Hail, Columbia! (The Election of 1836 FINAL ROUND)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

No candidate won a majority on the first ballot of the 1836 election, forcing a second round between incumbent President Henry Clay and Niagara Governor William Mackenzie. While Clay is running on the victories of his first term, most notably the implementation of the "Continental System" of internal improvements and centralized finance, Mackenzie has cast himself as the champion of the people, calling for new reforms to increase popular participation in politics (such as universal free manhood suffrage and the abolition of the electoral college). Abolitionist candidate Arthur Tappan was eliminated in the last round; his electors are expected to decide the contest.

[Murica!]

Mackenzie I guess.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Bump.

[Mr. Smith]

MacKenzie...reluctantly.

[Intell]

Mackenzie.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

If somebody wants to break the tie, that would be great.

[Maxwell]

Clay Clay clay all day!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Second Round

Henry Clay [Continental-Kentucky]—55 Electors
William Lyon Mackenzie [Whig-Niagara]—27 Electors

Whereas four years earlier Clay had benefitted by the grudging support of Whig electors, who preferred his cautious support for manumission with the fervent abolitionism of Jeremiah Smith, in 1836 it was the anti-slavery Liberal Party that rescued Clay's political fortunes. With their own candidate, Ohio Governor Arthur Tappan, having failed to proceed to the second round, the Liberals reluctantly cast their votes for Clay, unwilling to endorse the pro-slavery, anti-centralization policies of the Whigs. Out of gratitude for their support, Clay persuaded the Continental Congress to elect anti-slavery Congressman Lyman Beecher to the vice presidency, replacing the pro-slavery incumbent.