Good Feelings, Good Schmeelings

1
Good Feelings, Good Schmeelings

• Rise of Andrew Jackson, 1820-1828

2
One Big Happy Republican Party by 1824

• Federalists all but gone, politically
• Dont even offer presidential candidate
• One Republican party does not mean everyone is
  getting along, however

• In 1824, crowded Republican field
• John C. Calhoun (SC)
• William Crawford (GA)
• John Quincy Adams (MA)
• Henry Clay (KY)
• Andrew Jackson (TN)

3
Strongest Candidates

• Adams secretary of state, good reputation, smart
• Clay self-promoting as speaker of house, Tariff
  of 1824
• Jackson riding wave of egalitarianism
• Calhoun early on accepts general support from
  all for VP

4
American System

• Clay and Adams both support the following
• Bank of the United States
• Internal Improvements
• High protective tariff
• Only candidates with a real platform

• Below Profile of the Erie Canal, 1832

5
Jacksons campaign

• Jackson runs by claiming disinterest
• Allies make promises for him
• Public meetings on his behalf
• Wants to be called by the people
• Right Battle of New Orleans, by Herbert Morton
  Stoops, 1815

6
Electoral College deadlock

• Results
• Jackson 99
• Adams 84
• Crawford 44
• Clay 37
• Calhoun is VP
• Right Electoral Map, 1824

7
Clay becomes kingmaker

• Speaker and house will decide the issue
• Throws support to Adams
• I cannot believe that killing 2,500 Englishmen
  at New Orleans qualifies for the various,
  difficult and complicated duties of the Chief
  Executive.

8
Corrupt Bargain

• Not really true, but it sure sounds more exciting
  than the truth
• Clay made Secretary of State
• Jackson and his people claim the election was
  stolen from them

9
Adams doomed from beginning

• Jackson and his allies out to get him
• Calhoun out to get him
• Open split in party
• National Republicans
• Democratic Republicans
• Right John Quincy Adams

10
Setting Adams up

• Tariff the issue to cripple Adams, so far as
  Jackson supporters concerned
• Calhoun pulls strings and gets high tariff bill
  proposed to embarrass Adams
• Tariff of 1828

• Doubles rate to nearly 50 of value
• Then, once passed it will go to Adams
• Either sign the largest tax increase in history
• OR, veto and anger NE supporters
• Calhoun does not think Adams will sign

11
A Rock and a Hard Place

• Adams thinks it over and signs the bill anyway
• Calhoun goes back to SC in a sulk
• Writes South Carolina Exposition and Protest
• Trouble on the way
• Rock of Gibraltar, photo by Jim Watt, 2006

12
Campaign 1828

• Nasty, nasty campaign
• Beginnings of mass political parties
• Partisan press, lying hacks

13
Adams against Jackson

• Jacksons crudity, ignorance and temper
• Sex, sex, sex
• Brawls, drunkenness, and duels
• Right Andrew Jackson, unknown artist

14
Jackson against Adams

• Professional politician
• Big spender
• Snob
• Sex, sex, sex
• Pimp to the Czar
• Corrupt Bargain
• Right Alexander I, by George Dawe, 1824

15
Who supports Jackson

• Debtors and small bankers who hate Bank of US
• Southerners Jackson a slaveholder
• Military hero obviously qualified

• Vague convictions
• Self-made man
• Broadened franchise means more can vote
• Only SC and DE had not ended property
  requirements
• Direct appeal to new voters

16
Jackson and the spirit of the times

• Adams can write. Jackson can fight.
• Pretty much says it all
• Jackson 178
• Adams 83