Digital Collections

The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of primary source materials related to the presidential election of 1800, including manuscripts, letters, government documents, printed ephemera, and newspaper articles. Provided below is a link to the home page for each relevant digital collection along with selected highlights.

Congressional Publications

Congress.gov
This collection contains congressional publications from 1789 to the present, including debates, bills, laws, and journals. Search this collection by date and publication to find materials related to presidential election of 1800 (6th Congress).

Selected highlights from this collection:

Exhibitions

Creating the United States: Election of 1800
This online exhibition offers insights into how the nation’s founding documents were forged and the role that imagination and vision played in the unprecedented creative act of forming a self–governing country. A section of the exhibition on the election of 1800 contains a selection of letters, documents, and images from the time period.

Historic Newspapers

Chronicling America
Historic American newspapers selected and contributed by state partners in the National Digital Newspaper Program.

Selected highlights from this collection:

James Madison Papers

James Madison Papers, 1723 to 1859
James Madison (1751-1836) is one of 23 presidents whose papers are held in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress. The Madison Papers consist of approximately 12,000 items, spanning the period 1723-1859, captured in some 37,714 digital images.

Selected highlights from this collection:

James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, January 10, 1801.
"I find that the vote of Kentucky establishes the tie between the Repub: characters, and consequently throws the result into the hands of the H. of R."
James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, February 28, 1801.
"The result of the contest in the H. of R. was generally looked for in this quarter."

Printed Ephemera

Printed Ephemera: Three Centuries of Broadsides and Other Printed Ephemera
The Printed Ephemera collection comprises 28,000 primary source items dating from the seventeenth century to the present and encompasses key events and eras in American history.

Selected highlights from this collection:

Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson Papers, 1606 to 1827
The complete Thomas Jefferson Papers from the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress consists of approximately 27,000 documents. This is the largest collection of original Jefferson documents in the world.

Selected highlights from this collection:

Thomas Jefferson to Aaron Burr, December 15, 1800.
"I understand several of the high-flying federalists have expressed their hope that the two republican tickets may be equal, & their determination in that case to prevent a choice by the H of R, (which they are strong enough to do,) and let the government devolve on a President of the Senate."
Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, December 19, 1800.
"But I hold the latter impossible, and the former not probable; and that there will be an absolute parity between the two republican candidates."
Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, December 26, 1800.
“All the votes have now come in, except of Vermont & Kentuckey, and there is no doubt that the result is a perfect parity between the two republican characters."
Thomas Jefferson to Tench Coxe, December 31, 1800.
“The contrivance in the Constitution for marking the votes works badly, because it does not enounce precisely the true expression of the public will."
Thomas Jefferson to Aaron Burr, February 1, 1801.
"It was to be expected that the enemy would endeavor to sow tares between us, that they might divide us and our friends. Every consideration satisfies me you will be on your guard against this, as I assure you I am strongly."
Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, February 1, 1801.
"I dare not through the channel of the post hazard a word to you on the subject of the election. Indeed the interception and publication of my letters exposes the republican cause as well as myself personally to so much obloquy that I have come to a resolution never to write another sentence of politics in a letter.”
Thomas Jefferson to Tench Coxe, February 11, 1801.
"This is the morning of the election by the H of R. For some time past a single individual had declared he would by his vote make up the ninth State. On Saturday last he changed, and it stands at present 8. one way, 6. the other, & 2. divided."
Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Smith Barton, February 14, 1801.
"This is the fourth day of the ballot, and nothing done..."
James Bayard to Allen McLane, February 17, 1801
"Mr Jefferson is our President. Our opposition was continued till it was demonstrated that Burr could not be brought in, and even if he could he meant to come in as a Democrat."
Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, February 18, 1801.
"The minority in the H of R, after seeing the impossibility of electing B..."
Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr., February 19, 1801, Journal, with Copy.
"After exactly a week's balloting there at length appeared 10. States for me, 4. for Burr, & 2. voted blanks.

Today in History

February 17, 1801
On February 17, 1801, presidential candidate Thomas Jefferson won support of a majority of congressional Representatives displacing incumbent John Adams. Jefferson's triumph brought an end to one of the most acrimonious presidential campaigns in U.S. history and resolved a serious Constitutional crisis.

Presidential Election of 1800: A Resource Guide

History, Humanities & Social Sciences: Ask a Librarian

Digital Collections

Congressional Publications

Selected highlights from this collection:

Exhibitions

Historic Newspapers

Selected highlights from this collection:

James Madison Papers

Selected highlights from this collection:

Printed Ephemera

Selected highlights from this collection:

Thomas Jefferson Papers

Selected highlights from this collection:

Today in History