Potus Geeks Summer Reruns: The President Attacked in the Oval Office By a Member of His Cabinet
Originally posted on July 5, 2019 as part of our series called Presidential Shenanigans.
James Monroe is one of my favorite Presidents, in large part because of his courage and also because he was under-rated. A two term president, Monroe didn't shrink from conflict or controversy. When first elected President, he was resented by some in New England for being the fourth of five Presidents from the state of Virginia. New England had not been fully supportive of the War of 1812, and when American fortunes improved towards the end of that war, any influence held by the Federalists in that region had evaporated. Rather than kick the New Englanders when they were down, Monroe instead embarked on a goodwill tour of the region where he was warmly received. It was the start of what became known as the Era of Good Feelings, when partisan politics began to decline once again, much as it had when George Washington was President.
But feelings weren't always so good. Monroe's Secretary of the Treasury was a man named William H. Crawford, a man who first won election to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1803. In 1807, the Georgia legislature elected Crawford to the United States Senate. After the death of Vice President George Clinton, Crawford's position as president pro tempore of the Senate made him first in the presidential line of succession from April 1812 to March 1813. In 1813, President James Madison appointed Crawford as the U.S. minister to France, and Crawford held that post for the remainder of the War of 1812. After the war, Madison appointed him to the position of Secretary of War, succeeding James Monroe who at the time was doing double duty as Secretary of State and of War. In October 1816, Madison chose Crawford for the position of Secretary of the Treasury, and Crawford would remain in that office for the remainder of Madison's presidency and for the duration of James Monroe's presidency as well.
Crawford had hoped to succeed Madison as President, but he narrowly failed to win the Democratic-Republican nomination for the 1816 presidential race. Monroe was the favorite candidate of both former President Thomas Jefferson and retiring President Madison. But Monroe faced stiff competition from Crawford. There was widespread sentiment, especially in New York, that it was time to end the Virginia dynasty of presidents. But Monroe's long record of service at home and abroad made him the right person to succeed Madison. Crawford lost the nomination to Monroe by a vote of 65 to 54. Monroe won the general election handily.
Relations between Crawford and his president were not always indicative of an era of good feelings. The story is told by many of Monroe's biographers of the day early in Monroe's Presidency that Crawford stormed into the White House with a list of the men he had recommended for office, which Monroe had not appointed to any positions. Monroe had refused to approve any of them, causing Crawford to lose his temper. Crawford brandished his cane and rushed at the president, shouting "you damned infernal old scoundrel." Monroe had been a combat veteran in the Revolutionary War and was not afraid of a fight. He quickly grabbed a pair of tongs from the fireplace and repulsed the attack of his angry Secretary. He ordered Crawford off the premises and threatened to throw him out if he didn't leave voluntarily. Crawford then meekly offered his apologies, which Monroe somewhat grudgingly accepted. Crawford then departed the scene.
This wasn't the only time that Monroe put himself in harm's way during a violent incident while President. On another occasion Monroe hosted a dinner for Washington's diplomatic community. The British and French Ambassadors got into a fight and drew their swords, which were apparently part of their diplomatic uniforms. Drawing his own sword, Monroe broke up the fight. Sir Charles Vaughn, the British Minister, was seated opposite Count de Serurier, the French Minister. He noticed with increasing irritation that whenever he made a remark, the Frenchman bit his thumb. Finally he could contain himself no longer and yelled at his French counterpart, "Do you bite your thumb at me sir?" "I do" replied the count. The two men then drew their swords and ran at each other. Monroe drew his own sword between them and stopped the fight.
This would not be the last conflict Monroe would have to deal with, but it is likely the last time he had to draw his sword. As president, Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Missouri as a slave state and banned slavery from territories north of the parallel 36°30′ north. It postponed, but did not solve the conflict over slavery. In foreign affairs, Monroe and his Secretary of State John Quincy Adams were able to avoid conflicts with Britain and Spain. In the 1819 Adams–Onís Treaty secured Florida from the Spanish and and established its western border with New Spain. In 1823, Monroe announced the United States' opposition to any European intervention in the recently independent countries of the Americas with the Monroe Doctrine, which became a landmark in American foreign policy. Monroe's courage was no doubt a reason why he has been generally ranked as an above-average president by historians.
James Monroe is one of my favorite Presidents, in large part because of his courage and also because he was under-rated. A two term president, Monroe didn't shrink from conflict or controversy. When first elected President, he was resented by some in New England for being the fourth of five Presidents from the state of Virginia. New England had not been fully supportive of the War of 1812, and when American fortunes improved towards the end of that war, any influence held by the Federalists in that region had evaporated. Rather than kick the New Englanders when they were down, Monroe instead embarked on a goodwill tour of the region where he was warmly received. It was the start of what became known as the Era of Good Feelings, when partisan politics began to decline once again, much as it had when George Washington was President.
But feelings weren't always so good. Monroe's Secretary of the Treasury was a man named William H. Crawford, a man who first won election to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1803. In 1807, the Georgia legislature elected Crawford to the United States Senate. After the death of Vice President George Clinton, Crawford's position as president pro tempore of the Senate made him first in the presidential line of succession from April 1812 to March 1813. In 1813, President James Madison appointed Crawford as the U.S. minister to France, and Crawford held that post for the remainder of the War of 1812. After the war, Madison appointed him to the position of Secretary of War, succeeding James Monroe who at the time was doing double duty as Secretary of State and of War. In October 1816, Madison chose Crawford for the position of Secretary of the Treasury, and Crawford would remain in that office for the remainder of Madison's presidency and for the duration of James Monroe's presidency as well.
Crawford had hoped to succeed Madison as President, but he narrowly failed to win the Democratic-Republican nomination for the 1816 presidential race. Monroe was the favorite candidate of both former President Thomas Jefferson and retiring President Madison. But Monroe faced stiff competition from Crawford. There was widespread sentiment, especially in New York, that it was time to end the Virginia dynasty of presidents. But Monroe's long record of service at home and abroad made him the right person to succeed Madison. Crawford lost the nomination to Monroe by a vote of 65 to 54. Monroe won the general election handily.
Relations between Crawford and his president were not always indicative of an era of good feelings. The story is told by many of Monroe's biographers of the day early in Monroe's Presidency that Crawford stormed into the White House with a list of the men he had recommended for office, which Monroe had not appointed to any positions. Monroe had refused to approve any of them, causing Crawford to lose his temper. Crawford brandished his cane and rushed at the president, shouting "you damned infernal old scoundrel." Monroe had been a combat veteran in the Revolutionary War and was not afraid of a fight. He quickly grabbed a pair of tongs from the fireplace and repulsed the attack of his angry Secretary. He ordered Crawford off the premises and threatened to throw him out if he didn't leave voluntarily. Crawford then meekly offered his apologies, which Monroe somewhat grudgingly accepted. Crawford then departed the scene.
This wasn't the only time that Monroe put himself in harm's way during a violent incident while President. On another occasion Monroe hosted a dinner for Washington's diplomatic community. The British and French Ambassadors got into a fight and drew their swords, which were apparently part of their diplomatic uniforms. Drawing his own sword, Monroe broke up the fight. Sir Charles Vaughn, the British Minister, was seated opposite Count de Serurier, the French Minister. He noticed with increasing irritation that whenever he made a remark, the Frenchman bit his thumb. Finally he could contain himself no longer and yelled at his French counterpart, "Do you bite your thumb at me sir?" "I do" replied the count. The two men then drew their swords and ran at each other. Monroe drew his own sword between them and stopped the fight.
This would not be the last conflict Monroe would have to deal with, but it is likely the last time he had to draw his sword. As president, Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Missouri as a slave state and banned slavery from territories north of the parallel 36°30′ north. It postponed, but did not solve the conflict over slavery. In foreign affairs, Monroe and his Secretary of State John Quincy Adams were able to avoid conflicts with Britain and Spain. In the 1819 Adams–Onís Treaty secured Florida from the Spanish and and established its western border with New Spain. In 1823, Monroe announced the United States' opposition to any European intervention in the recently independent countries of the Americas with the Monroe Doctrine, which became a landmark in American foreign policy. Monroe's courage was no doubt a reason why he has been generally ranked as an above-average president by historians.