James Thomson Callender, Republican journalist; in January 1800 published The Prospect Before Us, making the case for Thomas Jefferson and against John Adams for the presidency. Callender's pamphlet earned him an indictment for sedition and nine months in the Richmond, Virginia, jail.
The reign of Mr. Adams has been one continued tempest of malignant passions. As President, he has never opened his lips, or lifted his pen without threatening and scolding, the grand object of his administration has been to exasperate the rage of contending parties to calumniate and destroy every man who differs from his opinions. . . . Adams and Washington have since been shaping a series of these paper jobbers into judges and ambassadors, as their whole courage lies in want of shame; these poltroons, without risking a manly and intelligible defense of their own measures, raise an affected yelp against the corruption...