Though the treaty was meant to stay secret until fully ratified, copies had been circulating during Senate debates. Less than a week after the final vote in the Senate, Benjamin Franklin Bache printed an abstract in his Republican paper Aurora and then distributed it in pamphlet form in New York, Connecticut, and Boston.  This sparked loud dissent among the people in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. 

The Boston town meeting adopted a series of resolutions and proclaimed the treaty "highly injurious" to trade, "derogatory" to the new nation, and "dangerous" to the public peace (Estes, 74). The treaty was seen as an embodiment of submission to Britain and its aristocracy and empire, which Americans had only recently freed themselves from. Prominent citizen Alexander Hamilton was allegedly physcially attacked when he proposed that the President and Senate had the virtue and wisdom to judge the treaty themselves (Estes, 76). A rallying cry became:

"Damn John Jay! Damn everyone that won't damn John Jay! Damn everyone that won't put lights in his windows and sit up all night damning John Jay!"

The connection of the Federalists and Jay's treaty with British oppression was made all the more powerful when the Philadephia riots coincided with the fourth of July in 1795. In the capital, the worst violence raged: first a riot suffering casualties of the rioters and citizens attempting to subdue the riot; then a demonstration outside the British minister's house, including an assault of stones through his windows (Perkins, 34).

Alexander Hamilton was fundamental in setting the grounds for positive Anglo-American relations. He served as Secretary of the Treasury until January 1795, best known for his financial plan, but remained an influential citizen in New York and is regarded as the founder of the Federalist party.

In response, the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, emphasized their trust in the people and placed the blame on radical "Jacobins" trying to incite chaos. Thirty-eight "Defence" essays (twenty-eight by Hamilton) signed "Camillus" appeared over the latter half of 1795, defending the treaty and its constitutionality, presenting a detailed analysis, and responding to the specific popular criticisms. Though Jefferson and Madison continued to condemn the treaty, both stayed relatively silent, leaving anti-treaty argument to radical rhetoricians. Eventually, both sides of campaigning died down after President Washington signed the treaty in August.

Over the fall, both Federalists and Democratic-Republicans noted a decrease in anti-treaty spirit and a rise of support. Anger cooled as citizens responded to the Federalists defenses and were given more time to consider the treaty. Washington waited as opinion shifted, and finally submitted the treaty to the House on March 1, 1796.

Arguments surged on both sides again as the House considered appropriations, though with a shifted sentiment, the parties approached public opinion differently. The Federalists now upheld popular opinion and petitions while Republicans tried to claim that a mercantile elite were controlling the people (Estes, 152-3). While the decision rested with the Representatives who were fairly divided on the treaty, whatever the public opinion may have been, as frequently popularly elected officials, they could not afford to ignore it. In addition, with citizens approving of the treaty, the argument of an aristocratic interest re-yoking Americans to British interests had considerably less power. Thus, when Fisher Ames delivered his famed speech, a strong case for the treaty was the popular support.