cthulhu: Thank you
coryman: Nope, no world conquest.
Frankly, I'll be amazed if I get 1st place
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The Election of 1840
After three turbulent and politically unsuccessful years in office, the incumbent President Van Buren rather unenthusiastically prepared for another election campaign. With little fanfare or confidence, the Democratic Party renominated who they believed to be the first president to lose a reelection. The 8th President seemed to have lost a great deal of his vigor and vitality, giving an appearance of distance and exhaustion.
The Whig Party, on the other hand, had good reason to hope for victory. The war hero William Henry Harrison became the standard bearer for the party. Rallies across the country shouted "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!" while Democrats could only mumble "Martin Van Buren: He's O.K.".
Neither candiadate, however, seemed to be incredibly appealing to voters. Though Harrison was a hero of the Indian wars in the West, he lacked political experience of any kind. Van Buren was the opposite; Old Kinderhook was a master diplomat and brilliant statesman in comparison to Old Tippecanoe. Many derided Harrison of being too old to be President, already at the age of 66. Others criticized Van Buren for his bungling of the nation's economic well-being during the hardest years of the Panic of 1837, the effects of which were still being felt.
Since the end of the Second Bank, the United States had been without any centralized banking system or steady control over the banking of the country. In June of 1840, members of Congress proposed the Independent Treasury Act, a measure that would allow the federal government control over its finances to rectify the error made with the "wildcat" banks, without the supposed dangers of a national bank. For most Democrats, such a measure was extremely desirable, as it would curry favor from voters and rally support to the party. Stunning and horrifying to the Democrats, Van Buren bafflingly spoke out against the act. Delighted, the Whig majority in Congress instantly sealed the fate of the act, stealing away even more support from the Democrats. Defeat seemed undoubtedly certain in November.
As the Whigs waited anxiously to snatch up the presidency, disaster struck. Numerous Whig members and supporters, dissatisfied with Harrison's supportive stance on slavery, broke off from the party to form the Liberty Party, calling for limited citizenship to the slaves of the South and noiminating James G. Birney. The Whigs watched in horror as almost a half of its supporters joined this new party.
Election day was nothing short of miraculous for the Democratic Party, with Van Buren squeezing into the Presidency with 51% of the votes. The Liberty Party had destroyed the Whigs chances of victory, immediately stealing half of party's votes. Southern Whigs, desperate to preserve slavery and keep the Liberty Party out of office, jumped ship and joined the Democrats, managing to keep the decision out of the House. All together, the Whigs recieved 28% of the vote and the Liberty Party 21%.
Barely able to believe the political miracle that had fallen into their laps, the Democrats were in office for another four years
coryman: Nope, no world conquest.
Frankly, I'll be amazed if I get 1st place
-------------------------------------------------
The Election of 1840
After three turbulent and politically unsuccessful years in office, the incumbent President Van Buren rather unenthusiastically prepared for another election campaign. With little fanfare or confidence, the Democratic Party renominated who they believed to be the first president to lose a reelection. The 8th President seemed to have lost a great deal of his vigor and vitality, giving an appearance of distance and exhaustion.
The Whig Party, on the other hand, had good reason to hope for victory. The war hero William Henry Harrison became the standard bearer for the party. Rallies across the country shouted "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!" while Democrats could only mumble "Martin Van Buren: He's O.K.".
Neither candiadate, however, seemed to be incredibly appealing to voters. Though Harrison was a hero of the Indian wars in the West, he lacked political experience of any kind. Van Buren was the opposite; Old Kinderhook was a master diplomat and brilliant statesman in comparison to Old Tippecanoe. Many derided Harrison of being too old to be President, already at the age of 66. Others criticized Van Buren for his bungling of the nation's economic well-being during the hardest years of the Panic of 1837, the effects of which were still being felt.
Since the end of the Second Bank, the United States had been without any centralized banking system or steady control over the banking of the country. In June of 1840, members of Congress proposed the Independent Treasury Act, a measure that would allow the federal government control over its finances to rectify the error made with the "wildcat" banks, without the supposed dangers of a national bank. For most Democrats, such a measure was extremely desirable, as it would curry favor from voters and rally support to the party. Stunning and horrifying to the Democrats, Van Buren bafflingly spoke out against the act. Delighted, the Whig majority in Congress instantly sealed the fate of the act, stealing away even more support from the Democrats. Defeat seemed undoubtedly certain in November.
As the Whigs waited anxiously to snatch up the presidency, disaster struck. Numerous Whig members and supporters, dissatisfied with Harrison's supportive stance on slavery, broke off from the party to form the Liberty Party, calling for limited citizenship to the slaves of the South and noiminating James G. Birney. The Whigs watched in horror as almost a half of its supporters joined this new party.
Election day was nothing short of miraculous for the Democratic Party, with Van Buren squeezing into the Presidency with 51% of the votes. The Liberty Party had destroyed the Whigs chances of victory, immediately stealing half of party's votes. Southern Whigs, desperate to preserve slavery and keep the Liberty Party out of office, jumped ship and joined the Democrats, managing to keep the decision out of the House. All together, the Whigs recieved 28% of the vote and the Liberty Party 21%.
Barely able to believe the political miracle that had fallen into their laps, the Democrats were in office for another four years
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