Calhoun vs Clay

[kashifsakhan]

Discuss.

[jokerman]

What year?

[MasterJedi]

Henry Clay

[Cylon Candidate]

Clay all the way.  Can't have a president who supports nullification.

[jokerman]

"Horray for Clay"

[kashifsakhan]

What year?

not sure what year, but sometime before the civil war. 1850's i guess.

[jokerman]

Both of them died in the early 50's, I think.

How about a scenario in 1844 with the Democrats nominating the Calhoun rather than Polk?

In that case, I'd support whoever had stronger support for manifest destiny.  (ie Mexican War and western expansion) The Whig platform was against it but I'm not sure if old nationalist Clay was.  And though the democratic platform was for it I'm not sure that Calhoun would have supported it, but I have a strong feeling he would have because the Mexican land gained, at least by the old Missouri Compromise, greatly expanded slaveholding territory.

[Colin]

Both of them died in the early 50's, I think.

How about a scenario in 1844 with the Democrats nominating the Calhoun rather than Polk?

In that case, I'd support whoever had stronger support for manifest destiny.  (ie Mexican War and western expansion) The Whig platform was against it but I'm not sure if old nationalist Clay was.  And though the democratic platform was for it I'm not sure that Calhoun would have supported it, but I have a strong feeling he would have because the Mexican land gained, at least by the old Missouri Compromise, greatly expanded slaveholding territory.

I was thinking maybe 1836. No nullification crises occurs or Calhoun remains loyal to Jackson and stays on the ticket in 1832. He then runs for the Presidency in 1836 vs. the Whigs Henry Clay.

Clay was much more against manifest destiny than Calhoun would be and he would also be hampered by his party as many Whigs were against both the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American War. If Clay had won in 1844, as he would have done if Birney and the Liberty Party was taken out of the picture, he would not have annexed Texas and, thus, would not have pursued a war against Mexico like Polk did.

[Lincoln Republican]

Henry Clay, who died in 1852, would get my support, most definitely.

Although both gifted leaders, John Calhoun was an outspoken proponent of the institution of slavery, has been described as the "intellectual architect" of the Confederate States of America, even though he died in 1850, and, as has been mentioned, pushed the theory of nullification, an extreme states rights view.

Clay's views would tend to strengthen the union, whereas Calhoun's policies would only weaken the union.

Clay was one of the leading advocates for modernizing the economy, and he brokered compromises on the slavery issue.    

[Dr. Cynic]

As Andrew Jackson once told Calhoun "Our Federal Union... It must be preserved!" I could never support a nullifier like John Calhoun, and thus would've voted for Henry Clay.

[jerusalemcar5]

Henry Clay was the greatest politician our country has EVER seen.  So I'd obviously vote for him. 

[Colin]

Another interesting thing is if Clay was elected prior to the annexation of Texas I believe it would be possible that Texas today would still be independent.