The Age of Jackson
• The election of 1824 represented a break in the
normal presidential nominating process.
• As the reigning political organization, the
national Republicans chose their candidate by a
caucus.
• The sitting President usually sent in the name
of his Secretary of State and he would be
accepted as the new candidate.
• James Monroe, based on this philosophy, sent
in the name John Quincy Adams.
• Unfortunately, the
republican Party was
splitting into two distinct
parties (modern and
traditional) National
Republicans and
Jefferson’s DemocraticRepublicans;
• Adams was a National
Republican—Monroe
was afraid that Adams
would split the party.
• In reality Adams was the most qualified man
for the executive—before or after him for some
time.
• He had vast diplomatic experience; was an
experienced congressman; had negotiated the
Treaty of Ghent—was well-respected by many
foreign courts—also negotiated the Adams-Onis
Treaty.
• Also, the republican Caucus had as its darling
at the time Henry Clay—very ambitious.
• Henry Clay was a
political dynamo;
Speaker of the House,
senator; a great orator
and a political genius at
political compromise.
• Unfortunately he had
many enemies and
southerners distrusted
his passion for this
“American Plan” of his.
• Not a viable candidate!
• The fear of the “American System” was not that it
could eventually make America economically
independent of Europe, but to be successful it meant
an increase in taxation.
• That meant a heavier taxation on agriculture(to
protect northern industry and western
transportation) and eventually make the federal
government powerful enough to economically and
politically intervene in the South’s ‘Peculiar
Institution.’
• The fact that he was a notorious womanizer, heavy
drinker and gambler allowed his enemies to make the
argument that he would be just as reckless with the
country.
• William H. Crawford, a
loyal but not very wellknown DemocraticRepublican seemed the
safest choice for many—
especially the Southern
planter class;
• Though an adequate Sec.
Of War he had suffered
a stroke recently—
slightly paralyzed—the
caucus nominated
Crawford—bad move.
• Unfortunately for a very
ambitious Clay and the ill
advised nominee from
Georgia—this campaign
would become a ‘mudslinger’ between Clay,
Jackson and Adams.
• Jackson was a true live hero;
and the common people
loved him.
• He was a westerner and true
Democrat without much
Republicanism—but he did
believe in the Jeffersonian
view to a certain degree.
• Andrew Jackson—the Man, the hero of the
people.
• Heritage of raw-boned Scots-Irish. Orphaned
at an early age—died died accidentally,
brothers died in the revolution; Mother died
nursing the sick on British POW ship.
• At 14 he had no one—he possessed a volcanic
temper—a limitless capacity for burning
hatreds and blind loyalties—
• He left South Carolina early—went west;
Tennessee to make his way in life.
• Education—he was self-taught; he studied and
read law; essentially bullied his way into being
a public prosecutor.
• At 29, he bought his first slave and fought his
first duel; was congressman from Tennessee;
elected as Senator, but resigned.
• Somehow managed to wrangle command of the
Tennessee state militia. Became a well seasoned
and successful Indian fighter and military
commander.
• Dispute to how many duels—suffice it to say,
he fought many.
• Most famous was Charles Dickinson—
Dickinson in a dispute over a horse race,
slurred Jackson’s wife Rachael.
• Earlier while still married to Lewis Robards,
who ostensibly had deserted Rachael, Jackson
married Rachael—Robards had petitioned the
Virginia courts for divorce—after she and
Jackson were married he shows back up—
• Rachael now had to not only suffer the shame
of divorce, but the indignity of an adulteress.
• This is the slur Dickinson was referring. It was
a set up by Jackson’s enemies—Dickinson was
a crack shot—
• Dickinson took deliberate aim—and shot
Jackson though the chest breaking ribs and
puncturing his lung;
• Jackson swayed slightly—took deliberate aim
and killed Dickinson--
• The War of 1812 gave Jackson a platform in
which he became well-known—much to the
dismay of the Indians and the British.
• His soldiers loved him—he suffered as they
without fuss, They referred to him as “Old
Hickory.”
• After the New Orleans success, he was
awarded Major-General in Regular Army
• First step into the spot
light was the Battle of
Horseshoe Bend;
• March 27th 1814, the
Creek Indians had
secured themselves
against the Tallapoosa
River and dug in—well
fortified;
• Jackson attacked in
several prongs and
defeated the Creeks
• From there, the most famous victory, The
Battle of New Orleans.
• His diplomatic skills appealed to many
Americans, but stunned and shocked many of
the diplomatic and political aware Americans.
• 1818, he attacked the Seminoles in
Tallahassee—which was Spanish territory—
Jackson did not care. He evicted the Spanish
Garrison at Pensacola and ran up the American
Flag—he hung two English citizens as spies—
claimed Florida for the U.S.
• Assumed the Government would be happy—
not so. Adams was in sensitive negotiations
with the Spanish Minister Onis—British
Minister claimed that Britain was ready for
War—huge international incident.
• Sec. Of War John C. Calhoun wanted Pres.
Monroe to repudiate and reprimand Jackson.
• Adams prevailed with a cooler head, defused
the British reaction and successfully negotiated
Florida into the American realm …
• After the ruckus, Jackson returned to
Tennessee; He considered himself a
Jeffersonian, and if virtue was found with
farmers, then they too should be the true voice
of American politics;
• Politics was fastly dissolving into self and
special interest—Jackson wanted it to be the
people’s interest.
• Ironically Jefferson thought Jackson a nabob
uncultured and irresponsible; “A dangerous
Man.”
• Out of the Blue, Jackson fever swept the
nation; After consideration Jackson agreed to
run.
• He selected Calhoun and began campaigning;
He won the popular vote and most of the
electoral vote, but not a clear majority.
• 12th amendment states, when no clear
majority, vote goes to House of representatives.
• Ironically, the election of 1800 established the
precedent of a peaceful change of power—even
if antagonistic;
• The election of 1824 proved that even if under
dubious circumstances and the election is
decided by government rather than the voice of
the people, it would still be a peaceful
transition.
• Ostensibly Clay made a political bargain with
Adams—the presidency for secretary of state
“A Corrupt bargain.”
• Because of Adams suspicious win, his internal
improvements projects were defeated, foreign
policy was sneered at: Adams was as irascible
as his father.
• Other countries were making great strides as
great nations, while the U.S. “slumbered in
indolence and political bickering … while
palsied by its constituents.”
• In a political democracy with popular vote—
don’t condescend to the voters.
• Jackson hired New Yorker Martin Van Buren (Sly
Fox) to manage the next campaign in 1828.
• As Jackson gathered tremendous support, NationalRepublicans geared up to defeat him.
• They began by calling his wife an adulteress and
assailed his and her character and honor. What kind
of man is this to want to lead your precious children.
Jackson swore it was these insults that eventually killed
his Rachael—he never forgave them and hated them
bitterly to the end of his days.
• Well Jackson won in a
landslide victory with
56% of the popular
vote;
• The Old federalist and
National Republicans
nightmare; uncouth,
uneducated, unwashed
frontiersmen began to
ascend on the capitol to
celebrate one of their
own—it was a
democratic bacchanal.
• A pious woman, the slurs to
her character and the public
embarrassment was too
much;
• Dec 17 1828 before Jackson
took office in March 1829,
she had a heart attack and
died.
• Jackson swore he would see
them in hell for what those
“vile wretches had done.”
• Once in office, Jackson introduced the ‘Spoils
System.’ To the victor … he ousted all old
federalist, or any of Adams’ cronies or veteran
civil service workers and replaced them with
political allies and cohorts.
• The idea was that term limits would erase the
corruption of power. In congress maybe, but
not in civil service;
• Too many appointed who could neither read
nor write. Many had no governmental or
diplomatic experience. Bad move.
• Jackson saw Clay and the industrialist as
enemies and responsible for Rachael’s death;
• He vetoed any and all internal improvements
and vetoed any attempt at interstate commerce.
• He vetoed Clay’s much prized legislation the
Maysville Road—it was truly needed for
moving goods and services west to east for
markets—Jackson said it would give the Gov’t
unprecedented powers to interfere with state
matters—no, he just hated Clay.
• Then what seemed out of character, he signed
the new “Compromise Tariff.” reduced the
tariff from 45% to 25%, but kept a high end
tariff on cotton, wool and iron—southerners
felt betrayed.
• He had heard that Calhoun had wanted Pres.
Monroe to reprimand him in 1818—now was
his time to get back at Calhoun.
• Calhoun fought back with the attempt at
nullification inside SCs borders. States rights
issue.
• Within the state one could render federal law
void. Jackson said no, he would personally lead
an army to Sc and hang all who opposed
federal law.
• The famous Union debate; Robert Hayne
spoke for two days on States Rights;
• Daniel Webster rebutted; the union had been
made by the people not individual states.
• “Let us not divide liberty … liberty and union
are compatible …necessary to survive …
liberty and union now and forever, one and
inseparable.”
• VP Calhoun tried to persuade Pres. Jackson.
• At a birthday party for Jackson, Jackson
raised a toast to show what side he took,
staring at Calhoun, “Our Union, it must be
preserved.”
• Calhoun resigned. Jackson signed a “Force
Bill” threatening federal intervention if Sc
went ahead with nullification—Sc backed
down, but did nullify the “Force Bill.”
• Robert Haynes asked Thomas Hart Benton if
Jackson was serious about the force bill and
hanging the instigators;
• In wonderful Jacksonian clarity Benton
replied, “I tell you Hayne, when Jackson starts
talking about hanging, they can look out for
the ropes.”
• Jackson was serious and won over
nullification, but he had his eyes on a bigger
prize and something he hated even more than
Calhoun; the Bank of the United States.
• Bank had been reformed and recharted after War of
1812. Jackson saw it as the culprit for the 1819 Panic.
• It regulated the money supply, interest rates and the
financial business (loans, etc …)
• It collected all customs and duties, could loan and
recall loans at will, could print money, but demand
payment in specie.
• It was the sole source for national investment and the
governments duties gave it a constant cash flow—
Government money controlled by private
businessmen and industrialists.