The American Presidents

[Rubber Soul]

I'm going to transfer (copy) my American Presidents thread to here and see how it works. That should get my posts up.

[Rubber Soul]

And here we go...


THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS




But first...


THE TECHNICALLY FIRST EIGHT PRESIDENTS


One of the great myths of American history is that George Washington was the first President. Alas, we have been lied to. He is actually the ninth President.

For, you see, there was something in between the end of the Revolutionary War and the Constitution, something called the Articles of Confederation. This was a document that gave more power to the states and gave more authority to the congress. Indeed, there wasn't much of an executive, nor judicial branch at all. In a sense, it was an early American version of the United Nations as we know it today.

Nevertheless, they needed a President, who, despite having no authority whatsoever, had to preside over the Congress itself. The people, of course, had no say in this; it was all controlled by the delegates. The President would be chosen by the delegates and would preside for one year, after which, a new President would be chosen. This lasted  eight years, and as such, we had eight Presidents.

And with that...

John Hanson (Maryland)




And the first President of the United States was actually John Hanson. I had to mention him because, besides a disgraced Vice President that we'll cover much later in this project, it's the only time my home state will be mentioned. He was charged with more or less wrapping up the Revolutionary War as well as approve the Great Seal of the United States. Other than that, all I know about him was that they named part of US 50 in Annapolis after him.

Elias Boudinot (New Jersey)



Boudinot is perhaps remembered for signing the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War. He might be remembered more for being the first Anti-American to hold power. Why do I say this? Well, he vehemently opposed slavery and supported the rights of Native Americans. I mean this guy was a Communist before the term even existed. It's amazing the guy wasn't hanged for treason.

Thomas Mifflin (Pennsylvania)



A military man by nature, he fought with George Washington during the Revolutionary War, then tried to have the guy deposed. Fortunately, he didn't have a problem with slavery however, so he passed the Joseph McCarthy Commie test. As far as his year as President goes, he isn't remembered for doing very much. Pennsylvania named a town after him.

Richard Henry Lee (Virginia)



This guy is mainly famous for being a buddy of Patrick Henry. You might remember him as the Give me Liberty or give me death guy. Of course, he's now dead.

As for our Richard Henry, he would go on to be a strong supporter of the Constitution after they included the Bill of Rights. He's remembered mainly as a fierce defender of liberty and is probably one of the better eggs of this bunch.

John Hancock (Massachusetts)




Perhaps the most famous of these eight Presidents. Hancock is notable for his ego sized signature on the Declaration of Independence and the namesake of an insurance company.  Of course, he was also one of those Boston rebels and was at one time wanted by the British. He was ill during much of his tenure and his duties were performed by David Ramsay and his successor, Nathaniel Gorham. But again, his exploits during the Revolutionary War are something of legend.

Nathaniel Gorham (Massachusetts)



Gorham was something of a financial whiz which explains why he went bankrupt during a questionable transaction between New York and Massachusetts a decade later. Anyhow, his term was relatively short (just a few months) and not much else is remembered about him.

Arthur St. Clair (Pennsylvania)



Another military mind, though probably not as competent as, say, George Washington. He abandoned Fort Ticonderoga and would ultimately be cleared in a court martial. He later became Governor of the Northwest Territory but would be removed because he couldn't beat a bunch of Indians.

Cyrus Griffin (Virginia)



And they saved the best for last, well, sort of. For he wasn't really a politician in the classic sense. No, he was more of the judicial variety and would be instrumental in the court system that America enjoys today. I guess he was more or less a caretaker with the Continental Congress as they were about to adopt a new Constitution that would give the Government more central powers.







And because of this new fangled document known as the United States Constitution (I think you can see a ripped up copy of it in Philadelphia if you're ever in town), it changed the way we elected our Presidents, who would now yield more power than before (Though the Congress and that pesky Supreme Court would keep him in check a bit) and now his decisions would determine the direction the US would take, sometimes for good, sometimes not as much. Guess it all depends on your political ideology, really.

Anyway, stay tuned as we start off with the slightly overrated first President.

Much of information taken from: https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-articles-of-confederation/presidents-who-served/

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[Guybrush]

Nice, @Rubber Soul!

I learned something today after all.. and who knew The Hansons had such a notable ancestor.

I'm eagerly anticipating the continuation (or copying over) of your journal

[Rubber Soul]

Yeah, it looks like it copied very well. I'll try to transfer one per day.

[Rubber Soul]

1. GEORGE WASHINGTON (I cannot tell a lie- John Adams did it!)




Born: February 22, 1732, Westmoreland County, Virginia
Died: December 14, 1799, Mount Vernon, Virginia

Term: April 30, 1789- March 4, 1797
Political Party: Federalist

Vice President(s): John Adams

First Lady: Martha Dandridge Washington

Before the Presidency: George Washington's childhood is chock full of myths such as the legendary cherry tree story. Of course, in reality, his father died when he was eleven and he would be raised by his older brother thereafter. Though home schooled, Washington could have been considered fairly well educated for his day and it would come in handy with his military career.

And what a military career he had. He fought in the French and Indian War as a Lieutenant Colonel when he was only in his twenties. He embarked on a political career later as he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgess in 1759. It was while with the House that he took a stand against what was perceived as unfair tax practices by the British Government. He was subsequently appointed to the First Continental Congress in 1774 and the following year he returned to his military roots as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. Though not always successful, he and his troops were able to outlast the British and, in the end, accepted a surrender from General Charles Cornwallis. The rebels had won the American Revolution.

Once the war was over, Washington surprised the world by giving up his commission and returned to a private life. This impressed people as he proved to be a man who was not hungry for power. This sparked Virginians to send Washington with a delegation to the Constitutional Convention in 1786. After the Constitution was ratified in 1788, Washington was drafted to be the first President of the new United States.

Summary:  1753: Major, Virginia Militia

                    1754-1755: Lieutenant Colonel, Virginia Militia, fought in Seven Years War

                    1755-1758: Commander of troops, Virginia Militia

                      1758-1775: Member, Virginia House of Burgesses

                    1774-1775: Delegate, Continental Congress.

                    1775-1783: Commander in Chief, Continental Army

                      1787: President of the United Sates Constitutional Convention

What was going on: The Bill of Rights, the Cotton Gin, The Whiskey Rebellion, Jay's treaty,

Scandals within the administration: None that we know of

Why he was a good President: George Washington was the perfect choice for America's first President. He was considered to be above reproach. Though officially a Federalist, he detested the idea of party politics as he would suffer from partisanship even in his day. He also signed bills such as the Bill of Rights that would keep the United States solvent, if not perfect, to this day.

Why he was a bad President: He failed at stemming the tide of partisanship between the Federalists and Democrat-Republicans. His Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, would resign under protest in 1793. It is questionable whether he handled the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania as well as he could have. Then there was the controversy over the Jay Treaty of 1795 in which the US would claim neutrality in the wars between England and France. It still didn't solve the immediate problems with France and the US would inevitably go to war with Britain anyway.

What could have saved his Presidency: Irrelevant. Despite his actual flaws, Washington was a very successful and well respected President. He continues to go down in history as one of the Presidents with the most integrity, even when you put all the Father of our Country myths aside.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: A lot of things. But especially had the Jay Treaty exploded into war with France, something his successor, John Adams would have to contend with.

Election of 1788: This was a long drawn out election as the United States was just beginning to take form. There were also some odd voting rules in place. Technically, every man had the right to vote (Of course women had no rights at all in those days). But the catch was you had to be a landowner. Free blacks could also vote but they only counted as 3/5 of a vote. Progress goes slow, I guess. There was also the matter of the electoral college, seen as quite controversial now given that the winner of the electoral vote lost the popular vote in both 2000 and 2008 and in other elections won with just a plurality. The idea of the Electoral college (and slavery was a major player in all of this) would be that the less populous states, mostly in the South at the time, would have more clout in deciding who the President would be. Yes, New York would have more electoral votes than, say, Delaware for example, but the three electoral votes in Delaware would be just a little more equal than New York's  eight.

Not that it mattered much in 1788. Washington had been all but drafted and the vote, which Washington won easily despite some states not voting for their electors in time, was more or less a foregone conclusion.

At the time, the Presidential Candidate did not choose a running mate. Instead, the person who finished second automatically became the Vice-President. In 1788, that was Federalist John Adams. Other notables who received votes were John Jay, John Rutledge, and John Hancock.

First term: George Washington took the oath of office on April 30, 1789. During this term, Congress enacted the first tariff and Washington signed the first Naturalization Bill into law. The Capital was temporarily moved from New York to Philadelphia though a permanent Capital would soon be established on the Potomac River, which divided Maryland and Virginia. All of the Thirteen colonies would ratify the Constitution. The Bill of Rights would also be ratified during this term. Vermont was admitted as the 14th state. And President Washington would appoint his first Minister as Thomas Pinckney was appointed the first minister for England. Washington also created a superstar administration that included Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, Henry Knox as Secretary of War, and Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury.

Election of 1792: The election again took a month to complete, but it was again a foregone conclusion that the popular Washington would be re-elected as he would be unopposed. The only real drama was if John Adams would be re-elected Vice-President. The Democratic- Republicans ran George Clinton against Adams. Adams would win 77 electoral votes to 50, while Washington's election was unanimous, something that would never happen again.

Second Term: Washington's second term was considerably less peaceful than the first as he would have to deal with International affairs for the first time. France was having its own revolution and their relations with Britain (never all that peachy to begin with) was getting quite warlike. Washington very much wanted to stay out of it despite pressure from France and the Democratic- Republicans. Partisanship over this issue in particular would take a toll on Washington, who clearly had no desire to fight another war on either side. He also had to send troops to quell the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania. They were upset over, surprise, higher taxes. Guess some things never change.

Despite the problems now besetting the administration, Washington remained quite popular and there was a draft for him to run for a third term. But Washington graciously turned them down, believing that no one should be able to be President for more than that. Like other veterans of the Revolution, there was a fear that someone would want to be king, thus ending the idealism of democracy.

So, Washington left with grace as he delivered his now famous farewell address. And he left believing the country would be in capable hands with fellow Revolutionary John Adams.

Post Presidency: George Washington retired to a quiet life at his plantation in Mount Vernon. He died, possibly from pneumonia, in December 1799, less than three years after leaving the Presidency. He did, however, state in his will that all slaves owned by him and Martha would be freed upon Martha's death.

Odd notes: All the myths surrounding George Washington are of legend. Of course, he didn't cut down a cherry tree and then fess up to it. He did have wooden teeth, however

He wouldn't shake hands as he felt the gesture was beneath the Presidency (The Presidents- History Channel)

Final Summary: Even during his life, he was referred to as the Father of Our Country. I still have to think that was a little presumptuous. After all, George Washington was just a man like everyone else. He wasn't anymore of a wise man than any of the other Founding Fathers. He made his fortune by living off the work of his slaves, certainly nothing unusual given the times and maybe not all that damning when you consider he would ensure their freedom later. I suspect Washington was conflicted when it came to slavery, something that I think would haunt Thomas Jefferson even more.

What can be noted is that, flawed or not, George Washington was a man of great integrity. He was clearly someone that put his country ahead of his own interests, something that will sadly be a rarity with our Presidents. Though he led the United States with a steady hand for the most part, he did not believe in dictatorships, and he certainly frowned at the idea of a monarchy. King George the American was not in his vocabulary.

Do I think he was a great President? I'm probably going to get flak for this, but I really don't think so. I do think he was a good President who tried to do his best, and with some success, but I'm not one that would want to put him on a pedestal. Was he a good man? Of course, but I don't think he was a political genius or even a military genius. He was just a guy who tried to be the best person he could be and, for the most part, succeeded. And you can't argue with that, can you?

Overall rating: B+ (Well above average but not quite great)

https://millercenter.org/president/washington

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[Rubber Soul]

2. JOHN ADAMS (Don't slander me)




Born: October 30, 1735, Braintree, Massachusetts
Died: July 4, 1826, Braintree, Massachusetts

Term: March 4, 1797- March 4, 1801
Political Party: Federalist

Vice President: Thomas Jefferson

First Lady: Abagail Smith Adams

Before the Presidency: John Adams grew up comfortably in rural Massachusetts. His father insisted on his education in hopes that he would join the ministry but Adams, who would become well educated, had other ideas. He taught for a time before entering law school. Launching his legal career in 1758, he gradually built up a reputable law practice in Boston and would be called upon to defend the British soldiers accused of killing Crispus Attucks in the Boston Massacre of 1770. This, of course, did not go well with his more radical cousin, Samuel Adams.

Adams was a reluctant participant in the events leading to the American Revolution. He didn't believe the British meant any malice with their tax laws. Still, he assisted the popular movement and, in time, began to side with the radicals on the independence issue.

Adams was chosen as one of four delegates from Massachusetts to attend the Continental Congress in 1774. It would be Adams who nominated George Washington to be Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. Adams was also one of a group called on to create what would be known as the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Very active in his work, he was sent to France in 1778 to procure help in their quest for independence. He returned for a brief period in 1779 to help draft the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780.

After the war, he remained in Europe where he was busy creating trade treaties with various nations.

A prolific writer, Adams was a believer in the separation of powers and wrote essays based on that premise.

Adams returned to the US in 1788 in hopes he could be elected as Washington's Vice President. He was elected and would serve two terms in that capacity. As such, he would be considered the heir apparent to Washington once the latter retired.

Summary of offices held:

1774-1778: Member of the Continental Congress

1778-1785: American Diplomat to France and Europe in general

1785-1788: American minister to England

1789-1797: First Vice President of the United States

What was going on: The XYZ affair, The Alien and Sedition acts, the French quasi-war.

Scandals within the administration: The XYZ affair

Why he was a good President: Like Washington before him, Adams was a man of impeccable character. He was known for his blunt candor and, despite the crises that would fall before him, he led the country with a steady hand.

Why he was a bad President: It basically comes down to the Alien and Sedition Acts. By 1798 there was enough anti-French hysteria going on that Adams, in his infinite reasoning, decided to fight the wages of tyranny by becoming a tyrant himself. It was against the law to criticize the President as a result of these laws, and it would certainly lead to Adams' own downfall in the 1800 election.

What could have saved his Presidency: A less radical approach to the French situation and perhaps an olive branch to the opposition Democrat- Republicans couldn't have hurt either.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: Well, it wasn't exactly destroyed  but a loss in the French Quasi-War certainly would have been disastrous. Enforcing the Sedition Acts more than he did would not have been a wise move either (As if the acts themselves were wise to begin with).

Election of 1796: With Washington retiring, Adams all but considered himself the heir apparent. Of course, the Democrat-Republicans had other ideas. They weren't going to be giving Adams a free pass like they had Washington. Instead, they nominated Thomas Jefferson and Mr. Waffles Burr to run against Adams and Thomas Pinckney. Again, they weren't running mates as of yet. The winner got the Presidency; second place got the Vice Presidency and that was that. 1796 may also be the first instance of actual mudslinging. No one dared to throw dirt on Washington but with Adams and Jefferson, it was fair game. Jefferson was accused of being a Francophile at a time when that wasn't cool as well as being accused of being an atheist (a ploy that is still used to this day).  With Adams, it was divide and conquer season as ally Alexander Hamilton was accused of playing Machiavellian politics in support of Pinckney. In the end, Adams won in a squeaker over Jefferson, who would become Vice President.

First term: The Adams term was dominated by the troubles with Franco-American relations. It was at the point where Adams had to form a militia in case the Americans went to war with France, which they would unofficially do in 1798. Things really exploded in the fall of 1797 when the XYZ affair was brought to Adams's attention. He had sent three diplomats to try to mend fences with Foreign Minister Talleyrand in Paris only to be told they had to pay bribes to see him. This, needless to say, didn't go well with Adams. The Department of the Navy was formed in the Spring of 1798, again, in preparations for war with France. He also pushed through the controversial Alien and Sedition acts which did several things, notably barring the French from entering America, making permanent citizenship harder, and making it a crime to publicly criticize the President. This would, of course, be Adams' death knell, and even some military successes against France in what would be known as the Quasi War couldn't save his Presidency.

Election of 1800: It goes without saying that President Adams was in heap of trouble upon this election.  His policy against France was not popular though some was hoping the war would continue for their own political reasons.  The Quasi War would ultimately end in a stalemate.

Meanwhile, the parties began to show real differences. The Jefferson led Republicans were now emphasizing less government, sort of a libertarian bent really. The Federalists, of course, more than overplayed their hands with the Alien and Sedition acts and the Republicans strongly emphasized their opposition to that as tyranny not unlike what the British had done a generation earlier. Indeed, the Federalists were splintering over the French issue themselves with Hamilton all but turning against Adams. The rumors that Hamilton was out to stop Adams was all but true in this election and he publicly spoke against the President (somehow, he avoided prosecution). Hamilton tried to convince the Federalists to vote for the Vice Presidential candidate, Charles Pinckney, but that scheme backfired. Neither Adams nor Pinckney would see the White House, now in Washington, come next year. It would be up to the House to determine the next President of the United States, but we'll cover that later. What was true was that John Adams goes down as the first incumbent to lose a re-election bid.

Post Presidency: Now out of the White House, Adams settled for a quiet family life in Braintree with his wife and children. He continued to write  and would reconcile with his former friend, former nemesis, Thomas Jefferson, also now retired from public life. The late friendship of two former Presidents was something of a rarity in American History ( I can only think of Ford and Carter for a comparable example). Indeed, both would barely make it to the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams dying that evening. Allegedly, his last words were, "Thomas Jefferson lives." Adams couldn't have possibly known Jefferson himself had died just hours before.

Odd notes: According to a biography by David McCollough, Adams was known as a bad dancer

Final Summary: With France and the domestic impact at home taking up most of his time, Adams could not have been the happiest President in history.  He did a reasonably decent job as Commander in Chief given that  he never actually served in a military capacity. As mentioned, he did manage to fight France to a stalemate. Of course, what really sunk him was the very undemocratic Alien and Sedition Acts (for comparison, check out Woodrow Wilson's Sedition and Espionage Acts and, to a lesser extent, Bush's Patriot Act). Otherwise, domestically speaking, he didn't do anything all that terrible.

But he didn't exactly set the world on fire either, then again, maybe if he had nuclear weapons...

Overall rating: C-

https://millercenter.org/president/adams

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[Guybrush]

I've enjoyed your write-ups so far and especially like how you've divided the information into neat sections. How did you become so knowledgeable on American presidents?

[Rubber Soul]

It's something that dates back to my childhood. I've been fascinated with American History in general and became especially curious about some of the Presidents (the obvious ones of course, Washington, Lincoln, Kennedy). I read a puff piece on Andrew Jackson in fourth grade and I think it took off from there. Later, I became curious about more of the Presidents you never hear about and began to research them. Still have a lot to learn though. Turns out SGR has it all over me on this subject.

Of course the whole story is at MB if you want to read about the later Presidents. I'll be posting Jefferson here next (in a few minutes actually), but the others are still waiting at MB.

[Rubber Soul]

3.

[Rubber Soul]

3. THOMAS JEFFERSON (I did not have sex with that woman, Sally Hemmings.)



Born: April 13, 1743, Albemarle County, Virginia
Died: July 4, 1826, Monticello, Virginia

Term: March 4, 1801- March 4, 1809
Political Party: Democratic- Republican

Vice President(s): Mr. Waffles Burr, George Clinton

First Ladies: Martha Jefferson Randolph/ Maria Jefferson Eppes (Jefferson's daughters, his wife died in 1782)

Before the Presidency:  Thomas Jefferson grew up in an affluent family. As such, he was well educated, attending the William and Mary College during the 1760s. He dined with the important people of the day in Virginia, including Governor Fauquier. He was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1767.

He started his legal career simply enough, practicing as a country lawyer. He was elected to the Virginia Houses of Burgesses in 1769. He vaulted into the national spotlight five years later when he wrote, the Summary View of the Rights of British America. It marked him as one of the more articulate radicals of the period and, as such, was sent to Philadelphia in 1776 for the Second Continental Congress. It was there that he was called upon to draft a document known as the Declaration of Independence. Though a biting attack on King George III was edited out, the document met with great approval and the Unanimous Declaration of the 13 United States of America was established on July 4, 1776.

The idealistic declaration would be enough to put Jefferson among the mythical founding fathers that included George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and James Madison (Note: that of the five founding fathers, only Franklin was never President).

Like most of the early delegates, Jefferson never actually fought in the war. Instead, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates. Jefferson, along with Madison, was a staunch advocate of the separation of church and state. He also believed in compulsory education, at least for white men. He would also serve as Governor of Virginia for two years as the Revolutionary War played out. He was forced to flee Richmond, the Monticello, his home, to avoid capture by the British. Because of those circumstances, he was branded a coward in some political circles and was something he had to fight in all of his subsequent political campaigns.

After the war, Jefferson retired to Monticello where he began to write again after the death of his wife. He could be controversial by today's standards as he believed blacks to be inferior to whites (the common thought of the time sad to say). Later he served in the Confederation Congress and, in 1785, was appointed as America's minister to France, a post he held for four years. He also secretly began a relationship with Sally Hemmings, a mulatto slave, and the daughter of his father in law. During this period, he kept in touch with James Madison to keep up with the goings on in the States.

Upon his return from France, Jefferson was called upon to serve as President Washington's Secretary of State. Though well liked by Washington, the early divide in Government was becoming more obvious with Alexander Hamilton, who was, more or less, Washington's closet adviser, supporting a centralized government, while Jefferson was more of the Libertarian type. Indeed, in some ways, you could argue that Thomas Jefferson was the first true American Conservative and is one of the first names mentioned within the Republican Party when they talk of great Presidents.

Summary of offices held:

1769-1774: Virginia House of Burgesses

1776: Second Continental Congress

1776-1779: Virginia House of Delegates

1779-1781: Governor of Virginia

1783-1784: Member Confederation Congress

1785-1789: Minister to France

1790-1797: Secretary of State

1797-1801: Vice President of the United States



What was going on: War with Tripoli, Louisiana Purchase, Burr- Hamilton duel, Lewis and Clark expedition, the National Road,

Scandals within the administration: Mr. Waffles Burr was a scandal. He had a conspiracy named after him and, of course, the duel where he killed Alexander Hamilton. And of course, there was the affair with Sally Hemmings, which would have been pretty scandalous had it been known at the time.

Why he was a good President: Expansion for all extensive purposes began under Jefferson with the Louisiana Purchase. As President, he noted the importance of the separation of powers. He was also something of an idealist. Though he would use his executive powers when necessary, he used the powers sparingly. He was also known for his eloquence and was able to articulate the ideals of limited governmental powers.

Why he was a bad President: He had a hard time controlling his scandals, or, more to the point, his Vice President, Mr. Waffles Burr, who not only shot Jefferson's Secretary of the Treasury, but would also be up for treason. He was also accused of hypocrisy not only for owning slaves of his own and never emancipating them but allowing the expansion of slavery in the south and west.

What could have saved his Presidency: The question is what he could have done to improve his Presidency as Jefferson is considered by historians as one of the truly great Presidents. I'd go with addressing the slavery issue more forcefully. If he could have stopped the expansion of the slave trade (and he did end the exportation of new slaves to be fair), maybe the inevitable Civil War decades later could have been averted. Maybe he could also have been more active at trying to nip issues in the bud with Britain. It was during the second term of his administration where the impressing of Americans into the British Navy became an issue.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: Well, the downside of the Louisiana Purchase, while great for America, was that it wasn't so great for Europe as Napoleon now had more funds to wage his wars with. Had we known the horrors of what was going on in Europe then (not sure even how much Jefferson knew, or if he really cared), maybe that would have hurt Jefferson from a historical standpoint. He also may have had to deal with more flak had the slavery issue been more on the front burner like it would be about thirty years later.

Election of 1796: With President Washington retiring. The next election would be something of an open field and it was this election where you saw the split in political philosophies and the forming of parties. In one corner, you had the Federalists, which supported John Adams and Thomas Pinckney while the opposition Democratic- Republicans supported Jefferson and Mr. Waffles Burr. It was a heated election aided by some tomfoolery by Federalist Alexander Hamilton, who tried to push Pinckney to woo southern electors. In the end, the ploy backfired, but Jefferson would still lose by three Electoral votes and have to preside as Vice President for the next four years.

Election of 1800: Once again, the President would be elected by a group of appointed electors with little input from the few men who actually had a right to vote as well as the 60% of each eligible black man (Not sure what part was not allowed to vote, the head and torso or the legs and feet). In any event, thank to the Alien and Sedition acts in particular, President Adams was not a very popular man, and he faced an uphill battle in his quest for re-election. He had proven the flaws of having a centralized Government though more good than bad would come out from that concept, which other Presidents would utilize (Lincoln, FDR, LBJ, etc). Jefferson, essentially a moderate Libertarian, was the opponent Adams all but dreaded.

And though the Federalists were split on issues such as with relations with France, they were united in trying to beat Republican Jefferson to a pulp. It was a nasty campaign from the Federalists side as they lambasted Jefferson as godless among other things (Jefferson was essentially a believing agnostic). It was worse for Adams as he not only had to contend with the Republicans, he had to deal with a faction in his own party, led by Alexander Hamilton. There were also rumors planted (by the Republicans) that Adams planned to marry one of his daughters off to royalty. And, in the end, Adams unpopularity was so profound, he ended up finishing a distant third in the election.

Instead, the front runners ended up being between two Republicans, Jefferson and Mr. Waffles Burr. And guess what? In the well though out brainstorm of the Electoral College idea, Jefferson and Burr tied with 73 electoral votes each, thus the runoff would be decided by the House of Representatives. This was another well though out brainstorm of someone who didn't trust the American voter (and maybe with good reason at times). It wasn't decided by the majority of each House member. No, it would be decided by the majority of states that each congressman represented. Thus, for example. If three Representatives from Maryland voted for Jefferson and two voted for Burr. It would be considered as one vote for Jefferson. No three fifths vote here. It also needed a majority, something neither candidate could muster for 35 ballots. (The Federalists decided to back Burr while the Democratic- Republicans stayed loyal to Jefferson). Finally, the great Machiavellian, Alexander Hamilton, was able to convince a few Federalists to switch their vote for Jefferson and he would become the nation's third President.

Two things would come out of this circus of an election. Most importantly, an Amendment would be ratified to ensure that the President and Vice- President would be elected separately instead of just a vote for President. The electors would also be elected by way of popular vote in each state and, in general, The President and Vice President of the winning party (They would now run together as opposed to against each other like before). Not perfect but still a lot better than the shenanigans that were the 1800 election.

The other thing would have more tragic consequences as Hamilton's involvement in the House election would cause bad blood between him and the ambitious Mr. Waffles Burr, who was not  a happy camper at having to settle for being Jefferson's VP.


First term: Though tensions with the French were dying down, The United States, already a player in global politics, had to deal with a declaration of war from Tripoli. The war never went beyond a couple of well publicized skirmishes but in the end, Tripoli got their butts proverbially handed back to them.

Again, relations with France were mended as Jefferson had supported the goals of the French Revolution. This opened up an opportunity as France, who had recently been ceded the part of the territory called Louisiana that they didn't already own from Spain, needed money to support the wars Napoleon was waging all over Europe. Napoleon, needing the funds badly, sold the territory cheap, for $15 million as a matter of fact. Not  a bad deal considering the fertile land the United States would now inherit. Despite some constitutional concerns (by Jefferson himself as a strict constitutionalist) and charges of hypocrisy by the more activist Federalists, the Senate happily ratified the purchase in October 1803 and the size of the US more than doubled. It would also be the last time large swaths of land were gained without force. (Yeah, I know, there's the Gadsden purchase and Alaska but tell the Mexicans that- they didn't sell us California after all. Okay, so they did, but only under force).

Jefferson also signed the Enabling act which made it easier for a territory to vote to become a state. Ohio would take advantage of the new law and it was admitted as a state in 1803.

But now we get to the worst moment in the Jefferson administration. Jefferson himself was widely popular after the Louisiana Purchase and people were eager to stake their claims on newly acquired lands (or, more to the point, lands they could legally take from the natives by any means necessary). The economy was booming, and people were happy.

But let's face it. His Vice President was an A-hole. And he had it in for Alexander Hamilton, a former Secretary of the Treasury. In some ways Burr admired Hamilton as the only gentleman out of the many who were critical of him. It is speculated that was the reason it was Hamilton whom Burr challenged to a duel. Hamilton was reluctant at first, out of concerns for his family and his financial interests, but he relented as he couldn't recant his criticisms of Burr.

So the two dueled off in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hamilton intentionally missed and that should have been the end of it.

But, like I said, Mr. Waffles Burr was an A-hole and he shot Hamilton in the abdomen. It was a fatal wound.

And with Hamilton gone, the Federalists died with him. Meanwhile, Mr. Waffles Burr suffered the curse of surviving, and his political career was all but over. Indeed, he would have to go on trial for treason three years later and though he was acquitted, his place in American history would be forever tarnished.

Election of 1804: Despite Mr. Waffles Burr, President Jefferson remained a popular figure, and, with new rules in place, was given a running mate more to his liking, George Clinton of New York. The Federalists, meanwhile, nominated Charles Pinckney of South Carolina. This time, the election would be less personal (though they did try to expose the affair with Sally Hemmings) than 1800 had been and more issue oriented, the Feds criticizing the Louisiana Purchase as unconstitutional and the Republicans comparing the Federalists to something of an aristocracy.

It didn't matter very much come election day though as Jefferson won in a landslide, losing only Connecticut, Delaware, and two electors from Maryland. Jefferson was happy that the nation, despite all its differences, could still come together at times. And indeed, until recently anyway and with the exception of the Civil War perhaps, the Nation has always come together in times of crisis (the world wars, the Great Depression, even 9/11, etc.)

Second Term: This was an era for exploring as Jefferson had dispatched Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the Louisiana territory and beyond all the way to the Pacific Coast which was still controlled by Britain. The Tripoli war officially ended.

On the downside, there was concern about a war with Spain as Jefferson wanted Florida and then there was  the adventures of his former Vice President, Mr. Waffles Burr. He arrived in New Orleans with a plan to create his own country and invade Mexico. This would lead to charges of treason. Burr would be acquitted but it had to be an embarrassment to the Jefferson administration, faultless as they were in the matter.

There was also the problems brewing overseas. France and Britain were at it once again and this time the US was right in the middle of it. Both nations were capturing Americans in order to impress them into their navies. This forced President Jefferson to stop trade with all European countries in the short run with the Embargo of 1807. This problem would only get worse, and it would lead to another war with Britain, a major one, that Jefferson's friend and successor would have to deal with.

Overall, though, good things came out of the second term. Jefferson, despite having his own controversies owning slaves himself, stopped the slave trade in America (though slavery itself survived). The National Road project was also established under the Jefferson administration. In the end, Jefferson, who refused to run for a third term, left as a very popular President.

Post Presidency: Jefferson handpicked his successor, James Madison, who he was close friends with. Madison would be elected easily, and Jefferson retired to his plantation at Monticello. An intellectual by nature, Jefferson reveled in retirement by continuing his studies science and natural history. He was President of the American Philosophical Society until 1815. He also helped to found the University of Virginia.

He also forged a friendship with his onetime nemesis, John Adams and the two enjoyed a friendly mail correspondence until both died in 1826.

Jefferson lived an extravagant lifestyle, and it would cause some financial hardship for him. He had to use many of his 150 slaves as collateral and he sold much of his library to the Federal Government after the British had burned Washington during the War of 1812. Despite this, Jefferson remained wildly popular, even as he became terminally ill in early 1826. It is said he succumbed on July 4, 1826 after he was told he had made it to that day, a wish of both his and John Adams', who would die just hours later.

Odd notes: From https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/thomas-jefferson-facts
Jefferson's grave is inscribed with the three things of which he was most proud. Being President wasn't one of them.

President Jefferson was known to greet his guests while wearing slippers (The Presidents- History Channel)

Final Summary: I can't help but think he would have been so better off without the baggage that was Mr. Waffles Burr. And, of course, he was flawed, and politically, I'd probably be more in line with the Federalist policies of Alexander Hamilton.

But the impact he made on the history of the United States is indisputable. He doubled the size of the nation and did it peacefully. Though maybe inadvertently but with good intentions nonetheless, he started the ball rolling on the abolition of slavery when he ended the import of slaves into the United States. And he certainly has to rate as one of the more intelligent men ever to hold the office even if his personal financial acumen was , well, a little faulty.

Most importantly, he was one of the few Presidents who could keep a divided nation fairly united, especially in a time of relative peace. If that doesn't make him one of the great Presidents, I don't know what does.

Overall rating: A-

https://millercenter.org/president/jefferson

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[Rubber Soul]

4.JAMES MADISON ( Hello, Dolley )




Born: March 16, 1751, Port Conway, Virginia
Died: June 28, 1836, Montpelier, Virginia

Term: March 4, 1809- March 4, 1817
Political Party: Democratic- Republican

Vice President(s): George Clinton, Elbridge Gerry

First Lady: Dolley Todd Madison

Before the Presidency: James Madison grew up a sickly child in a well to do family in Virginia. Though younger than the other Founding Fathers, he was still old enough to remember the fear brought on by the French and Indian War.  And, much like Jefferson, he had something of a sponge for a brain, wanting to learn as much as he could. He attended the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) and majored in Greek and Latin. Back home, he entered law in 1772 but found little interest in it. In 1774 he joined a local group called the Committee on Safety. A pro revolution group.

Things moved fast for young James Madison after that. He was appointed as a delegate to the revolutionary Virginia Convention in 1776 and he would strike up a friendship with the older Thomas Jefferson. Madison would end up being Jefferson's closet adviser over the years as well as his closest personal friend. He also served in the Virginia Council of State during the back end of the war.

Madison became  the youngest member of the Continental Congress in 1780 and would become a major player in that body. In 1784, Madison was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates where he battled Patrick Henry over the issue of Separation of Church and State though on the surface, it appeared to be more of a tax issue.

It was Madison who helped to spark the idea of a Constitutional Convention and he would lead the Virginia delegation. Madison supported a strong central Government and was something of an activist in this regard. It was his persuasive skills that would earn him the title, "Father of the Constitution".

Of course, Madison didn't write the Constitution, no one person did (Madison certainly contributed of course). But he was one of three people, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay,  to promote the new Constitution in the form of what would be known as the Federalist Papers. He wrote twenty nine essays, most of them emphasizing the need for a central Republican government. Much of the intent of the Constitution was laid out, in part, because of Madison's essays in particular.

Once the United States was established, Madison was elected to the House of Representatives in 1789, defeating a future President and ally, James Monroe. Madison was President Washington's largest supporter in the House, and he was the one who would shepherd through the Bill of Rights in 1791. He later would break with Washington over both foreign and domestic policies, and he opposed Hamilton's more radical approach to a centralized Government.

Still in the House, Madison would be very critical of President Adams' policies, in particular, the controversial Alien and Seduction Acts. He then rejoined the Virginia House of Delegates where he campaigned hard for Thomas Jefferson's bid for President. Once Jefferson was elected, Madison would become his Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, Madison lobbied hard for the Louisiana Purchase, the embargo against the Barbary Pirates, end the practice of impressing American Men into the British and French navies.

And, when it was time for President Jefferson to turn in his spurs, it was Madison who he hand picked to succeed him in the White House.

Summary of offices held:

1781-1783: Virginia Congress of the Confederation

1783-1786: Continental Congress

1786-1787: Constitutional Congress

1787-1789: Virginia House of Delegates

1789-1797: House of Representatives

1799- 1801: Virginia House of Delegates

1801-1809: US Secretary of State



What was going on: The Cumberland Road, New Madrid earthquake, War of 1812

Scandals within the administration: none that we know of

Why he was a good President: Well, basically, he got us through a very costly war, and he managed to do it without overstepping his authority. He didn't actually declare war on Britain, instead abiding by the Constitution and letting Congress make that decision. And, despite his unpopularity, he managed to shepherd the country with a steady hand, even while he had to run the country away from the White House.

Why he was a bad President: Madison was not what you would call a forceful man. In fact, it goes without saying that he was overshadowed by his legendary charming wife, Dolley. There was also some criticism that he could have handled the War of 1812 better (There's a reason Ontario is not a US state I guess).

What could have saved his Presidency: Well, maybe if he had conquered Canada . Actually, he may have been better off if he had dealt with the British by more diplomatic means. Also, the war took much of his time away from the domestic issues of the day. No doubt there were events going on that would lead to the panic of 1819 under Monroe's administration. Also, if he had married someone other than Dolley Todd, who may have been the person who really saved Madison's tenure.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: Actually, losing the War of 1812 tops the list, obviously. We also came very close to war with France, who hadn't stopped the practice of harassing Americans into service. A war with both France and Britain (who also happened to be at war with each other- again) would no doubt have been disastrous to the point that James Madison might have been our last President.

Election of 1808: Though popular, President Jefferson would leave his successor with a variety of problems starting with the embargo against England and France which had a devastating effect on the economy. It was at the point where New England was threatening to secede from the Union. So,  this would not be a cakewalk for Secretary Madison.

In some ways, 1808 was a copy of 1804 in that the Federalists again nominated the ticket of Charles Pinckney and Rufus King. The Democrat- Republicans, since they couldn't nominate Jefferson, went with the next best thing in Madison, but they kept the current Vice President, George Clinton, on the ticket. Madison was man of small stature, physically speaking, and the Federalist newspapers exploited that fact. He also had to deal with factions within his own party that he was, in reality, just another clone of Alexander Hamilton (probably not a smart move considering the way Hamilton had died). Even Clinton, though the VP candidate, announced his own candidacy for President. Indeed, it was only through Jefferson's persuasion that convinced the Republicans to ultimately rally around Madison.

As for the general election. There wasn't much doubt as to who would win. While not as lopsided as Jefferson's victory four years before, Madison's victory was still relatively easy with a 122 to 44 margin.



First term: Once in the White House, the first thing President Madison did was to lift the embargo on Britain, something that may have been a mistake. He also had to deal with a dispute with Spain over the West Florida territory (The US maintained it was part of the Louisiana Purchase). He also would appoint James Monroe as his Secretary of State in 1811.

But, of course, Madison will always be remembered as the President during the war of 1812, which was really a war that lasted for three years. Relations with Britain had soured to the point that each nations battleships began to engage with each other. Relations with Canada were also crumbling as they were being accused of inciting unrest in New England, the one area that was never enamored with Virginia politics. 

So, the United States was preparing for war against Britain. There was also some sabre rattling for war with France after they sunk a merchant ship with flour to British troops in Spain (There were still trade agreements apparently). Luckily cooler heads prevailed or we may have become the United States of Europe or something.

In the end, the US would declare war with Britain and even though the British would try and back off, at least initially, and because they didn't have cell phones in those days, the die was cast. By July 1812, the Americans were fighting in Canada and not with great success. This, not surprisingly would be a factor in the upcoming election.

Election of 1812: With the war in Britain not exactly going to plan (there was talk that it was a ploy to expand the territory of the US even more), it was to no surprise hat it would take a toll on the Madison re-election campaign. The war caused a rift with the Republicans yet again with a third of the delegation boycotting the convention altogether. The remaining delegates again went with Madison, with Elbridge Gerry as his running mate (Vice President Clinton had died in April).

The Federalists, desperate for one of their own in the White House, negotiated with disgruntled Republicans and decided on another Democrat- Republican, Dewitt Clinton, nephew of the late Vice President, as their nominee with Federalist Jared Ingersoll as their running mate.

They may have won too, had the Populist tactics not been exposed. They had different messages depending on the region they were in, something that would compel one John Quincy Adams to break from the party. The tactics probably not only lost them the election to the not very popular Madison, but probably was the death knell to the Federalist Party.

In the end, it was a relatively close election, but Madison ultimately won out with slightly more than half the popular vote. The electoral vote was fairly close too. Still, it signaled the end of what would be the Federalist Party.

Second Term: Basically, the second term was dominated by the war of 1812. By now, the British had brought the war to the United States, but they suffered basically the same results that the Americans had in Canada. They were famously repelled in the battles of Baltimore and New Orleans, both of which became legendary in American lore. In Baltimore's case, it inspired one Francis Scott Key to write a patriotic poem that would one day become the American National Anthem. The Battle of New Orleans created a national hero in the form of Andrew Jackson, certainly one of the most divisive Presidents in American history to be sure. Another future President, William Henry Harrison, also became a significant figure during the war.

Of course, I can't talk about the War of 1812 without mentioning the sacking of Washington in 1814 (just before the battle of Baltimore turned the tide against the British). President Madison and Dolley had to flee the White House before the British burned it to the ground but not before Dolley had the staff take as many artifacts with them as possible. The British may have burned the White House, but they couldn't take the historical treasures with them. More importantly, they couldn't take away the American spirit.

In the end, the British and Americans agreed to end the war in a stalemate. Now some patriots will swear the Americans won the war, and in one way, they did, in the sense that Britain was unable to get their colonies back (they had unrealistic goals too it seems). Others will say the Americans lost the war much like they lost Vietnam. Not really true, either. No, the Americans gained nothing from this folly but they didn't lose anything either, well, maybe a bunch of lives, but strategically speaking, well, you get the point.

So, it was a stalemate and the world lived on.

There wasn't much to report in the waning years of the Madison administration except that he would recharter a National Bank in Philadelphia, something one of our friendly war heroes will destroy a couple decades later.



Post Presidency: Madison retired to his plantation at Montpelier. He would serve on the board at the University of Virginia and would take over as rector upon Thomas Jefferson's death in 1826. And, though, like Jefferson, he never relinquished his slaves, he nonetheless joined up with the American Colonization Society which called for the gradual abolition of slavery.

By the mid-1830s and in his eighties, Madison's health took a turn for the worse and he passed away quietly on June 28, 1836. He left well loved though as more than 100 people, including some of his slaves, attended his funeral

Odd notes: At 5"4, Madison is the shortest of all the Presidents in American history

It is said the his First Lady, Dolley Madison, was in fact more popular than he was.

Along with Thomas Jefferson, Madison was once arrested (carriage riding was once illegal on Sundays)

Final Summary: It's safe to say that Madison had a very complicated eight years dominated by the problems with France and especially Britain. One shouldn't forget there were also some strained relations with Spain over Florida, which would eventually be ceded to the US.  It was really a pigheaded move to wage war with Britain and Madison is lucky he didn't end up the Dubya of his era. On the plus side, he was a stickler to the Constitution, even if it went against his own interest. After all, he helped to create it after all. I said something in the six pack thread that good people don't always make good Presidents. Madison, no doubt, was a well-meaning person and it is because of him that we have the rights that we do have under the Constitution.

But I think the War of 1812 definitely taints his Presidency quite a bit. Though certainly not as arrogant as Adams, who dealt with considerably less comparatively, I have to question whether he should have waged war with Britain to begin with. There was a mood of expansionism in the United States (all through the nineteenth century actually) and I think Madison may have fell under that spell himself, especially in regard to Florida.

At least they named a cupcake company after his wife

Overall rating: C+

https://millercenter.org/president/madison

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/james-madison#:~:text=Fun%20Facts&text=The%20smallest%20president%2C%20Madison%20was,weighed%20only%20a%20hundred%20pounds.&text=While%20enjoying%20a%20Sunday%20drive,riding%20was%20illegal%20on%20Sundays.&text=Madison%20wrote%20George%20Washington's%20first%20speech%20as%20president%20of%20the%20United%20States.

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[Rubber Soul]

5.JAMES MONROE (I Feel Good)




Born: April 28, 1858, Westmoreland County, Virginia
Died: July 4, 1831, New York, New York

Term: March 4, 1817- March 4, 1825
Political Party: Democratic- Republican

Vice President: Daniel Tompkins

First Lady: Elizabeth Kortright Monroe

Before the Presidency: Monroe, like the Virginia Presidents before him, grew up in fairly affluent means. His parents died when he was in his teens and he was taken in as a ward to his Uncle, who would be quite an influence on the young Monroe.

Monroe attended the College of William and Mary in 1774 and it was there where he got into some mischief with fellow students in support of the Revolutionary War. They robbed the Governor's Palace and gave the arms to the Virginia Militia; thus Monroe had a front row ticket to the war against Britain.

As such, he served as an officer with distinction in the Continental Army until 1779, after which he joined the Virginia Militia as a Colonel. It was there where he connected with major leaders like then Governor Thomas Jefferson, who commissioned Monroe as a spy.

His political career started right after the war, using Thomas Jefferson as his mentor. He was elected to the Virginia Assembly in 1782 and joined the Continental Congress a year later. He wanted to expand powers to the Congress as well as organizing governments in the Western territories.

He was certainly somewhat of an independent character voting against ratification of the Constitution, his biggest beef being that Senators should be elected directly and not appointed (he would finally get his wish with the 17th Amendment in 1913). He also wanted a strong bill of rights, something that Jefferson supported, and Madison made true in 1791. He ran for the House of Representatives against James Madison in 1789 and lost, though they would remain amicable throughout. As it was, Monroe would be appointed to the Senate in 1790 and he, Madison, and Jefferson would form something of a friendly alliance.

President Washington was also aware of the young Monroe and he appointed him as minister to France in 1794. It was an eventful two years as Monroe was able to procure the release of Thomas Paine, who had the audacity to speak out against King Louis XIV. Alas, the French Revolution happened right after, and Washington had to recall Monroe.

Monroe returned to Virginia to practice law and was elected Governor of Virginia in 1799. He worked for the election of Jefferson and was an advocate for public education (Gee, I like him already). In 1803, President Jefferson sent Monroe to France as an envoy for the Louisiana Purchase. That same year, he was appointed as Minister to Great Britain, with a stint as an envoy to Spain in between. In 1806, Monroe signed an agreement with Britain resolving some outstanding issues, but didn't address the issue of impressment, something both President Jefferson and Secretary Madison insisted on. Monroe had seen it as a first step, while the other two (probably correctly) simply didn't trust the British. It was a temporary setback for Monroe, but it didn't alter the friendship between the three powerhouses.

In 1808, there was a draft within the Democratic- Republican party for Monroe to run against Madison, who Jefferson favored to succeed him. He accepted the draft but never really wanted to battle against his friend, noting they differed only on some foreign policy.

So, he was out politics briefly until 1811 when he again became Governor of Virginia. That lasted a whole three months as President Madison enlisted him to become Secretary of State.

And it as a tense time to be Secretary of State to be sure as this was the period of the War of 1812. It was a controversial war to be sure and Madison's Secretary of War quit as a result. Monroe would fill in on a temporary basis on two occasions during his stint as Secretary of State and he is credited with the comeback of sorts by the military towards the second half of the war. Monroe was also something of a hero as he oversaw the evacuation of Washington as the British burned the city down. Monroe returned to the city after the British had left and Madison put him in charge of its defenses.

So, while Madison's popularity continued to sink like a bowling ball, Monroe's popularity rose, putting him in good position for the 1816 nomination.

Summary of offices held:

1783-1786: Congress of the American Federation

1790-1794: US Senator

1794-1796: Minister to France

1799-1802: Governor of Virginia

1803-1807: Minister to the United Kingdom

1811: Governor of Virginia

1811-1817: Secretary of State

1814-1815: Interim Secretary of War



What was going on: The Seminole War, Panic of 1819,  Missouri Compromise, Annexation of Florida, the Monroe Doctrine,

Scandals within the administration: The Corrupt bargain (though that was more of a legislative scandal)

Why he was a good President: Though it has been abused at time, particularly in the Twentieth Century but especially during the Spanish- American War, his Monroe Doctrine has stood the test of time. Latin American nations saw the doctrine as a way of ensuring their own independence, and, when properly enforced, that's exactly what it did, as Monroe intended. Other times, well...

Why he was a bad President: He probably should have taken a more active role after the Panic of 1819. No, I don't mean he should have created a New Deal of sorts (for one thing, something like that wouldn't have played in Monroe's time), but he could have done more to alleviate the pressures the banks were going through at the time. Also, as mentioned, the Doctrine, though full of good intentions, opened the door for quite a few abuses by future Presidents starting, possibly, with Jackson, and definitely with James Polk and his Mexican- American war.

What could have saved his Presidency: A steadier hand during the Panic of 1819 would have been nice. Also, he should have pulled a Truman ala General MacArthur and fired Andrew Jackson's ass.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: For starters, had the fallout from the Seminole War have not been so seamless. Monroe was known for his great diplomatic skills and it no doubt saved him from another war. Also had the panic of 1819 exploded into something as devastating as the Great Depression a century later. Monroe didn't do much about the Panic but he probably did do more than, say, Herbert Hoover.

Election of 1816: Monroe was well positioned for the Democratic- Republican nomination but there was some hesitancy within the party of yet another Virginian in the White House. Some of them threw their support behind William Crawford of Georgia, another member of Madison's cabinet. He enjoyed a lot of congressional support, but he lacked the national constituency that Monroe enjoyed. In the end, Monroe won the nomination by a relatively close margin.

By now, the Federalists were more or less on life support, and they settled for the always dependable Rufus King with John Howard as his running mate. As such, it wasn't much of an election as Monroe and running mate Daniel Tompkins all but ran away with the electoral vote, King only winning three of the nineteen states.

First term: President Monroe began his term with a tour of New England, the one area where maybe he wasn't so popular. He emphasized unity and it was later considered the ushering in of the era of good feelings. Things were relatively quiet until late 1817 when there was a Seminole uprising in Florida. Good ol' Andrew Jackson, man of great restraint that he was, went against the President's wishes and drove the Seminoles into Spanish Florida and capturing the Capital, causing an international incident in the process. In the end , Jackson was reprimanded, and Pensacola was returned to Spain. One thing did come out of this however, as Spain would peacefully cede Florida to the United States in 1819.

Monroe also had to deal with the nation's first real financial crisis, known as the Panic of 1819. Thanks to conservative polices of the Second Bank of the United States, the financial strife lasted for four years.

It was also during this term that slavery would become a pressing issue with a debate over the admission of Missouri. Missouri, geographically speaking, straddled the line between the pro-slavery south and the abolitionist north, sort of like Maryland, Delaware (slave states), and Kentucky (a free state). In the end, the Missouri Compromise would be passed which made Missouri a slave state (Maine was also admitted as a free state) and the status of future states would be decided by the 36 degree, 30 line.

Election of 1820: I think it's safe to say President Monroe had an easy time with it when it came to re-election time. He remained popular within the ranks of his party and was a shoo in for re-nomination as was his running mate, Daniel Tompkins. Having said that, the nomination never officially happened but Monroe and Tompkins would represent the party on the ticket anyway.

Meanwhile, the Federalists, all but dead, didn't even bother to nominate a candidate, thus Monroe ran unopposed, the last time that would ever happen in American History. Even so, he couldn't garner a unanimous electoral vote, even with John Adams coming out of retirement to vote for Monroe. One elector from New Hampshire cast his vote for Adams' son, John Quincy Adams.

Second Term: The big issue as Monroe's second term started was the depression that resulted from the Panic of 1819. As it was, President Monroe basically followed the Jeffersonian laissez- faire approach and the market, fortunately, took care of itself. It didn't prevent future financial panics however as a more notorious panic lay just a decade and a half away.

President Monroe fared better on the foreign policy front. With most of the Spanish colonies on the verge of Independence, President Monroe wanted to ensure that European nations wouldn't try and form new colonies in the Americas, thus what would become known as the Monroe Doctrine was passed in 1823. It promised that any intervention by a European nation on a Sovereign nation in the Western Hemisphere would be considered as an attack on the United States. It also pledged that the US would not interfere with any colonies still controlled by a European Nation. It is a doctrine that has been used, for good and bad, by  a number of Presidents, most recently by Ronald Reagan.

There was speculation that Monroe might run for a third term, but he decided against it, noting that the competition would be much more fierce. By this time the shadow that would be Andrew Jackson was coming to the forefront as was the volatile John Calhoun.

Post Presidency: Monroe would not be able to enjoy the long period of retirement that his three predecessors enjoyed. Indeed, he would die five years before his friend and predecessor, James Madison.

Still, he was able to serve on the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia and, in 1829, served with the Virginia Constitutional Convention.

In 1830, upon the death of his wife, he moved to New York City to live with his daughter and son-in law. It was there where he took ill for good and he would become the third President to die on the Fouth of July, just five years after Jefferson and Adams.

Odd notes:  Monroe once defended himself with fire tongs during a disagreement with the Treasury Secretary

Monroe has a World Capital named after him, Monrovia, Liberia.

Final Summary: You can argue that Monroe was the luckiest of all the Presidents. Though he did have to deal with a financial crisis, he didn't have to endure any major wars save for Andrew Jackson's little misadventure.  His era of good feelings tours made quite an impact on the general populace and, with the possible exception of the Missouri issue, didn't seem to have to deal with a hostile congress.

And maybe it was because Monroe was so good at the art of compromise, maybe a little too good. The liberal in me wants to dock him points on not taking a tougher stand against slavery, but then again, he owned something like 200 slaves himself, and, let's face it, he was a product of the times. And he'll always be remembered for the Monroe Doctrine (his idea but actually written by John Quincy Adams), which at least gave the Latin American cover from other nations, save the United States themselves. So, yes, he was a fairly effective President, and he had a great vision when it came to Foreign affairs.

Domestically though, uh, not so much.


Overall rating: B-

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/james-monroe

https://millercenter.org/president/monroe

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[Rubber Soul]

6. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS (the Cat's in the Cradle)





Born: July 11, 1767, Braintree, Massachusetts
Died: February 23, 1848, Washington, DC

Term: March 4, 1825- March 4, 1829
Political Party: Democrat- Republican

Vice President: John Calhoun

First Lady: Louisa Johnson Adams

Before the Presidency: I think it's safe to say that John Quincy Adams came from a political family given that his father was once President of the United States.  Indeed, he was a child of the Revolution and, as a young lad, was said to have committed treason in defense of his father who, of course, was deeply involved with the Revolutionaries. Though too young to fight, he witnessed the Battle of Bunker Hill with his mother.

Because he was the son of John Adams, that afforded the young John Quincy to see much of Europe as he would accompany the elder Adams to Paris among other places. With part of his schooling taking place in Paris, John Quincy would find himself very well educated by the time he was ready for adult life.

In some ways, his career started at age 14 when, already fluent in French, he accompanied emissary Francis Dana to St. Petersburg, Russia as an interpreter. A year later, he would rejoin his father at the Hague. Finally, he returned to the US in 1785 where he would attend Harvard for two years.

He more or less followed in his father's footsteps and studied law, passing the bar in 1790. He was an admirer of Thomas Jefferson even though he was more in line with his father's politics. Adams struggled in his early years as an attorney despite the fact that his father was now Vice President of the United States, but President Washington, maybe through the elder Adams, who undoubtedly loved his children, especially the hard working John Quincy, became aware of his linguistic skills and appointed him minister to the Netherlands. His political career had begun.

When his father became President, Adams was assigned as the Minister to Prussia where he remained until his father's term expired. He returned to the US in 1801 and became involved with local politics, winning election to the Massachusetts State Senate.

And his star rose fast as he was appointed to the US Senate in 1803. He went against his Federalist party often, supporting President Jefferson on matters such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embrago Act of 1807. This infuriated the party heads in Massachusetts and his days as a Senator were numbered. So were his days as a Federalist as he switched parties in 1808.

His political career was far from over. President Madison appointed Adams as the Minister to Russia where he became an ally of Czar Alexander, who he admired for standing up to Napoleon. It was, in fact, Adams who kept President Madison informed after Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812.

Adams would become involved with the peace negotiations with Britain that would end the War of 1812 and was one of the signers of the Treaty of Ghent in December 1814. Later, Madison would appoint Adams as Minister to the United Kingdom. He would return home in 1817 to become President Monroe's Secretary of State. There, he was credited for writing what would become known as the Monroe Doctrine. He also oversaw the transfer of Spanish Florida to the United States in 1819.

President Monroe's term was to end after the 1824 election, and it seemed as if Adams' diplomatic career might be over, and it was.

But the career was about to have another chapter

Summary of offices held:

1794-1797: Minister to the Netherlands

1797-1801: Minister to Prussia

1802-1803: Member Massachusetts Senate

1803-1808: Senator from Massachusetts

1809-1814: Minister to Russia

1815-1817: Minister to the United Kingdom

1817-1825: Secretary of State





What was going on: the Erie Canal, the B&O railroad,

Scandals within the administration: None that we know of

Why he was a good President:  He maintained good relations with most of the European nations, especially in terms of trade. And, even with all his flaws, no one could argue his integrity.

Why he was a bad President: He never did win the confidence of the Congress and his temperament probably wasn't fitting for a sitting President.

What could have saved his Presidency: Not much really. The Congress was way too hostile at the time. Actually, under today's standards, he could have even been impeached since the only crime you have to commit is to be disliked these days.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: As bad as his Presidency was, it could have been worse. Maybe he would have had no success in foreign affairs and, even with the debates over States rights (i.e., the right to enslave), no major violence occurred during his administration. A violent insurrection such as the events the led to the Civil War could have turned a bad administration into a notorious one.

Election of 1824: The rules were changing, at least in an unofficial sense. The previous three Presidents had served as Secretary of State at one time or another and it should have made Adams the favorite to be the next President.

But Adams didn't really have the charisma of Jefferson or Monroe in particular and there were some firebrands waiting in the wings that also wanted to be President. By now, the Federalists were dead leaving the US with just one major political party. As such, they never really decided on a nominee.

So, John Quincy Adams was saddled with the pretty tough competition. Andrew Jackson was perhaps the most popular of the four major candidates and he was wildly popular in the South, but he wasn't getting much traction in the North. The same went for the ambitious William Crawford, but, besides of an endorsement by Senator Martin Van Buren of New York, didn't seem to be going anywhere either.

Then there was the Speaker of the House, one Henry Clay of Kentucky. Like Jackson, he was something of a war hero, but he was also a very capable legislator. It was he who came up with the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and was certainly well respected by the House members.

There was a convention and if they had it their way, Crawford would have been the nominee to run unopposed. But there were many factions within the party, and the states had their own ideas, thus, the general election ballot would feature six, count them, six, candidates.

Two of them, John Calhoun and Smith Thompson would bow out, leaving four candidates to duke it out. Calhoun ended up as the running mate of both Adams and Jackson while Crawford pegged Nathaniel Macon to run with him and Clay went with Nathan Sanford.

As it was, none of the candidates had the support of the entire country. Those in the South mistrusted Clay and Adams and the people in the North weren't going to vote for Jackson or Crawford even if you put a gun to their heads.

So, for the second time in American History, the circus came to town. Jackson would win in the general election with a little more than 40% of the vote and have a plurality of electoral votes as well.

But there was just one problem. The Constitution stated that it went to the House when no candidate could gain a majority of electoral votes.

And so it was that the House, with their archaic rules of a majority of states as opposed to a majority of actual Representatives, would determine the next President of the United States, whether the American people liked it or not.

And they started with eliminating Clay, who, despite his legislative brilliance (He's considered today as one of the most important non-Presidents in history), finished fourth and the House could only consider the top three candidates, Jackson, Adams, and Crawford.

Even that would prove to be controversial as the Clay supporters switched their votes to Adams, thus robbing Jackson of what he clearly thought was his Presidency. But we can get into that later when we review his Presidency.

In the meantime, there were cries of corrupt bargain as Adams would ultimately appoint Clay as his Secretary of State. Yes, Adams won the Presidency.

But he didn't win much else.

First term:  The election was behind him, but the support of the Congress was not. It didn't help that Adams's diplomatic skills were, shall we say blunt. It didn't help that he was also opposed by his own Vice-President, John Calhoun. It wasn't all bad though. The Erie Canal was completed during President Adams' term, and it was during this term that his father, John Adams died, and he died knowing that his son was now the President of the United States. He had to have been proud.

Because of a hostile Congress, Adams wasn't able to do a lot from a domestic standpoint. He had to settle for higher tariffs for example. He fared a little better with foreign relations, forging trade agreements with several European countries, but even that was a mixed bag. In the end, sad to say, John Quincy Adams would go down as one our least effective Presidents.



Election of 1828: By now the Democratic- Republican party had fractured into two factions and Martin Van Buren would soon establish what is known now as the Democratic party. Andrew Jackson, nominated by the Tennessee Legislature as early as 1825, would represent this faction while Adams represented the old Federalist platform (though, officially he was a Republican)

The issues were also pretty clear. States rights was the banner for the new Democrats (Or, really, an excuse to continue slavery) while the National Republicans, as they were called, took on  a more Nationalistic approach.

It was an ugly election as things got quite personal. Though neither nominee campaigned personally, as was the norm, their supporters were out loaded for bear. Jackson was attacked by the Adams- backed press of having lived in sin with his wife and of multiple murders (Jackson was, in fact, a notorious duelist) while Adams, via the Jacksonian press, had the audacity to marry a foreigner (hey, at least she was white).

In the end, Jackson proved more popular, and he would win election easily, thus, Adams would face the same fate as the father as the then only Presidents to lose a re-election bid.

Post Presidency: Adams was somewhat bitter after the 1828 election and he refused to attend Jackson's inauguration. This was probably the lowest point of John Quincy Adams' life.

But he would bounce back. In 1830, there was a draft for him to run for Congress, and, despite family objections, he agreed. He won election, and he served with distinction from 1831 until his death in 1848. Though he usually voted with the minority (the nation was dominated by, let's face it, some right wingers), he nonetheless proved to be on the right side of history, particularly as an anti-slavery advocate. He argued for the freedom of slave mutineers on the slave ship Amistad- and won.

Even his death was a bit spectacular as he was stricken on the House floor after vehemently speaking against decorating certain Army Officers involved in the Mexican-American war. He may have been a failed President but he wasn't a failed man by any length of the imagination.

Odd notes:  Adams was an avid skinny dipper

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502637/9-fascinating-facts-about-john-quincy-adams

He had a Niece that seduced all three of his sons

https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/7-fun-facts-john-quincy-adams/

Anthony Hopkins played John Quincy Adams in the Steven Spielberg movie, Amistad.



Final Summary: Let's face it, the poor guy never had a chance. The Congress refused to work with him, and he was not really forgiven for what many thought was a stolen election. He would fare better as a Congressman later but, alas, I can only rate him as a President, not as a legislator which I would give him a solid B for. Even as a diplomat, I'd rate him as better than average.

But as President, not so much.


Overall rating: D+

https://millercenter.org/president/jqadams

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[Rubber Soul]

7.ANDREW JACKSON (I'm head of the class: I'm popular)



Born: March 15, 1767, Waxhaw, South Carolina
Died: June 8, 1845, near Nashville, Tennessee

Term: March 4, 1829- March 4, 1837
Political Party: Democrat

Vice President(s): John Calhoun, Martin Van Buren

First Lady: Emily Donelson (niece, wife Rachel Donelson died right after election)

Before the Presidency: Andrew Jackson was born with modest means on the North and South Carolina border. His father having died before he was born, he and his three brothers were raised by his widowed mother. He found himself in the middle of the Revolutionary War as young as eleven, joining up officially at the age of thirteen. While fighting the British, he endured a severe face wound, and he would have a scar the rest of his life. He also was a prisoner of war with his brother for a time.

By the time Jackson was fifteen, the war was over, but he was now orphaned as his mother had died. He also lost his brothers during the way. So, Jackson taught himself the rest of the way, moving to Charleston where he would sow some of his wild oats as well as teaching for a time.

In 1784, young Jackson decided to become an attorney. He studied law in North Carolina, got his license, and began to work as a back country lawyer.

A mentor of Jackson's, John McNairy, was elected Superior Court Judge for North Carolina's Western District (now Tennessee). Jackson went with him and was appointed as district attorney at the tender age of 21. He then moved to Nashville where he met the woman of his dreams, the soon to be divorced Rachel Donelson. They lived together for a time until Rachel got divorced and she and Jackson could marry. It wasn't something that was considered kosher in those days, and it would have repercussions on Jackson's political career.

Oh, yes, did I mention he had a political career? He had a military one as well. Anyway, Jackson was certainly something of a charismatic sort and he would have a meteoric rise in politics starting as a delegate to the Tennessee State Constitutional Convention in 1795. He shortly thereafter became a congressman, then a Justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court.

In 1802, he challenged Governor John Sevier for Command of the State Militia. Jackson won, but it caused some bad feelings with Jackson and it nearly led to a duel in Knoxville. Indeed, Jackson would be involved in more than a few duels, suffering two bullet wounds in the process as well as killing at least one man, Charles Dickinson (but not before he gave Jackson one of his bullet wounds.). This was another issue that would hound Jackson throughout his political career.

His reputation as a violent man all but ended his judicial career in 1804, so he went for a military career. He somehow got involved with Mr. Waffles Burr who, by 1805, seemed to want to be the new Julius Caesar or something to that effect. Jackson managed to disassociate from Burr before the treason charges exploded, and watched, from his plantation called the Hermitage, as Jefferson and Madison kept fumbling over the French and British issues.

And it was the War of 1812 where Jackson first gained national fame. Tennessee formed a regiment to defend New Orleans and Jackson was called the lead the squadron. He only got as far as Natchez when he was told his troops wouldn't be paid, so he led his troops back home, earning the moniker, Old Hickory, in the process. Afterwards, he would lead the regiment against the Creek Indians with much success. Jackson was not a General you wanted to mess with.

Then came the famous Battle of New Orleans (Johnny Horton turned it into a pop hit by the way). It was well known that the British were going to try and take New Orleans, so Jackson put together a ragtag outfit that ranged from veterans, volunteers, free blacks, and even pirates. The British did indeed advance on the city, but Jackson had a line of soldiers waiting for them. It was a bloodbath- for the British. They lost two thousand men while Jackson's forces lost only thirteen.

Of course, it was a battle that had needn't be fought as the Treaty of Ghent had already been signed (neither side knew this of course), but it made Jackson something of a National hero. And the worst was yet to come.

For, in 1817, he was ordered to subdue a rebellious group of Seminole Indians who were raiding Georgia from Spanish Florida. Well, Old Hickory subdued them alright. He not only chased them back into Florida, he invaded the territory, taking two towns along the way as well as trying two British Nationals for aiding and abetting the Indians. This all created something of an international incident, and he would ultimately be reprimanded for his actions. Still, it had two effects, one, it nudged Spain into giving up Florida entirely, and, two, Jackson more or less became something of a superstar by the standard of the late 1810s.

In 1821, Jackson resigned his military commission and became Governor of Florida in 1821. He then would become Senator from Tennessee in 1823 and prepared for a run for President the next year.

Summary of offices held:

1796-1797: US House of Representatives

1798-1804: Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court

1805-1813: Major General, Tennessee Militia

1813-1821: Major General, United States Army, won the Battle of New Orleans, 1814-15

1821: Governor of Florida

1823-1825: United States Senate





What was going on: The Indian Removal act, Black Hawk War, Trail of Tears, Bank of America shutdown, The Alamo

Scandals within the administration: The Petticoat affair

Why he was a good President: It's safe to say that Jackson exuded confidence for the most part. He certainly was a popular President, even for a long time after his death. He was an advocate for States rights and yet could put his foot down when a state, notably South Carolina, wanted to shirk federal law. It was a taxation issue really but maybe the stance would backfire on Jackson as his Nullification Act could also be enforced when it came to civil rights more than a century later. His support for Texas also had to have helped his legacy.

Why he was a bad President: Where do I start? He certainly didn't have the right temperament to be President. He never really had what you could call a stable cabinet, especially after the Eaton affair. And he certainly had no financial acumen as he didn't have a back up plan for the Second Bank of America once he had it dissolved.

But the most egregious act had to have been the Indian Removal Act. While you can argue FDR's order of Japanese Internment Camps as something of a lack of judgment, there was no doubt of Jackson's intentions as they were very much patronizing (he most certainly was a white supremacist), and even cruel. He likely didn't care about the fate of the Native Americans, heck, he was even accused of committing genocide. And don't get me started with slavery. While not the pressing issue in his administration, there was no doubt he would have been quite happy if slavery came back in the North. He, himself, was known to be quite cruel to his own slaves, once giving an award of ten dollars for every hundred lashes given to one of his runaway slaves.


What could have saved his Presidency: If he had taken a gentler hand towards the Bank of America, maybe approving the charter renewal, and possibly saving the nation from a financial meltdown (which all but ruined Van Buren's Presidency). Also, maybe his legacy wouldn't have been so tarnished had he recognized the various Indian treaties instead of banishing them into the wilderness.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: Well, at least he didn't kill anybody, not personally anyway. I guess letting South Carolina secede would have looked good on his resume.

Election of 1824: We covered much of this abortion of an election in John Quincy Adams' post, but I withheld what was going on within the Jackson side of things.

For, technically, Jackson won this election. He had enormous popularity stemming from his days as a General (everyone loves a military figure). Even so, he wasn't all that popular in the North and Adams still had some clout as the incumbent, unpopular as he was, and fellow Southerner Crawford wasn't exactly chopped liver either.

So, Jackson garnered about 40% of the popular vote and around the same in the electoral count.

Now we come to one of America's more peculiar rules. You need to have a majority of Electoral votes, or you have to go to plan B. Doesn't matter with the actual popular vote is mind you, Jackson would have been fine there.

Now plan B in just about any country would require the top two candidates to compete in a runoff, but, hey, we're Americans and we have a better way. We just let the House decide on the top three candidates. The heck with the voters.

And so, with some arm twisting by Speaker Clay, who just happened to be promised the Secretary of State position (in those days that was the easiest way to become President, just ask Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and our boy Quincy). The House decided to anoint Adams as a result and Jackson and his forces were hopping mad. It was Jackson who decried that it was a corrupt bargain, and his forces, who already more or less dominated the Congress, would pass virtually none of Adams' initiatives, politics obviously being much more important than the progress of their country. Jackson himself, frustrated with politics, left the Senate, and began his 1828 Presidential campaign from home.


Election of 1828: Of course, Adams' administration was nothing short of a disaster and Jackson, ever the Populist, seized on the opportunity. Calhoun switched sides and went on the Jackson ticket while the incumbent Adams went with Richard Rush. Jackson, despite his relative inexperience in politics, proved to be a savvy politician, often staying mum when it came to the issues.

And, of course, as typical of Jackson, it became personal (at least he didn't challenge anybody to a duel). His faction tried to throw as much dirt on Adams as possible. Adams' camp responded in kind, bringing up Jackson's notorious temper and especially his controversial marriage to Rachel, something that would gnaw at him throughout his Presidency.

Considering his unpopularity, Adams hung tough, but in the end, the charismatic Jackson still won the election fairly easily with 56% of the popular vote and a 2-1 margin in the electoral count.

First term: The administration had a bit of a sad start as Jackson lost his beloved wife just after the election. Still, he enjoyed one of the most spectacular inaugurations in history as he walked down Pennsylvania Avenue with his contingent of fans. They had their guy in the White House.

It was a very open White House too as citizens were welcome to always drop in. It was, after all, the peoples' house.

But then it got down to politics, and though many of his policies would be popular, they might not have been what you would call the most moral.

I'll give Jackson points for the first crisis, though. For his friendly neighborhood Vice President, John Calhoun, threatened to secede South Carolina because of a tax issue. The last person you wanted to ever threaten was Andrew Jackson. Now, you would think that Jackson, given his temper, would do what he always did best, challenge his VP to a duel.

But, instead, he sent the military to South Carolina and Calhoun backed off, but they certainly would not become the best of friends.

Now for the things that probably put Jackson in Hell. Let's start with the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This was a bill designed to remove the Indians from their native lands in the East and force them to live on reservations in the Western territories. Of course, he did this "for their own good." Instead, of course, it led to what became known as the Trail of Tears as thousands upon thousands of Native Americans were driven from their land like common refugees and put on reservations

The scandal of his administration also happened during this term in what would be known as the Peggy Eaton affair. Peggy Eaton was married to Jackson's Secretary of War. Eaton was also divorced, much like Jackson's now deceased wife was, and the other secretaries' wives refused to have anything to do with her. This infuriated Jackson, who sympathized with Mrs. Eaton, and he ended up firing his entire cabinet over the incident.

The issue that would most define Jackson's Presidency would concern the Second Bank of America. Jackson wanted to kill the bank, but Henry Clay supported it. Wanting to use that as an election campaign issue, he pushed for an early renewal of its charter more or less daring President Jackson to veto it. Well, Jackson did veto it, and he would let the charter expire in 1836. It was considered, by many, the first truly political veto in American History.

Election of 1832: The American Charter veto would indeed prove to be a big issue in 1832 as the National Republicans, as expected, nominated Henry Clay. Jackson, meanwhile, was done with his Vice President, John Calhoun, and the feeling was mutual, so the Democrats went with Martin Van Buren as the running mate. This made Jackson very happy as Van Buren was a personal friend and ally and indeed, would be endorsed to succeed him four years later. It was also the year that National Conventions would be held, most notably the Democratic Convention in Baltimore.

It was more of an issue driven campaign than the previous two, but it didn't matter. Jackson was hugely popular, and he won re-election easily with 219 electoral votes to Clay's 49.

Second Term: After the election, President Jackson issued the Nullification Proclamation, with the intention of preventing states (specifically South Carolina) from nullifying Federal laws. He also threatened military force, but Henry Clay came to the rescue again with one of his compromises and the crisis was averted.

President Jackson continued his war against the Second Bank of America, as he ordered the Secretary of the Treasury to withdraw federal funds and deposit them in State banks. The Treasury Secretary refused, and Jackson fired him. This angered many in Congress and he became the first President to be censured (later expunged). Later, he would let the charter run out, thus precipitating what would be known as the Panic of 1837.

Other than the feud with the Bank of America, the last two years of Jackson's administration were relatively quiet, save for a botched assassination attempt against him (check the odd notes) and support for the then Republic of Texas, which President Jackson would recognize as he left office.



Post Presidency: Jackson all but hand picked his Vice President, Martin Van Buren, to succeed him and, once his term ran out, he retired to his plantation at the Hermitage. He supported and advised President Van Buren though to no avail and was devastated when Van Buren lost his re-election bid in 1840. As it turned out though, he would find himself supporting the accidental President, John Tyler, especially when it came to banking matters. He also was a fervent supporter of the annexation of Texas.

He was already an old man when his stint as President ended and his health would be iffy in the last years of his life, finally dying in 1845 at the Hermitage.

And he left something of a legacy, for good or bad. He remains quite popular among conservative whites in particular while he is reviled by African Americans in particular. There remains a movement to have him removed from the twenty dollar bill and some of his monuments have been removed in wake of the Black Lives matter movement.

Odd notes: Jackson, though obviously a bigot, adopted two American Indians

Jackson was involved in at least a dozen duels and was shot on one occasion.

President Jackson, the first victim of an assassination attempt, beat his would be assassin with a cane.

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/10-birthday-facts-about-president-andrew-jackson-2


Final Summary:  While it's safe to say no President to date, with the possible exception of the two Adams', was of the most tolerant variety, I have to think that Andrew Jackson was the first truly racist President. Even for his time, his treatment of nonwhites is nothing short of deplorable, especially when it came to public policy (I keep coming back to the Trail of Tears). Also, as mentioned before, he was an absolute disaster when it came to issues involving the treasury. I mean, when it came to that, he made Herbert Hoover look like FDR. On the plus side, he was truly a Unionist (though whether that would have held by Lincoln's time, well, we'll never really know). He did believe that the Nation should hold together at whatever cost.

But, in the end analysis, I'm not a fan of Populists. Being popular doesn't give you the right to steal lands away ( I know, the Indians were supposedly paid, but come on, who really believes they got a fair price?) or to act like a Dictator when it comes to your own cabinet.

And the hatred towards nonwhites, and the violent temper, need I go on?



Overall rating: D

https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/

https://millercenter.org/president/jackson

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[Rubber Soul]

8.MARTIN VAN BUREN (Machines, Machines, they keep right on going)



Born: December 5, 1782, Kinderhook, New York
Died: July 24, 1862, Kinderhook, New York

Term: March 4, 1837- March 4, 1841
Political Party: Democrat

Vice President: Richard Johnson

First Lady: Angelica Singleton Van Buren (daughter in law 1838-1841)

Before the Presidency: Van Buren grew up in what I guess would be considered a middle class family by today's standards. One of six children, the Van Buren's were not rich, but they were affluent enough to own six slaves, still legal in New York in the late eighteenth century. The son of Dutch immigrants, he would be the first President not to have had British lineage. His father owned a tavern, and it would be frequented by various Government figures, giving the young Van Buren his first taste in politics.

Van Buren didn't attend college but, as it turned out, he had connections. His father arranged to have him hired as a law clerk. He worked, more or less, as a gopher for seven years before gaining admission to the state bar in 1803. He, with his brother, opened a successful law practice and it wasn't much longer after that when his political career began, joining the Democratic- Republicans in a Federalist dominated region. Van Buren, like his father, was a devoted Jeffersonian, and truly believed in a limited Government.

Van Buren was known for his political savvy as he latched on to the George Clinton bandwagon, sensing that Mr. Waffles Burr's star was fading (this was about the time of the Hamilton-Burr duel). He was rewarded with his first political post in 1808.

His first elected office was in 1812 when he was elected to the New York State Senate. In New York, the Democratic-Republicans were divided into factions, something that distressed Van Buren. Nevertheless, he formed his own faction known as the Bucktails. They embraced Jeffersonian values while vehemently opposing the then most powerful Democrat- Republican in New York, Dewitt Clinton. It was his battles with this Clinton that sealed Van Buren's reputation as an unscrupulous opportunist.

Van Buren, was, though most of the 1810's, New York's Attorney General, and his battles with Governor Clinton were somewhat legendary, at least in New York circles anyway.

Tragedy hit in 1819 when his wife passed away, but he nonetheless forged on and solidified his standing, probably not for the better, in New York politics. For he would head up one of the first party machines, derisively known as the Albany regency.

Now one of the most powerful politicians in New York, Van Buren was appointed to the US Senate in 1821 and very quickly became something of a Washington insider.

Van Buren was quite the powerful Senator as he was influential on the financial committee as well as chairing the Judicial Committee. He was frustrated with the factions within his own party, however, as truly believed in party unity, even though he was still something of a machine boss in his own home state.

In the bizarre election of 1824, Van Buren backed Crawford, feeling that he shared Van Buren's Jeffersonian beliefs. He didn't win the Presidency, obviously, and Van Buren was infuriated when the House voted in John Quincy Adams by way of the "corrupt bargain." As such he led the opposition to Adams' policies in the Senate and became an ardent supporter of Andrew Jackson (talk about a corrupt bargain).

And Jackson and Van Buren seemed to go hand in hand from 1828 on. Van Buren had been elected Governor of New York but Jackson asked him to be his Secretary of State, which Van Buren took gratefully.

The Jacksonians were now more or less simply called the Democratic Party but there were factions even within the White House. Van Buren was at odds with Vice President Calhoun. It all came to a head in the Peggy Eaton affair as it was especially Calhoun's wife who found her beneath her standards for allegedly living in sin and such. Van Buren, on the other hand, was gracious towards the Eatons, having no issue with inviting them to his functions. Jackson appreciated this, and became one of his insiders as a result becoming part of Jackson's kitchen cabinet along with John Eaton.

President Jackson, angry with his cabinet overall wanted to fire the whole lot. He reluctantly accepted the resignations of Van Buren and Eaton as they both thought it would make it easier for him to fire the rest of the cabinet. Van Buren subsequently would be appointed as Minister to England. That lasted six months as the Senate rejected his nomination. No matter, when election time came around in 1832, Jackson picked Van Buren as his running mate.

As Vice President, he supported Jackson's war against the Bank of America though he did have some reservations about it. More importantly, he became something of a unifier within the Democratic Party itself and he was all but handpicked to be Jackson's successor in 1836.

Summary of offices held:

1808-1813: Surrogate of Columbia County, New York

1813-1820: New York Senate

1815-1819:  New York Attorney General

1821-1828: United States Senate

1829: Governor, New York

1829-1831: Secretary of State

1831-1832: Minister to United Kingdom

1833-1837: Vice President of the United States


What was going on: Panic of 1837, the telegraph, Amistad

Scandals within the administration: none that we know of

Why he was a good President: For the record, he wasn't, but he did a decent job of keeping America out of war at least, even helping to end the Aroostook War in 1839.

Why he was a bad President: He did virtually nothing to alleviate the aftermath of the 1837 panic. And was perhaps the first President to learn the hard way that it was the economy, stupid. He was also way too busy trying to gauge the political wind, and even with that, he was pretty lousy.

What could have saved his Presidency: Being less concerned about his political ambitions and caring more about people would have helped. He could have done more to alleviate the hardships many Americans were feeling in the late 1830s. Not being an advocate of slavery despite once having owned slaves himself, maybe he could have stood up to the likes of Calhoun. I don't think Van Buren was a true abolitionist but again, his political ambitions always got in the way of doing anything noble, or even brave.

What could have destroyed his Presidency: What didn't? Jackson left him with a disastrous economy from which he couldn't get from under. Then Jackson would later turn against him after Van Buren initially opposed the annexation of Texas, and for noble reasons actually. Anyway, there wasn't much that could have destroyed the Presidency because it was already destroyed to begin with.

Election of 1836: The Democratic nomination was for Van Buren to lose and there was virtually no opposition to his nomination in 1836. Van Buren promised to continue the Jacksonian policies and there was no reason to doubt his sincerity, at least on that note.

Meanwhile, there was a new party on the horizon. They called themselves the Whigs. This relatively conservative group was led by figures such as Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams. The Whigs were very anti- Jackson, seeing him as a wannabe monarch. Van Buren himself was being portrayed as nothing but a political hack. The Whigs were only forming and could not decide on one candidate, so they went with three, William Henry Harrison, Daniel Webster, and Hugh White.

As it was, Van Buren would have won even with one opponent, no doubt, thanks to the popularity of Jackson. 1836 was especially important, however, for setting the two party system standard that the US has to this day.

First term: Jackson's shenanigans with the bank war came to its fruition just two months after Van Buren took office as the markets collapsed, setting of the panic of 1837. This was the biggest financial crisis to date and Americans wouldn't suffer economically to this extent until the Great Depression nearly a century later. This, needless to say, made President van Buren not the most popular of Presidents almost from the start. It didn't help that Van Buren believed in laissez-faire policies, which basically meant that the average American was on his own.

President van Buren came out against the annexation of Texas (can't imagine that making Andrew Jackson's day), mainly because he didn't want to go to war with Mexico. He also didn't want to go to war with Britain again either and he tolerated some of their actions such as the Caroline incident. The US Caroline had been transporting Canadian rebels (Canada was in its own revolution against the British it seems albeit on a lower level). The British seized the ship, killing one American in the process. Van Buren pledged neutrality nonetheless and even passed a Neutrality Act. It didn't deter American sympathizers, however.

And, thanks to Steven Spielberg, many of us are aware of the Amistad incident. This was the Spanish slave ship that suffered a rebellion by the would be slaves. They ended up in the US and a legal battle was underway for their freedom. I don't know how many of you saw the movie, but Van Buren is not seen in the finest light. Feeling the political wind (he was already thinking about his re-election) and pressured by the great beacon of human rights (yes, I'm being sarcastic, Batty), John Calhoun, Van Buren tried to rig it so the Africans could be sent to Cuba instead of being allowed to go home. Ultimately, the Supreme Court agreed with John Quincy Adams and the Africans went home.

And Van Buren lost his re-election bid anyway.


Election of 1840:  And boy did he lose. This time the Whigs were united, and they nominated the popular general William Henry Harrison. Van Buren really didn't stand much of a chance as the country was in the middle of a depression.

So, he lost in a landslide, but he didn't give up the ghost.

Post Presidency: For he again tried for the Presidency in 1844 with the race wide open. The Democrats, however, said thanks but no thanks and went with James Polk instead. Originally opposed to the annexation of Texas (which most surely would have been a slave state), he waffled on the issue in hopes of gaining some support. It didn't work. He then supported Polk, originally hoping to take advantage of the spoils system. That didn't work either and he ended up on the outs with President Polk.

So, Van Buren would head a splinter group known as the Free- Soil party which was a combination of disgruntled Democrats as well as some unhappy Whigs. This was essentially an abolition party, and they never really got much traction.

He finally got out of politics after the 1848 election, traveling and writing mostly. He did write of political party organizing and would support President Lincoln's decision to keep the Union together with force when Van Buren died in 1862.

Odd notes: He spoke English as a second language (He actually spoke Dutch as his first language)

The phrase OK became popular based on Van Buren's nickname, Old Kinderhook

https://www.ducksters.com/biography/uspresidents/martinvanburen.php


Final Summary: With one eye always on the political front, Van Buren comes off as a bit of a pushover despite the fact that he was a pioneer in the dirty world of machine Politics, which New York would all but perfect as the century dragged on. He put his own ambitions in front of the welfare of people from the financial crisis to the subject of slavery, where he was, at best, ambivalent (he took a more anti-slavery stance after the Presidency). Indeed, the only noble thing he did that I could find was his kindness towards the Eatons during the Petticoat Affair ( I honestly think that's the only thing he did that wasn't politically motivated). It's true that he was handed a pretty bad deck, but he didn't seem to try to play it. I mean even Hoover at least tried to do something when the Great Depression hit, half hearted as those efforts may have been.

Needless to say, I don't think Van Buren is one of our better Presidents. On the plus side and, from a personal standpoint at least, he didn't share the same kind of blatant racism his predecessor had.

But, oh those minuses.

Overall rating:  D

https://millercenter.org/president/vanburen

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