While the generalization of Republican's as strict constructionists and the Federalist's as loose ones holds some truth to it, the beginning of the nineteenth century saw to a change in the economy, constitutional interpretation and judicial decisions of both parties. From 1801 until 1817 the Jeffersonian Republicans slowly converged with Federalist ideals and the Federalist's, over the course of Madison's presidency, became more and more strict as constructionists.
The Embargo Act of 1807 (Doc. C) was passed by Thomas Jefferson and although it was not strictly enforced and was widely evad…
