Ballad of the Presidents: Adams

John Adams came second, cranky but true
Advancing from Washington’s twice number two.
With troubles abroad, an Anglo-French war,
He turned back to home and made troubles the more.

The French and the Brits, at mutual throats,
Egregiously captured American boats.
London compounded its huggery-muggery
By kidnapping Yanks with duplicit skulduggery.

Yet Adams's Federalists favored the Brits.
Relations with France fell into the pits.
A war Adams waged without proclamation,
A maritime conflict, to Feds' glad ovation.

Against all such acts the Republicans
Did try to engage the broad public in
Protesting Adams’ high-handedness
In waging a war Constitution-less.

The Feds then rejoined with a series of laws
Designed to compel a Republican pause
By branding complaint as illegal sedition
And subjecting some critics to foreign rendition. 

Republicans Madison, Jefferson
Now focused their closeted efforts on
Amendment the First so sorely abused
By Federalist power maligned and misused.

Republican states received their appeal
To render their states' rights philosophy real.
The ultimate right was to nullify
And federal power by this to defy.

Yet it wasn’t Repubs who did Adams in
But rather his own jealous partisan kin.
The one by whom Adams was foully undone?
The brilliantly prideful A. Hamilton.

When Adams attempted to win reelection
Grim Hamilton blatantly fostered defection.
Electors, though wanting Marse TJ for sure,
Mistakenly voted as often for Burr.

Hamilton, heretofore president-breaker,
Suddenly found himself president-maker.
To many's surprise he pushed Jeff to the fore
Because he concluded he hated Burr more.