Changes
clean up
Adams refused to consider the French proposals. The Republicans, mistakenly thinking Adams had rejected reasonable terms, demanded to see the correspondence, which Adams sent to Congress (replacing the actual names of the French agents, with the letters "X," "Y," and "Z.") The public outrage was overwhelming against France.
The off-year elections to Congress were held between April 1798 and March 1799. The Federalists captured more seats than they would ever have again. This victory was largely a southern phenomenon. In Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, significant contests were won by Republicans because of the party's ability to dispel the stigma of close association with France and win over the more moderate Federalists. Republicans who did not dispel their pro-French image met defeat at the polls, especially in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. More Federalists were elected to Congress from the South than at any time since Washington's first term. Many southerners feared a French invasion, and preparedness by some southern cities included building naval vessels. Kentucky and Tennessee were least angered by the XYZ relations. Concern for the preservation of liberty remained the chief worry of westerners. Kentucky and Virginia responded to the Alien and Sedition Acts with the [[Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions]] (1798) (secretly written by Jefferson and [[James Madison]]) to challenge the Adams' administration, but many other states repudiated these Resolutions. The election results indicated that people wanted an independent policy which would insure the integrity of American national interest. The XYZ Affair forced Americans to recognize that they must be truly free of both England and France in order to develop their national character.
==Congress acts==
* Elkins, Stanley M. and Eric McKitrick, ''The Age of Federalism''. (1993), the standard history of the 1790s [http://www.questia.com/read/59152800 enline edition]
* Ferling, John. ''John Adams: A Life.'' (1992) [http://www.amazon.com/John-Adams-Life-E-Ferling/dp/0945707142/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196382445&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Ferling, John. "'Oh That I Was a Soldier': John Adams and the Anguish of War," ''American Quarterly'', Vol. 36, No. 2 (Summer, 1984), pp. 258-275 258–275 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-0678(198422)36%3A2%3C258%3A%22TIWAS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-0 in JSTOR]
* Fowler, Jr. William M. ''Jack Tars and Commodores: The American Navy, 1783-1815'' (1984)
* Hale, Matthew Rainbow. "'Many Who Wandered in Darkness': the Contest over American National Identity, 1795-1798." ''Early American Studies'' 2003 1(1): 127-175. Issn: 1543-4273
* Kurtz, Stephen G. ''The Presidency of John Adams: The Collapse of Federalism, 1795-1800'' (1957). Detailed political narrative. [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-presidency-of-john-adams-the-collapse-of-federalism-1795-1800-by-stephen-g-kurtz.jsp online edition]
* McCullough, David. ''John Adams.'' (2002). Pulitzer Prize popular biography, [http://www.amazon.com/John-Adams-David-McCullough/dp/0743223136/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196382528&sr=8-8 excerpt and text search]
* Miller, John C. ''The Federalist Era: 1789-1801'' (1960), pp 210-227210–227* Murphy, Jr. William J. "John Adams: The Politics of the Additional Army, 1798-1800," ''The New England Quarterly'' Vol. 52, No. 2 (Jun., 1979), pp. 234-249 234–249 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0028-4866%28197906%2952%3A2%3C234%3AJATPOT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P in JSTOR]
* Palmer, Michael A. ''Stoddert's War: Naval Operations During the Quasi-War With France, 1798-1801'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Stodderts-War-Operations-Quasi-War-Literature/dp/1557506647/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196380859&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]
* Phillips, James Duncan. "Salem's Part in the Naval War with France," ''The New England Quarterly'' Vol. 16, No. 4 (Dec., 1943), pp. 543-566 543–566 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0028-4866%28194312%2916%3A4%3C543%3ASPITNW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W in JSTOR]
* Ray, Thomas M. "'Not One Cent for Tribute': The Public Addresses and American Popular Reaction to the XYZ Affair, 1798-1799." ''Journal of the Early Republic'' (1983) 3(4): 389-412. Issn: 0275-1275 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0275-1275(198324)3%3A4%3C389%3A%22OCFTT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-8 in Jstor]
* Sharp, James. ''American Politics in the Early Republic: The New Nation in Crisis.'' (1995), detailed political narrative of 1790s.
<references/>
[[Category:warsWars]]
[[Category:United States Navy]]
[[Category:Early National U.S.]]
[[Category:French History]]
