Washington's one term

[BritishDixie]

This will be a thread where George Washington decides to serve only one term. There won't be much detail, but ask whatever questions you like and I'll answer them. So here goes.

1792

Adams/Pinckney: Federalist: 76
Jefferson/Burr: Democratic-Republican: 59

1796

Adams/Pinckney: Federalist: 111
Burr/Madison:  Democratic-Republican: 27

1800

Madison/Clinton: Democratic-Republican: 107
Adams/Pinckney: Federalist: 31

1804

Madison/Clinton: Democratic-Republican: 141
King/Jay: Federalist: 35

1808

Jefferson/Gerry: Democratic-Republican: 127
King/Eager Howard: Federalist: 49

1812

Clinton/Pinckney: Federalist: 117
Jefferson/Gerry: Democratic-Republican: 101

1816

Clinton/Pinckney: Federalist: 109
Crawford/Clay: Democratic-Republican: 108

1820

Crawford/Gallatin: Democratic-Republican: 99: 36.5%
Quincy Adams/Howard: Federalist: 81: 30.9%
Clay/Jackson: Democratic-Republican: 37: 18.4%
Calhoun/Stevenson: Democratic-Republican: 17: 11.0%

House
[Crawford/Gallatin: Democratic-Republican: 13
Quincy Adams/Howard: Federalist: 8
Clay/Jackson: Democratic-Republican: 3

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Details on terms & elections? Also, I might be able to do maps for you.

[BritishDixie]

Details on terms & elections? Also, I might be able to do maps for you.

Coming right up.

1792

Adams was close to Washington, and it seemed obvious that the Grand Old Man would like to see his Vice-President replace him. The election of 1792 had the feel of a gentlemanly debate, rather than battle, between Adams, and Secretary of State Jefferson. Both men avoided conflict and insults. Their running mates, Pinckney and Madison, did likewise. However there was conflict over the Bank of the United States.

The election when it came was heavily sectional. Adams picked up support entirely in the North-East, with the addition of Delaware and Pennsylvania. This highly sectional support enabled him to edge out Jefferson in the electoral college. A disappointed Jefferson vowed not to run in 1796. He kept his word, with disastrous results for the nascent Democratic-Republicans.

Adams's 1st Term

John Adams's first term preceded smoothley. The decision to stay out of the Revolutionary Wars in Europe placated most people in Adams's administration. However friction remained between Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, and former Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had by now brought together the Democratic-Republican Caucus, along with fellow travellers such as James Madison and Albert Gallatin. Meanwhile, the Federal Caucus, as it came to be known, evolved under the direction of Senator Rufus King and Representative John Laurance, both of New York. This group would become the Federalist Party, although Democratic-Republicans, such as James Madison, derided it as the "New York Clique".

The so-called Battle of the Mississippi of 1795, between U.S Forces commanded by Former President George Washington (his last action) and the Choctaw Indians, at the edge of Kentucky resulted in a decisive victory for the U.S Army. The subsequent pacification of the Choctaw, leading them to become one of the "Five Civilized Tribes", boosted Adams's administration further.

1796
With both Jefferson and James Madison refusing to run for the Presidency, Senator Aaron Burr, of New York, garnered the nomination of the Democratic-Republican Caucus. It was a disaster. Federalist surrogates for Adams swooped down on him. Senator Rufus King referred to him as "the most base, barefoot rascal who has ever set foot upon the soil of this noble Republic". Scandals surrounding him damaged his campaign, and he was defeated in a landslide in the electoral college.

The Second Term of John Adams

John Adams's second term began well. However, pressures from outside would soon consume his Presidency. With the war between Britain and France now dividing the United States, Adams was determined to preserve neutrality. Hoever, the Federalist passing of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, inflamed public opinion against him. James Madison, assumed to be the front-runner for the Democratic-Republican nomination of 1800, called the acts "the final nail in the coffin of the ideals of the Revolution. This fellow Adams has been dazzled by the riches of England, and now sees fit to create his own Monarchy across the Atlantic". Violence broke out in riots by recent Irish Immigrant's in New York City, and Anglo-American Federalist supporters. The deaths of 31 Irishmen inflamed Immigrant opinion against Adams. Representative William Lyon of Vermont decried "the Federalist man's setting of brother against brother, despoiling this great Republic". An assassination attempt on Adams on December 14th 1799, narrowly failed. But the Federalist grip on power was falling away.

[BritishDixie]

1800

In 1800, John Adams, perhaps unwisely, chose to seek a third term in office. Meanwhile, James Madison, Democratic-Republican Speaker of the House, accepted the nomination of the Democratic Republican Caucus. He managed to persuade Thomas Jefferson to return from the wilderness to take up the vice-presidential slot on the ticket. The campaign was brutal. Madison attacked Adams for his "centralizing of all power in the central state, until all that remains is a brutish, base form of Despotism". Adams hit back by charging Madison with "wilful usurpation of the noble ideal of liberty in the cause of radical and arbitrary revolution.

In the end however, the result was a decisive defeat for Adams in the Electoral College. The bitter Adams would later comment in his autobiography "I was rejected in favour of a gathering of simple minded, bare foot radicals, who would stop at nothing to sow Disunity".

The First Term of James Madison
Upon coming to office, James Madison began to "roll back the infringement of the state upon the liberties of the citizen". He repealed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1801, and made a move to reduce taxes. A small diplomatic incident occurred when the U.S Navy seized a British Ship in 1803, violating U.S neutrality. However, Secretary of State, Albert Gallatin, trooped up to London to make amends for this. The Federalist's descended into bitter infighting, split between the radical faction, led by Alexander Hamilton, and the conservative faction, led by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Madison also secured the Louisiana Purchase in June 1803, from the French.

1804
James Madison, despite a possible challenge being mooted by Aaron Burr, was easily renominated. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney was defeated for the Federalist nomination by Governor (since 1799) Rufus King of New York. However the King/Jay ticket was unable to compete against the popular Madison, and was soundly defeated in the General Election.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

One nitpick: usually, parties don't nominate two guys from the same state. Constitutionally, their state can't vote for both of them. More logical 1792 ticket is Jefferson/ George Clinton.

[BritishDixie]

One nitpick: usually, parties don't nominate two guys from the same state. Constitutionally, their state can't vote for both of them. More logical 1792 ticket is Jefferson/ George Clinton.

Thanks, I should've picked up on my mistake.

The Second Term of James Madison

During his second term, Madison and his Treasury Secretary, Thomas Jefferson, successfully eliminated America's nation debt. In a speech by Madison made in October 1807 he proclaimed the "end of that vile stain upon the good character of the nation... the last refuge of the drunk, the swindler, the scoundrel, the lech and the dotard, namely debt". However with Jefferson's policy of eliminating "that unjust monarchical burden upon the rights and priviledges of the citizen, the gross weight of tax piled upon him by the Federal Government", came a heavy reliance on tariffs, raised under Jefferson to compensate for the decrease in Tax revenues. Madison also rebuffed Jefferson's attempt to get him to consider abolishing the slave trade. Madison's final achievement was to pass an amendment allowing for those born outside of the United States to be eligible for the Presidency after 30 years of citizenship.

1808
With incumbent Vice President George Clinton announcing his refusall to seek the nomination in 1808, all eyes turned to the Treasury Secretary, Thomas Jefferson. Despite his refusal to run again after his rejection in 1792, he was prevailed upon by outgoing President Madison and Secretary of War James Monroe to run for President. After his nomination, he selected 5 term (since 1799) Governor of Massachusetts Elbridge Gerry to be his running mate. The Federalist renominated former Governor Rufus King who selected Senator John Eager Howard of Maryland as his running mate. With the country seemingly prosperous, there were few issues for the Federalists to campaign on. Despite King attacking the Democratic-Republicans for their "corrupt and barbaric abuse of office through the spoils of patronage", Jefferson and Gerry sailed through to a comfortable win, with Federalist power seemingly well rooted.

[BritishDixie]

The First Term of Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson's term started off badly. The British government in September 1809 announced a trade embargoe on the United States, due to what was seen as its covert support for France in the Napoleonic Wars (for instance, James Madison had allowed an American volunteer regiment, led by Andrew Jackson, to form in 1808 to fight for France in the Peninsula Campaign. The regiment would see distinguished service at Talavera). Following the trade embargoe, an American militia raid on Toronto heightened the tensions. Following the seizure of an American Ship caught off the coast of New Brunswick in August 1810, Jefferson offered an ultimatum to the British: surrender the ship in a month, or face war. The British refused to comply, and Jefferson declared war on Britain on September 18th 1810.

The invasion of Lower Canda by troops commanded by General William Henry Harrison in January 1811 started off well, with defections to the American side from many Quebecois. However Sir George Provost, the Lieutenant Governor, dug in in  Lower Canada, and as winter began to bite severely, the U.S Army suffered severe losses. Troops led by Harrison advanced to Montreal, and laid seige in March 1811. The commanding officer of Montreal, Lieutenant-General Thomas Picton, held the town until June 1811, when forces led by Harrison stormed the city, earning him the title "the hero of Montreal". However, Harrison had lost nearly half of his force, and eventually began a retreat down to Maine, harried by a combination on Regular and Canadian forces.

Meanwhile, a mixed force of Native American and British Forces launched an assault into upstate New York from Upper Canada, in October 1811. They were caught however at what would become the City of Binghamton, whilst advancing towards Washington D.C. There they were intercepted by troops commanded by Colonel Winfield Scott. During the battle, Tecumseh, leader of the Native American's was fatally wounded. Forced to withdraw from the battle, Scott drove the British Forces off in dissaray.

However, worried Representatives of all six New England States met in December 1811, and drew up the so-called Boston Declaration, threatening secession from the United States unless their grievances were met. Jefferson ignored them calling them, "traitors to a man".

1812
The Democratic-Republicans renominated President Jefferson and Vice President Gerry in 1812. Meanwhile the Federalist's nominated anti-war Democratic-Republican Governor of New York (since 1810) DeWitt Clinton for the Presidency, and also former Vice President Charles Cotesworth Pinckney as Vice President. The campaign hinged upon Jefferson's conduct of the war, whice was unpopular in the North-East, and in Pennsylvania, where Indian Raids had become commonplace. Clinton promised to bring a swift end to the war. Jefferson suffered a nervous breakdown in June 1812, and the Federalists seized on this, declaring him unfit for office. The final result of the election was very close. It hinged on Pennsylvania, which Clinton carried by just 18 votes. He thus narrowly prevailed in the electoral college. A dispirited Jefferson left politics shortly afterwards, and died of illness in May 1814.

[BritishDixie]

The First Term of DeWitt Clinton

DeWitt Clinton quickly moved to end the war with Britain. The treaty of Berlin, signed September 1813, brought three years of war to an end. The Treaty saw America forced to demilitarize the Border between the United States and Canada, to within a radius of 30 miles. The country also agreed to pay reparations until 1816 for the damage caused to Lower Canada. In return, the British agreed to lift the Trade Embargoe on the United States. In a statement to the Senate by President Clinton in December 1813, a policy that came to be known as the "Clinton Doctrine" was alluded to. In Clinton's words "from now on, the United States must embark upon a policy of non-interference with Europe, for risk of being drawn into the vile and brutal wars that stalk that continent. The United States must confine itself to affairs close to us, in our own hemisphere". The Clinton Doctrine became the official start to the policy of Isolationism.

However one General Andrew Jackson did make a name for himself, fending off a large force of British and Indians with only 500 Militia, at what came to be known as the battle of Baton Rouge.

Meanwhile Clinton faced opposition within his own party to the tax-cutting proposals he championed. However he did achieve a cut in the excise tax on whisky and rum, with the help of Democratic-Republican House Speaker Henry Clay.

1816
Despite attempts by the anti-Clinton faction of the Federalists to nominate Governor John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts as Federalist candidate, Clinton prevailed and was renominated. Meanwhile, former Secretary of State (1811-1813) William H. Crawford was nominated as Democratic-Republican candidate for the Presidency, over Governor James Monroe of Virginia, and Henry Clay of Kentucky. To shore up support in the west, Crawford selected Clay as his running mate. Crawford denounced the "unmitigated cowardice and treasonable behaviour of those in high office, in their despicable treaty with Britain". Clinton hit back by saying that Crawford would go to war with Britain, and this revived memories of the war where it had been unpopular. That said, the election was the closest in American History, with Clinton winning by a margin of just 1 in the electoral college. The Clinton Coalition, formed by the pressures of war, was starting to collapse.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

If Washington only served one term, I think it would have created an unofficial one-term precedent similar to the OTL two-term precedent.

[BritishDixie]

If Washington only served one term, I think it would have created an unofficial one-term precedent similar to the OTL two-term precedent.

On the one hand you could say that, however in this timeline, as I should have made clear, his main reason for retirement was due to illness. His most popular successor, James Madison, served 2 terms, and he, in this timeline, is the one of the most respected Presidents. The two term tradition evolved from him doing what Adams didn't do, decline a third term.

[BritishDixie]

The Second Term of DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton began his second term with more attempts at reform. In 1817 he increased the number of justices on the Supreme Court from 6 to 8. He also cut tariffs on imported goods. However his other reform efforts failed. His civil service reform bill of 1818, was defeated in the House by 127 votes to 59. Meanwhile, the debate of slavery heated up under Clinton. The admission of Missouri as a state in 1820 created controversy, eventually leading to the passage of the Popular-Sovereignty Bill of 1820. This allowed states to conduct a vote on the possibility of admitting slavery to their state. The bill passed the House by 136-50 and the Senate by 34-12. However this isolated Clinton from the Federalist Party.

1820
At its convention, the Federalists nominated three term Governor, and Former Treasury Secretary (1813-1814) John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts as their nominee, rejecting Vice President Charles Cotesworth Pinckney on the grounds that he was too old and too conservative. An attempt to run Pinckney for office by the few remaining southern Federalists largely failed.

Meanwhile, the Democratic-Republican convention proved disastrous. Five candidates entered, including Senator William H Crawford of Georgia, House Speaker Henry Clay, Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, Senator Andrew Jackson of Tennessee and Senator Albert Gallatin of Pennsylvania, attempted to gain the nomination. Jackson and Gallatin quickly dropped out, throwing their votes respectively to Clay and Crawford. Calhoun later dropped out and announced that "this mockery of a convention has no grounding or basis in law, therefore I submit myself to the people if they wish for me to be their President". Crawford eventually defeated Clay and named Albert Gallatin as his running mate. Clay decided to mount his own run for the Presidency and Andrew Jackson accepted an offer to be his running mate.

The three campaigns represented the different wings of the Democratic-Republicans. Calhoun represented the so-called radical faction whicn wished to return more power to the states and lower taxes. Crawford represented the establishment faction, which called for the policies that had been advanced under James Madison, including support for the Bank of the United States. Clay led the so-called "Neo-Federalist" Faction, which supported higher tariffs, and Clay's American system. It also supported the ideal of manifest destiny, and of territorial expansion. Meanwhile, Quincy Adams campaigned on traditional Federalist policies, but also against the 1820 Popular-Sovereignty Bill.

The result of the election was inconclusive, with Adams winning most of the North-East, Clay sweeping the West, Crawford dominating the East, and Calhoun winning bits of the Deep-South. In the House Vote, Crawford won, making key inroads in Western state delegations to the detriment of Clay. Crawford thus became 6th President of the United States.

[BritishDixie]

The First Term of William H. Crawford
William H. Crawford decided to appoint one of his former rivals to his cabinet. He gave the position of Secretary of the Treasury to Senator John Gaillard of South Carolina, and the position of Secretary of State to John C. Calhoun. Gaillards's first act was to raise tariffs upon many imported goods, and divert funds to the business of what the Speaker Henry Clay, instrumental behind many of Crawford's policies, termed "national construction", in other words the building of better infrastructure. Crawford's term seemed to be going well until, tragically, he suffered a stroke  October 18th 1823, and died four days later on October 22nd 1823. Thus his Vice-President Albert Gallatin succeeded him.

The First Term of Albert Gallatin
Gallatin selected former Governor of Virginia James Monroe to be his Treasury Secretary as Gaillard decided to run for the Senate again, and kept Calhoun at State. Gallatin's major decision of his term was to set up a state on the coast of Africa for freed slaves, known as Liberia. His named would be remembered by it's capital Gallatinia. Gallatin had only been President for 8 months when he himself suffered a heart attack and died on May 16th 1824. Thus Henry Clay was elevated to the Presidency.

The First Term of Henry Clay
Henry Clay retained James Monroe as Treasury Secretary, and replaced Calhoun at state with the bipartisan choice of former Federalist Representative Daniel Webster of Massachusetts.

1824
In the 1824 election, the Federalists once more nominated John Quincy Adams, along with Richard Stockton as his running mate. Clay and John C. Calhoun were nominated for the Democratic-Republican ticket. The campaign largely revolved around the issues of tariffs and "National Construction". However the positions of the two tickets were largely the same, and the bland Adams could not compete with the popular Clay. Adams was heavily defeated, and Clay won a term in his own right.

Clay/Calhoun: Democratic-Republican: 174: 54.6%
Quincy Adams/Stockton: Federalist: 87: 40.5%

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Why no MI & AR results? Also, there was no mechanism for replacing VP's back then.

[BritishDixie]

Why no MI & AR results? Also, there was no mechanism for replacing VP's back then.

The E.V Calculator only goes back as far as 1840, so I used that and had MI and AR as toss-ups to show that they aren't included. So then would the office of Vice-President have been vacant until after the next election?

[BritishDixie]

The Second Term of Henry Clay
Henry Clay retained his old cabinet in place following the election. He pledged a further upward revision in the tariff, and more "National Construction". Clay also passed an amendment for Vice Presidential succession, whereby upon the death or elevation of a Vice President, the President could submit a choice for Vice President to the House. However, during his term, a crisis emerged that would test the fabric of the nation. In July 1827, the states of South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia, worried that the increases in tariffs would hurt southern cotton, passed so-called nullification laws in their state, allowing them to revoke Federal Laws passed. Clay angrily responded to demands by the South Carolina Governor Daniel E. Huger for recognition of nullification, calling it "the groundless usurpation of Federal powers for the purpose of wanton self-interest". However Huger refused to back down to demands that he repeal the nullification laws, and, with the Governor's of Alabama and Georgia, issued the so-called "Southern Rights Manifesto", calling for the states to be returned powers over taxation. With a revolt increasingly likely, Clay attempted to order General Andrew Jackson in to nip it in the bud. Jackson refused.

Clay next turned to General William Henry Harrison, who agreed to lead a force of 5,000 troops into South Carolina in order to stop a revolt. Huger denounced what he called "the Federal rape of our state". Harrison crossed the border from North Carolina to South Carolina on November 14th 1827, but was shot and killed in a scuffle a few days later between state militia and Federal troops. With the situation threatening to turn into all out civil war, Huger finally relented, and repealed nullification, followed quickly by Alabama and Georgia. A furious Calhoun ended his previous friendship with Henry Clay over the issue of nullification, which he supported. He declined a second term as Vice-Presidential Nominee.

1828
With Calhoun leaving the ticket, Clay picked Secretary of State, former Federalist Daniel Webster as his running mate. However a number of southern Democratic-Republicans walked out of the convention, nominating John C. Calhoun for President, and getting Andrew Jackson to join the ticket as Vice-President. It ran on a platform of supporting states rights, particularly that of nullifying Federal Laws. The Federalists also made a nomination, that of former Senator Richard Rush, and Theodore Frelinghuysen for Vice President, however they were increasingly dismissed as an irrelevance. Clay attacked Calhoun as a deranged radical who would destroy the United States. Clay called for a more effective Federal Government, winning support from many old Federalist voters. His former opponent, John Quincy Adams, supported Clay at this election. Calhoun attacked Clay for "taking on dictatorial powers unbecoming of a President". In the end Clay carried the day, but lost all of the south. This election was a critical realigning election.

Clay/Webster: Democratic-Republican: 153: 48.9%
Calhoun/Jackson: Democratic-Republican: 83: 37.6%
Rush/Frelinghuysen: Federalist: 25: 13.8%

[Simfan34]

Wouldn't Gallatin be ineligible to be elected as he was from Switzerland?

[BritishDixie]

Wouldn't Gallatin be ineligible to be elected as he was from Switzerland?

Madison passed an amendment, incidentally with Gallatin in mind, to allow those born outside the United States to be eligible for President after 30 years of citizenship.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I'm of the mind that Hamilton was eligible for the Presidency, & that might carry over to Gallatin.

[BritishDixie]

The Third Term of Henry Clay
Clay reshuffled his cabinet upon his re-election. Monroe retired as Secretary of the Treasury, and Clay replaced him with his former rival, John Quincy Adams. This created a split within the Democratic-Republicans, some of whom, like Calhoun were now convinced that Clay was metamorphmosing into a Federalist. Meanwhile, he moved his Secretary of War, William Wirt, to State. Clay carried on quietly with his policies in his last term. However the elections of 1830 brought ominous signs that the Democratic-Republican Party was breaking up. Only 3 Federalists won seats, but of the 208 Democratic-Republican, only 104 could be described as loyal to the Clay faction. Many of the other now supported the states rights Calhoun wing of the party. As his term wore on, the Democratic-Republicans became further split and would soon break.

Clay has successfully accomplished the so-called "Clay Program" by 1832. He had doubled the mileage of road within the United States, and business was booming thanks to the tariff. However, dark clouds hung over his successors chances at gaining the White House.

1832
In 1832, Clay successfully secured a merger between the Federalists, and his wing of the Democratic-Republican Party. They called themselves the National Party, after Clay's "National System" and "National Construction". They comfortably nominated Vice President Daniel Webster for President, along with Secretary of State William Wirt as his running Mate. The remainder of the Democratic-Republican Party, with Calhoun declining to run, nominated Governor Andrew Jackson of Tennessee for President. To balance the ticket, the Democratic-Republicans chose Senator Levi Woodbury of New Hampshire as his running mate.

The election of 1832 was bitterly fought. The Nationals again pushed for a larger Federal Government, however this vision seemed stale after 9 years of Clay. Jackson meanwhile supported the right of states to nullify Federal Laws saying "the states were here before the Federation, and any man who does not think so is a fool, to say the least". The Nationals accused Jackson of being both dangerous and senile, Webster called him "the maddest rogue ever to set forth upon God's creation". Jackson accused the Nationals of "hoarding and accumulating power in the Federal Government, in direct violation of the constitution". In the end due to Jackson's enormous popularity, and a growing distrust of the Federal Government, Jackson handily defeated Webster in both the popular and electoral vote.

Jackson/Woodbury: Democratic-Republican: 196: 55.1%
Webster/Wirt: National: 92: 44.0%

[BritishDixie]

The First Term of Andrew Jackson
Following his inauguration, Jackson appointed these men to his Presidential Cabinet:

Secretary of the Treasury: John C. Calhoun
Secretary of State: Martin Van Buren
Secretary of War: James Buchanan
Attorney General: Roger B. Taney
Secretary of the Navy: Richard M. Johnson

Jackson's first decision as President was to Refuse to recharter the Bank of the United States, which meant that it effectively dissolved in 1836. As a part of his campaign promises, and at the urging of friend John C. Calhoun, Jackson drew up the Nullification Amendment of 1834, which allowed states to nullify certain Federal Laws, such as those on tariffs. Due to the fact that Jackson supporters had been swept into office in 1832, the act passed the House by 139-101. It then passed muster in the Senate by 25-23. This was heavily opposed by the National Party, whose grandees, such as Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams, lined up to oppose in speeches. Jackson also authorised the removal of the so called "five civilized tribes" in 1836, despite the Indians taking their case to the Supreme Court, the court, now chaired by Chief Justice Daniel Webster, threw out their case.

1836
Jackson and Woodbury were both renominated for President for the Democratic-Republican Party. The Nationals nominated Senator Theodore Frelinghuysen, and Governor John Davis of Massaachusetts as their ticket. Meanwhile, the so-called Liberty Party gathered for its first convention in 1836. The ticket selected former Treasury Secretary John Quincy Adams, and James Birney of Kentucky as their ticket. The Anti-Masonic Party nominated William A. Palmer and Joseph Ritner to be their ticket.

The campaign was hard fought, with the Nationals attacking Jackson for his "barbaric abuses of a great office". However the Frelinghuysen/Davis ticket was uninspiring, and the smaller parties, the Liberty and Anti-Masonic, both ate away into support for Frelinghuysen. Frelinghuysen attacked Jackson for refusing to recharter the Bank of the United States, saying it would lead to economic disaster. However Jackson merely shrugged him off, saying "an aristocrat will always cry foul when his jewels are removed from him". The Nullification Amendment was also attacked by the Nationals, and also by John Quincy Adams, who saw it as an attempt to shore up slavery. Jackson secured a landslide, however the surprising showing of the Liberty Party marked the first stirrings of the emancipation movment at a political level.

Jackson/Woodbury: Democratic-Republican: 251: 52.8%
Frelinghuysen/Davis: National: 43: 31.5%
Quincy Adams/Birney: Liberty: 0: 8.6%
Palmer/Ritner: Anti-Masonic: 0: 6.4%

[BritishDixie]

The Second Term of Andrew Jackson
Jackson's term started off quietly. However the political situation exploded when news came of the results of slavery referendums in Arkansas and Michigan in July 1837. In Arkansas, Slavery prevailed with 83% of the vote. However, in Michigan, a shock result saw slavery allowed in by a margin of just 7 votes, a totally unexpected outcome. The Michigan Supreme Court struck the result of the referendum down saying that the result was too close for slavery to be admitted, scheduling another one for December 1837. There was an outcry of anger from pro-slavery congressman, as well as the Secretary of Treasury, who called the decision "the most callous act in the history of our country". A riot broke out in Detroit, when anti-slavery abolitionists attacked the house of the pro-slavery Governor of Michigan, Lewis Cass. Jackson sent in the military to quell the disturbances. The result of the referendum held in December showed slavery rejected by a margin of 54%-46%.

This enraged pro-slavery sentiment, who saw the Michigan Supreme Court as having exceeded its authority. A case attempting to overturn the result of the second referendum was taken to the United States Supreme Court, but was rejected by 5-3 in the Supreme Court. Once more, pro-slavery sentiment was infuriated. Calhoun, in February 1838, attacked the rejection as "the perfidious conspiracy of Webster and the National Party to assault slavery". Webster, who had voted against the bill, was blamed for this, and was assassinated on 5th April 1838, by a pro-slavery man, Richard Charten, from Michigan. Calhoun left the government in fury at its "failure to protect the inalienable right of a man to take his property where he pleases". In his place, Jackson appointed the former Governor of Michigan, Lewis Cass.

Meanwhile, Jackson was seeking a third term. He declared in August 1839, "no potential successors are ready to take my place, and therefore it is burdened upon me to be renominated again for the Presidency". This infuriated the Nationals, with Jackson still highly popular, who had been hoping for him to retire in 1840. Henry Clay was a fierce critic saying "this fellow Jackson has already contributed to so much of the division in this country since the year 1833, another four years will see the death of democracy itself.

1840
Jackson and Woodbury were renominated yet again with little difficulty in 1840. Meanwhile, the National Party, saw the surprise return of Henry Clay to politics. Defeating Theodore Frelinghuysen and Winfield Scott on the first ballot. Clay called upon delegates to "resist the encroachment of Dictatorship that occurs every day under Jackson". As his running mate the convention selected pro-tariff and Bank of the United States, Senator Willie Person Mangum of South Carolina. The Liberty Party nominated Theodore Frelinghuysen, a former National Presidential Candidate, and James Birney as their Presidential ticket.

The campaign revolved almost entirely around Jackson's conduct in office. Mangum in particular criticised Jackson for his "wanton use of federal troops in state business". However, Clay's attacks on "Jacksonian Dictatorship", and his seeking a third term, fell flat, as Clay himself was seeking a fourth term in office. Frelinghuysen denounced both parties as "being in the pocket of slave power". Jackson was narrowly re-elected, but the Jackson coalition was breaking up.

Jackson/Woodbury: Democratic-Republican: 167: 49.5%
Clay/Mangum: National: 127: 44.4%
Frelinghuysen/Birney: Liberty: 0: 5.1%

[BritishDixie]

The Third Term of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson's third term proved disastrous. Jackson had lost his able  Secretary of State Martin Van Buren in 1839, after his successful election to be Governor of New York. The inept Roger B. Taney replaced him. Several diplomatic scandals occurred, mainly the fault of Taney. The "Panic" of 1842 caused a painful economic recession. Banks closed, businesses went bust, and unemployment and inflation soared. Jackson was seen as being old and ineffective, and the Democratic-Republicans became dreadfully unpopular. In the elections of 1842, they were reduced to just 79 seats in the House, against 141 Nationals. Three members of the Liberty Party were elected. The Senate balance shifted to 29 Nationals to 23 Democratic-Republicans.

Following these catastrophic losses, Jackson engaged in a speaking tour across the nation to prove that he was neither ineffective, nor too old to be President. On March 21st 1843, he contrated Pnemonia after speaking to an open air audience in New York. His condition worsened and he died on April 11th 1843.

The First Term of Levi Woodbury
Levi Woodbury selected Treasury Secretary Lewis Cass of Michigan to be his Vice President. Woodbury's term was unhappy. The recession continued to bite, and the Democratic-Republicans became increasingly divided over the issue of slavery. The Liberty Party scored surprising wins in the Gubernatorial races for Massachussets and Rhode Island. The smell of death was in the air for the Democratic-Republicans.

1844
President Woodbury declined the nomination of the Democratic-Republicans, feeling that his election chances were poor. Instead, after a hotly contested race between former Governor Martin Van Buren, and Senator (since 1840) John C. Calhoun, Van Buren was nominated for President, with convention rival Governor James Buchanan of Pennsylvania getting the 2nd spot. This led to a convention walkout by many southerners, who disliked Van Buren's anti-slavery reputation. They nominated John C. Calhoun and Senator Hugh Lawson White on the "States Rights" ticket. The Nationals nominated popular General Winfield Scott for President, and for Vice President, Representative Millard Fillmore of New York.

The result was inevitable. The tanking economy, splits over slavery, and the popularity of Scott made Van Buren's defeat inevitable. Calhoun attacked "the perfidious Van Buren, who wishes to end the institution of slavery in this country". This contributed to the significant decline in support for the Democratic-Republicans in the south. The Nationals capitalized on Scott's reputation as the "Hero of Binghamton" and the unpopularity of the Democratic-Republicans to win a victory. However, it was closer than anticipated. Had Calhoun not run, in theory, the Democratic-Republicans could have emerged victorious but for vote splitting.

Scott/Fillmore: National: 152: 45.5%
Van Buren/Buchanan: Democratic-Republican: 78: 36.0%
Calhoun/Lawson White: States Rights: 45: 11.5%
Adams/Birney: Liberty: 0: 6.1%

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

When did Federalist become National?

[BritishDixie]

When did Federalist become National?

They merged in 1832 with the Clay faction of the Democratic-Republicans. But it was a gradual process after 1828.

[BritishDixie]

The First Term of Winfield Scott

The Cabinet of Winfield Scott
Treasury Secretary: Richard Rush
Secretary of State: John J. Crittenden
Secretary of War: John C. Spencer
Attorney General: Edward Bates
Secretary of the Navy: John Bell

Winfield Scott made a priority of establishing a new Bank of the United States. He did so in November 1845, with the bank having a 20 year charter. The tariff of 1846 raised import tariffs on manufactured goods, and American businesses slowly began to profit again. However, Scott angered many people by taking a line that was opposed to the annexation of Texas. But in 1847 he was forced to reconsider following the Mexican invasion on February 16th of the Republic of Texas. Prominent members of congress, such as possible Democratic contender in 1848, Senator Lewis Cass, demanded help be given to the Texans. Scott refused to budge.

However, the attack upon a Protestant Mission in Texas by Mexican troops whipped up public support for a war. Scott finally gave way and declared war on October 17th 1847. Troops commanded by General Robert E. Lee invaded Mexican territories in Colorado, drawing needed Mexican troops away from the fight in Texas. Anglo-American settlers in California revolted against the Mexicans, and the Mexican army was defeated at several key engagements.

With many of its possessions now untenable, the Mexican Army withdrew from Texas, and dug in along the Rio Grande, and on March 17th 1848 a force led by Major William Tecumseh Sherman was wiped out as it attempted to cross the River. Sherman was captured, and was later shot and killed as he tried to escape. Then on June 21st 1848, news came that Mexican terrorists had stormed the U.S Embassy in Austin, Texas, and were demanding a ceasefire in return for the freedom of the hostages, including one Abraham Lincoln. A botched rescue mission mounted in September failed miserably, resulting in the deaths of both its commanding officer, and his deputy, lieutenant George Meade.

Robert E. Lee however was able to inflict a decisive defeat upon the Mexican Army in California. But Scott's Presidency now hung in the balance.

1848
Winfield Scott was easily renominated for President in 1848 by the Nationals. A hotly contested race between Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan and former Governor James Buchanan failed to produce a winner at the Democratic convention. Thus the Democratic-Republicans turned to dark horse candidate James K. Polk of Tennessee to be their nominee. After his nomination, the convention nominated Lewis Cass of Michigan as Polk's running mate. The Liberty Party meanwhile nominated former Governor of New York Martin Van Buren as their Presidential nominee, along with John P. Hale for Vice President.

The campaign was dominated by the war with Mexico, with Polk calling Scott "a fat, timid man, al fuss and feathers, no grit nor determination". Polk promised to be victorious in the war and admit Texas as a state. Scott meanwhile was hampered by the Liberty party taking votes away from his own party in key states. The hostages in Austin also proved detrimental to the Scott campaign, as Polk promised to have them freed within a month of his becoming President. Scott made no such promises. On the day of the election, Scott was defeated narrowly by Polk, with the Liberty Party almost doubling its share of the vote from 1844. The irony was that the Mexicans surrendered the hostages the day after the election.

Polk/Cass: Democratic-Republican: 181: 44.9%
Scott/Fillmore: National: 105: 40.6%
Van Buren/Hale: Liberty: 0: 13.0%