Hail, Columbia! (The Election of 1848)
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  Hail, Columbia! (The Election of 1848)
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Poll
Question: For President of the Commonwealth of North America...
#1
Thomas Hart Benton of Lafayette [Liberal]
#2
Nathaniel Tallmadge of New York [Continental]
#3
Franklin Elmore of South Carolina [Whig]
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Author Topic: Hail, Columbia! (The Election of 1848)  (Read 736 times)
Cranberry
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« on: February 11, 2016, 04:38:32 AM »

President Papineau's reelection cemented the supremacy that the Liberal Party had gained in the 1840s, getting ahead of both Continentals and Whigs, and creating what later historians would call the "third party system" (the first being the period of Continental dominance until 1820, and the second the period of Continental-Whig duopoly between 1820 and 1840). Equipped with rock-solid majorities in both houses of Congress, Papineau wasted little time enacting his and his party's agenda. Already in 1845, Congress passed the "Fair Representation Act", creating a nationwide popular vote for the Presidency, both Houses of Congress, and the State Legislatures, for every male citizen aged 20 or above. The President would from hence on be elected by a majority of the popular vote. If no candidate would reach 50% in the first round, a second round between the top two finishers would be held three weeks later. The act furthermore created easier pathes for naturalisation for immigrants, many of which had come from Europe - mostly from Germany, the British Isles or France - in the last years.

Papineau's second great achievement in his second term were reforms in education: an act of Congress made primary schooling free of charge for every child between the ages of 8 and 14, while providing funds to create these "grammar schools" in every town in the frontier provinces and territories. He furthermore made scholarships for secondary and tertiary schooling more easily accesible.

The president is however also remembered on the foreign departement. Rebellions against their Spanish overlords broke out in Cuba, and when the rebels had brought most of the island under their control, Papineau followed the public opinion and offered to buy the island for $5 millions. Spain readily accepted the offer, and when the troops of the Commonwealth landed in Havana in February 1847, they were greeted by cheering masses. Cuba was admitted as the 36th province the same year.

The election of 1848 would be fought under different circumstances than any other before, with the abolition of the Electoral College and the implementation of a nationwide popular vote. The following candidates look to gain the voters' trust:


Vice President Thomas Hart Benton of Lafayette [Liberal]
The two-term Vice President from the western province of Lafayette is running in defense of President Papineau's accomplishments. Equipped with majorities in both houses of Congress, his plan sees the aquisition of Oregon, which currently is under negotiation with the British, and the development of the west, which has been hastened just this year by the surprise found of gold along the Pacific coast.


Senator Nathaniel Tallmadge of New York [Continental]
Senator Tallmadge is representing the northeastern business interests, which the Continental party has become synonimous of. They are currently the weakest party in Congress, but can count on a solid base no other party has. They run on a platform of increasing tariffs, no further buying of land in Oregon, and a development mainly for the eastern cities instead of the west. They also largely oppose any more imigration from Europe but of members of the "northern race".


Senator Franklin Elmore of South Carolina [Whig]
The Whig party is trying to shed their image as the "slaveholders" party by portraying themselves in a new light. They are most outspokenly imperialist, calling for the aquisition of the Oregon Territory, Mesoamerica, British Honduras and Santo Domingo. They are opposed to any sort of tariffs, want to abolish the Second National Bank - an old favourite for much of their base - and resettle all former slaves to a "Lybian" territory along the headwaters in the southern High Plains, along the Red, Arkansas and South Platte rivers.

3 days
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Intell
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« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2016, 08:44:00 AM »

Benton.
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Zioneer
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« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2016, 11:32:08 PM »

A world where Thomas Hart Benton is the best choice is a strange world.
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Unconditional Surrender Truman
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« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2016, 11:43:17 PM »

R.I.P. Continental Party. Sad
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Mr. Smith
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« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2016, 12:06:37 AM »

A world where Thomas Hart Benton is the best choice is a strange world.
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Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy
Alex
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« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2016, 08:56:10 PM »

Benton (not a racist)
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Cranberry
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« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2016, 10:55:02 AM »

The polls for the first round are closed, no candidate reaching an absolute majority means for the first time a second round of the presidential election.
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