The Jackson Presidency

Unit 4 Part 3

The Election of 1828

Unlike the election of 1824, this time Jackson takes
revenge.
By the time of the election, the one party
Republicans have divided into:
National Republicans
Democratic Party
Electoral Vote:
Jackson, 178 - Wins the South and West
Adams, 83 - Wins the North East

Cont.
Voter turnout is extremely high.
Many states have expanded their suffrage
requirements and many more common
people now have the right to vote.
Mudslinging is vicious and common.
The Coffin Handbills in particular
accused Jackson of being
uneducated, a murderer and accused
his wife of being an adulteress.

Expanded Suffrage Rights

The
Election of
1828

Cont.
Jacksons Appeal
War Hero, strong leader, passionate, intensely patriotic, average but ideal.
Fascinating personal history that resonated with the common man.
Though by the time of his presidency he was a rich landowner and slaveholder.

The New Jacksonian Coalition

His coalition is made up of:

The Planter Elite of the South

People on the Frontier
State Politicians (Because of the spoils system)
Immigrants in the cities

Jackson has an intense distrust of Eastern establishment, monopolies and special privilege.
His heart and soul was with the plain folk.

The Jackson Presidency

Jacksons supporters view Jackson as a strong
President who represented the common people.
His detractors denounced him as a would be tyrant.
They referred to him as King Andrew the First.
The most famous cartoon:
Appeared in Whig Newspapers
Drawn rather than written to attract more
attention.
Main Idea: Jackson had unconstitutionally
expanded the power of the presidency.

Jackson as President
Uses veto more than 6 previous Presidents combined.
First to use a pocket veto
Relied on the Kitchen Cabinet.
His drinking and gambling buddies.

Opposed federal aid to local building projects. - Maysville Road Bill.

In Clays state of Kentucky.

Jeffersonian in his view of a limited national government.

Poor administrator and a penny pincher.

The Peggy Eaton Affair

Rumors flew that Secretary of War Eatons wife had been having
affairs.
John Calhouns wife organized the wives of other cabinet members
against her.
Permanently splits Jacksons cabinet, turned Jackson against
Calhoun and caused the VP to resign.

Three Major Issues of Jacksons Presidency

Indian Removal
The National Bank
Nullification

Indian Removal Policy

Andrew Jackson was deeply committed to Western expansion and
the removal of natives.
Indian Removal Act of 1830
Two major legal challenges
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
SC rules that Nation has no standing to sue.

Worcester v. Georgia
Missionaries sue on behalf of natives. Marshall agrees and forbids their removal.

Jackson to Marshall: You made your decision, now enforce it.

Cont.
Indian removal because known as the Trail of Tears.
(1838-1839)
Over 4,000 die of starvation and exposure on
the 116 day journey.
States Rightists take Jacksons approval of Georgia
ignoring the Supreme Court as support for
Nullification.

The Nullification Crisis

Tariff of 1824 had raised rates from 23% - 37%.
The Tariff of 1828 increased some rates to 45%
Protested as the Tariff of Abominations.
S. Carolina protests - Theory of nullification is reborn.
Claimed as protection against the tyranny of the majority.

Cont.
The Tariff of 1832
SC passes the Ordinance of Nullification
They believe that it is the only solution to solve both protective tariff issues and the impending problem of the abolition of
slavery.

Jackson issues the Proclamation to the People of South Carolina.

He defines nullification as treason.
No defiance of Federal law will be permitted.
Jackson follows up with a threat of force.

The Compromise:
Tariff of 1833 - a gradual reduction of the tariff.
Force Bill - gives the President the power to us force to stop treasonous activities.
SC repeals its Nullification Ordinances but then goes on and nullifies the Force Bill.

The National Bank

Jackson strongly dislikes the national bank.

He believes it is Unconstitutional (ignoring McCulloch)

He sees it as a monopoly on public funds
Small banks profits were limited
He strongly favors hard money. Does not trust paper.
Jackson feels the bank favors the rich at the expense of the poor.
Particularly because it is run by a handful of rich, private citizens.

Jackson sees the bank as Un-American because foreign investors owned a small
portion of the bank.
Henry Clay and Daniel Webster will attempt to use Jacksons hatred of the bank
against him. They seek early recharter, knowing that Jackson will veto the recharter.

Cont.
Clays plot backfires.
Jackson is reelected by a huge majority (219-49)
Jackson sees the huge margin of victory as a mandate to kill the bank.
So he does:
He had already vetoed the rechartering bill.
He proceded to take all federal $ out of the bank and place it with pet state banks.

The effect is immediate and destructive.

Paper money is scarce and specie is virtually unobtainable.
The Specie Circular
Buy Federal land only with gold of silver.

Serious panic threatens and finally occurs in 1837.

The Election of 1836

Martin Van Buren (8) is chosen to run as a Democrat to replace Andrew
Jackson.
The popularity of Jackson carried his successor to the Whitehouse. He
easily defeats William Henry Harrison
The Panic of 1837
The US is in a full depression by 1839-1843
Primarily caused by speculation and Jacksons Bank War and
Specie Circular
Van Buren takes a hands off approach - becomes known as
Van Ruin.
Van Buren will take the blame for the Depression caused by Jackson!

The Election of 1840

Van Buren v. William Henry Harrison (9)
The Whigs adopt the Democratic strategy of
pursuing common man and western voters.
Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!
Huge voter turnout (anger over depression) 233 Harrison, 60 for Van Buren
Establishes the principle that the party in power
during bad economic times will lose the next
election.

Major Changes in Politics

Triumph of the populist democratic style.
Common man is now firmly at center stage and the focus of campaigns.

Two party system reigns.

Jacksonian Democrats
Liberty of the individual/common man
States rights and federal restraint in social and economic issues.

Whigs - Clays American System

Economic expansionism - renewed National Bank

Protective Tariffs
Internal Improvements
Public Schools; Moral reform (temperance/slavery)

John Tyler
Harrison dies 30 days after taking office.
Tyler will be the first VP to succeed to office of the Presidency.
Will REFUSE to be Clay and Websters puppet as Harrison was
supposed to be.
Because of his refusal to go along with the Whig leaders desires his own
party will abandon him.
Becomes the President without a Party.