Jefferson and Madison's presidencies

On March 4, 1801, the first Democratic-Republican administration took office. James Madison, of Virginia, was appointed Jefferson's first secretary of state. The President, in his inaugural address, showed a desire to bring about unity of action between the Republicans and the Federalists. The administration of Jefferson (Democratic-Republican, 1801-1809) met with public approval. The finances of the nation prospered. Material resources increased rapidly. The party in power successfully antagonized the Federal idea of a state church. The naturalization …

…against such an aggressive policy, but yielded ultimately to party pressure. He was renominated in caucus and reelected in 1812. The war with England was popular in the South and the West. In 1816, Congress, on the President's recommendation, enacted a protective tariff of about twenty-five percent on imported cotton and woolen goods, and specific duties on wine. During the latter part of his administration, Madison declined to sanction internal improvements, as being in his opinion unconstitutional