Episode One: Henry Clay
The Presidents: Episode One – Henry Clay
Number Eight: Henry Clay
Party, Whig
60 years old, from Kentucky.
The White House portrait of President Henry Clay, the eighth President of the United States and the first Whig Party politician to hold this office.
The Beginning of the Clay Presidency.
The election of Henry Clay was a momentous moment for the United States of America, it was the first time that a non Democrat (or Democratic-Republican [1]) to be elected into the White House. Henry Clay had campaigned on the founding principals of the Whig Party: Protectionism, Congressionalism, and modernization. While entering office, Henry Clay, a highly respected and probably the most well-liked Senator before winning the Presidential election drew up the American Conscription Act of 1837 within the first month of his presidency, while his Vice-President Hugh Lawson White was brainstorming to build upon the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad System [2] to build the Baltimore-Charleston Railroad System to connect the south to the north via Railway. At the same time, Clay put more effort into the National Bank of the United States to battle minor economical problems left by Andrew Jackson.
The National Bank & Conscription Act
The re-chartering of the National Bank of the United States helped lead to a rebound economically in the United States. The economy suffered minor setbacks which the Whigs blamed on Andrew Jackson's laissez-faire principles, and with the bank aiding the American economy once again; northern industries profited the most from Clay's re-chartering and control on the bank. This too was important for bringing in the extra money from protective tariffs to fund the American Conscription Act and the Baltimore-Charleston Railroad. Henry Clay's Secretary of the Treasury, former Bank President Nicholas Biddle, was thrilled with the re-chartering, as it was voted down by President Jackson and restored some of his credibility after the Bank Wars [3]; and led to the Financial Boom of 1837-1839.
This rechartering of the National Bank, and the following Financial Boom of 1837 was a high watermark of the early Clay Administration. With the economic upturn, a declining unemployment rate, and an increase in national wealth, President Clay was able to retain his old "War Hawk" stances that he had held when he was first elected back in 1811. This financial boom, coupled with mounting problems abroad, Henry Clay would introduce a new Conscription Act calling for an increased military buildup over the next two years.
Although the Democrats opposed the American Conscription Act, the Senate Majority Democrats were however somewhat divided on the overall implications. With 35 Senators over the Minority 17 of the Whigs, 10 of the Democratic Senators were considered Moderate Hawks who could swing the vote in favor of the Whigs. Meanwhile, in the House the breakdown was: 129 Democrats (House Majority) against the House Minority Whigs which totaled 100, along with 7 Anti-Masonic and 6 Nullifiers who would more than likely give their allegiance to the Whig Party giving them a total of 113 votes. All it would take was 9 Democrats to go along with the plan to pass the Act. It didn’t help that Speaker of the House James K. Polk was a leading Democratic-Hawk who believed in the ideals of former Speaker of the House and current President Henry Clay.
During the session of the 25th Congress, James K. Polk persuaded enough Democrats to go along with the Whig plan to increase the size of the armed forces by 30,000 men. Speaker Polk gave his first publicized speech in support of the plan:
“
Our fore-fathers didn’t fight and die against the British Empire to watch the country they founded to be overtaken by another foreign power. As we all know Mexico went to war over the succession of Texas from their nation, and they responded by force. It was only the grace of God that the Texans, many of them Americans, defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Marcus allowing them to keep their independence. But it is worth to note that the Mexican Republic is larger than the United States of America, and has an army that is at least twice the size of our military. It would be a shame to have let our founding fathers and patriots who fought and died to build this country to let this country be taken by another power. We already know the Mexican foreign policy to a problem; they respond with force, we need this bill to pass to solidify our position as a nation and on this continent.”
After his speech, he had convinced 23 House Democrats to go along with the Whig plan, and the Whigs had the Nullifiers and Anti-Masonic members in the bag, and the plan passed with 136 votes to 106 against. In the Senate, the Whigs managed to win 32 in favor, 30 against and passed the conscription act which went into effect by the end of the year (1837).
A young portrait of James K. Polk as Speaker of the House, although a Democrat, his high Hawk-like feelings and Whig sympathies convinced enough House Democrats to go along with the American Conscription Act. Unknown to him at the moment, he started to gain popularity within the Democratic Party despite his more Whig-like ideals rather than Democratic.
The Baltimore-Charleston Railroad
Henry Clay then easily passed the Baltimore-Charleston Railway Act that would put many people into work and over the span of at least 3 years, connect Baltimore with Charleston, South Carolina thus connecting the North with the South via a railway system. It wasn’t Henry Clay’s first year in office that would show the people the sheer determination of the President; it would be the following year. The Baltimore-Charleston Railroad was the staple of the Whig Party platform of modernization. Since a new railroad was being built to connect the major east-coast cities, President Clay also issued orders to modernize both harbors in anticipation of the increased trade as a result of the railroad being built to connect the major trading cities together.
The Second Mexican-Texan War.
In March 1838, the Mexican Republic, full of its own internal problems as more people outside of Mexico Proper [3] were angry with the Mexican Republic. When the Republic of Texas demanded territory belonging to the Mexican Republic, the Mexicans responded by telling the Texans to back down; and when they refused, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna took the moment to inform the Mexican people that now was the perfect time to strike back and reclaim Texas in the name of Mexico.
“Two years ago the Texan people had rallied together in the name of independence and freedom, now they don’t hold that patriotic feeling. Now is the perfect time to take our mighty forces north and crush the Texans once and for all, and bring back the fruit-basket of the Mexican nation.”
Santa Anna would lead the Mexican forces that would invade Texas. He divided his forces into three wings; the first was controlled by General Urrea in the northern-tier of Texas which numbered around 12,000 men. Santa Ann would control the main force numbering around 28-32,000 men and sweep through Texas capturing San Antonio and crush the Texan Army mustering in Austin. As this is going on, the smallest corps of around 4,000 men commanded by Mariano Arista [4] would sweep across the Gulf Coast and take the Texan capital of Houston. In total, around 45-50,000 Mexican soldiers would invade a country with of under 70,000 people. Unlike the earlier attempt which involved only around 12-15,000 Mexican troops, this war would bring about the full force of the Mexican Army upon Texas. Texas was ready for this however. 800 men commanded by Colonel Henry Stevenson would command the garrison at Houston, while General and President Sam Houston gathered a large Texan Army of 14,000 men and around 4,000 American volunteers and moved to fortify the key defenses around San Antonio. Houston however was removed from command due to the fact he was President and command went to Lt. Colonel and second-in-command Matthew Caldwell.
As the Mexicans invaded, Henry Clay took a strong stance and declared war on Mexico since the Conscription Act was in full force in the name of “National Interest.” This move was however less popular than before, needless to say the Democrats believed Clay was going to declare war on Mexico regardless of a legitimate casus belli, justified by the Conscription Act. The Americans quickly shipped off 35,000 troops to the Texan Theatre which broke-down to 15,000 men under General Zachary Taylor and defeat the Mexican forces under General Urrea. Meanwhile the main Army under the command of Winfield Scott, roughly 17,000 men would move to Austin to support the Texan troops. The remaining 3,000 men under the command Edmund P. Gaines would move to Houston.
While the Americans were still forming, and President Henry Clay spent twenty-three days out of the White House personally leading American forces across the border into Texas before heading back to the White House, the only time in American History where the President personally led troops into war; the Mexicans delivered the first blow in the war, and it was a devastating one that may just end the war before American involvement.
Texan forces under Caldwell were starting to fortify the hills around San Antonio when Santa Anna’s Army, twice the size of the Texan but showing only around half their number tricked the Texans into attacking the Mexican forces. The ensuing Battle of San Antonio became a blood bath. The Texans left their positions and rushed down into the plains to engage the Mexican forces. While this occurred, the rest of the Mexican Army swept around their flanks and took the hills from a few thousand defenders. Realizing the mistake, panic engulfed the Texan Army which broke and fled before a full circle could be developed around their forces. The Battled ended with the Texans losing 1,116 men killed; 3,007 men wounded; and 2,112 captured of the 15,000 soldiers that engaged in the battle. The Mexicans only lost 812 killed; 917 wounded; and 37 captured of the 21,000 men that engaged of an Army of 30,000 men.
A painting of the Battle of San Antonio where Mexican forces under General Santa Anna absolutely crushed the Texan Army, nearly destroying the country’s entire ability to wage the war against Mexico with any effectiveness.
[1] The Democratic-Republican Party was one of the first permanent Political Party within the United States under Thomas Jefferson, It largely formed with the Democratic Party led by Andrew Jackson in 1832.
[2] The Baltimore-Ohio Railroad was built in 1830 and the first large and complete track within the United States.
[3] The Bank Wars was a term coined between the conflict between Andrew Jackson and the National Bank led by Nicholas Biddle during the Jackson Presidency (1829-1837).
[4] Modern day Mexico.
[5] Mexican general who campaigned with Santa Anna during the Texan War for Independence.