was one large obstacle. He felt the utmost importance in paying off all of our debts. This was significant in order to build good credit and creating our first National Bank, the Bank of the United States. On the other hand, Jefferson’s idea of America was one built by farmers and not merchants. He thought the only person who was truly free were indeed the farmers. He was determined and passionate about and Freedom, it was his foundation. He was also a strong advocate for free education. From elementary to college education he hoped, that we would be able to preserve our Liberty and Freedom.
The two argued about the basics of politics, their strong opinions standing against one another creating a split in Americans affecting us even today. On February 25th, 1793, Washington held his first full Cabinet meeting with Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Once in office the two immediately made it clear they’ll never truly see eye to eye. Hamilton, a true believer in a strong central government, felt he needed to limit democracy and make the U.S. a powerful nation. He turned to Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the Constitution, which allows Congress to have the power 'To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.' utilizing it to make his America; this was also known as the elastic clause or as he called it, Broad Construction. In order to expand the powers, he broadly interpreted the meaning of the Constitution. Jefferson could not contend with any of Hamilton’s ideals. He believed in Strict Construction. He felt that government should be weak and did not feel the Constitution was not democratic enough. Jefferson despised tyranny and opposed the idea of a strong central government. He felt it was his duty to protect The United States from tyranny. Jefferson once said, 'That government is best which governs least, because its people discipline themselves.' He thought that the States should have the most power and that it should serve in the interest of the farmers.
In conclusion, Hamilton believed in a strong central government and a wealthy economy run by businessmen versus Jefferson’s beliefs in a very Democratic government where the states had the most power and a country run by farmers. This line in the sand was what eventually led to the two major parties that are present in America today; The Republicans once known as the Federalists, and the Democrats once called the Democratic Republicans. Their principles, even now continue to be fought over just as they did on February 25th, 1793.
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