Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER XI.

THE CAUCUS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION-THE FAMOUS MONROE-JACKSON LETTERS-TWO WAYS OF KILLING FEDERALISTS.

IN

N the winter of 1811 some of the more belligerent young leaders in the Democratic party exhibited no little dissatisfaction with the state of the party prospects, and pretended to think that their interests, if not also the country's, would fare better by having a more energetic man at the head of the Administration. War with England was necessary, and if Mr. Madison was not in favor of it, James Monroe was. But whether there was any agreement or bargain in this matter or not, Mr. Madison was put in for another term, and matters glided along quietly enough in this respect, without any very definite understanding concerning his successor, at least until after the war.

New York Democrats were anxious to see Daniel D. Tompkins put forward for this office, and they attempted to make it appear that Mr. Madison had virtually established their claim when he offered to Mr. Tompkins the position of Secretary of State, when finally made vacant by the service of Mr. Monroe in the War Office. But it was found that Mr. Tompkins had not the necessary strength outside of his own State, although he had been of great service as war governor of New York.

Still Mr. Monroe's nomina

tion hung on a slender thread. A new man had come forward, and with him it was considered quite possible to break the "Virginia Dynasty" at that time. This was William H. Crawford, of Georgia, to whom the Democratic supporters of the Bank of the United States were not friendly. And perhaps this was the slender fact which saved the fortunes of Mr. Monroe. No man was ever more anxious, unless it was Henry Clay or Daniel Webster, than Mr. Crawford, to become President of the United States, and without ranking with Mr. Monroe in the extent of his public employments, he had already risen to considerable favor and distinction in his party. But he was doomed to failure on this occasion and ever afterwards, and there is no evidence that his country suffered by the failure. His chances were never again, perhaps, so good as at this moment when the President was chosen for the people by the Congressional Caucus.

The following information concerning the nomination is from the old "National Intelligencer" of March 18, 1816

"CHAMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OF THE UNITED STATES, March 16, 1816.

}

"At a meeting of the Republican members of Congress assembled this evening, pursuant to public notice, for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of recommending to the people of the United States suitable persons to be supported at the approaching election, for the offices of President and VicePresident of the United States, one hundred and eighteen members of the Senate and House of Representatives and one Delegate attended. General Samuel Smith, of Maryland, was called to the chair, and R. M. Johnson, of Kentucky, made secretary. "Mr. Clay submitted the following resolution:

"Resolved, That it is inexpedient to make, in caucus, any recommendation to the good people of the United States of per

sons, in the judgment of this meeting, fit and suitable to fill the offices of President and Vice-President of the United States.'

"And question being taken thereon, it was determined in the negative."

"Mr. Taylor, of New York, submitted a similar resolution, but it had the same fate.

"The meeting then proceeded to the recommendation. Upon which it appeared that the Hon. James Monroe had sixty-five votes, and the Hon. William H. Crawford fifty-four votes for the office of President. That his Excellency Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York, had eighty-five votes, and his Excellency Simon Snyder thirty, for Vice-President. And thereupon Mr. Clay submitted the following resolutions, which were concurred in without opposition:—

"Resolved, That this meeting do recommend to the people of the United States, James Monroe, of Virginia, as a suitable person for the office of President of the United States, and Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York, as a suitable person for the office of Vice-President of the United States, for the term of four years, commencing on the fourth day of March next.

"Resolved, That the chairman and secretary be appointed to ascertain from the persons above mentioned whether they are disposed to serve in the offices respectively designated."

In the same newspaper a correspondent wrote:"One hundred and. nineteen sovereigns assembled in the Capitol last evening, and gave the Empire to Colonel MonI learn the meeting was a good deal tumultuous,

roe.

pretty much like a Polish Diet.

[ocr errors]

"A majority of nine gave Mr. Dallas the Bank on Thursday, and a majority of nine gave Mr. Monroe the Presidency on Saturday."

Another correspondent of the same paper, after speaking of the debts of Governor Tompkins, and the ease with which Mr. Monroe's claims had been settled to his satisfaction, and intimating that they could now adjust their own financial ills, closes in these terms:

"Well, we must make the best of it. Our State, the great State of New York, the first in the Union, is bought and sold,

like neck-beef, just as suits the views and projects of the patriotic rulers of the day."

The Federalists nominated Rufus King for the Presidency, but with no hope of success, as the result in November showed. The election was the most quiet which had ever occurred in the history of the country, the opposition to the Democratic party being, for the present, in its last stage of decline.

On the 12th of February, 1817, the two Houses of Congress met in joint session in the Representatives' Chamber, and the President of the Senate opened and gave to the tellers the certificates of electors from the various States. The tellers examined and made a list of the votes; the list was then handed to the President of the Senate, and by him read to Congress. After which the President of the Senate declared that James Monroe was elected President, and Daniel D. Tompkins, Vice-President, for four years from March 4, 1817.

During this time, however, some question arose as to the admission of the vote of Indiana, and the Senate withdrew to allow the House to discuss and settle the point in dispute. The vote of that new State was allowed, and the joint session resumed. The electoral vote stood:

:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Of the whole number of two hundred and seventeen electoral votes Massachusetts gave her twenty-two, Connecticut her nine, and Delaware her three to Mr. King. All the other States, sixteen in number, cast their electoral votes for Mr. Monroe. Massachusetts gave her twenty-two votes for Vice-President to John E. Howard; Connecticut cast five votes for James Ross and four for Chief-Justice John Marshall, for Vice-President; and Delaware gave her three votes for the same office to Robert G. Harper.

Before entering upon the duties of his office Mr. Monroe received several wonderful letters from General Jackson, in which he was advised to throw aside the old party distinctions, now nearly eradicated, appoint the best men to office with reference only to their suitable qualities, and so destroy the little party spirit left in the country.

While Mr. Monroe did not choose to follow this wise advice, as to appointments, the correspondence touching it became of unusual political importance. It served General Jackson better than he ever dreamed of its doing, at a later date, and far better than it ever should have done. In fact, nothing ever came from the mouth or pen, so-called, of Jackson, which put his character in so admirably fictitious, but favorable, light; and the publication of these letters, in 1824, did much in making him President of the United States, the fact of their having been written, polished, and put into respectable English by the hand of a neighbor at the "Hermitage" not being suspected by "the people." And had this fact been known it would have made little difference to the great mass of his supporters. These letters were brought out and published by the following cun

« PreviousContinue »