The Election of 1848
In 1848, President James K. Polk kept his promise that he would be a one-term president and did not seek re-election. It's just as well because Polk's workaholic tendencies had worn him down physically and adversely affected his health. He would die less than three months after his successor's inauguration.
Polk retired from the Presidency following the conclusion of the controversial war with Mexico. The Whigs in Congress were critical of Polk's war policies (including a young Whig Congressman from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln, who had moved a controversial "spot resolution" in which he challenged Polk to show him the spot on American soil on which Mexicans had attacked American troops, giving cause for war.) In February of 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and gave the United States vast new territories (including what are now the states of California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico). The Whigs in the Senate had to backtrack from some of their criticism as they voted 2-1 to approve the treaty.
The Whig Party held their nominating convention in Philadelphia on June 7. War hero Zachary Taylor, a major general who then lived in Louisiana had no political background, having never held any elected office. No one was even sure if he was a Whig, but they were sure of his popularity after his victories at the the Battle of Palo Alto and the Battle of Monterrey, even though he was outnumbered in each battle. He was very popular with the public and because of his immense popularity, he was nominated as the party's candidate for president. Former New York Representative Millard Fillmore was nominated for vice president. The Whig convention was quick, convening for only a day. Taylor had been courted by both the Democrats and the Whigs, but ultimately declared himself a Whig. When delegates met in Philadelphia, Taylor secured 171 votes and won the presidential nomination on the fourth ballot. He was challenged for the nomination by Henry Clay, Winfield Scott, and Daniel Webster, but Taylor led on every ballot. Webster was offered the vice presidential spot on the ticket, but declined.
Former President Martin Van Buren sought the Democratic nomination, but Lewis Cass was nominated to run for the party on the fourth ballot. Cass was a former Governor and Senator for Michigan, as well as Secretary of War under Andrew Jackson, and from 1836 to 1842 as ambassador to France. He defeated Van Buren and future President James Buchanan for the nomination. The convention picked General William O. Butler of Kentucky as their nominee for Vice-President.
The Democrats chose a platform that kept silent on the issue of slavery. Cass was suspected of pro-slavery leanings, causing many anti-slavery Democrats to walk out of the Baltimore convention to begin the Free Soil party. One month later, the Free Soil party nominated Van Buren as their candidate. He accepted despite knowing that the Free Soilers had no chance of winning and that his candidacy would split the Democratic vote and throw the election to the Whigs.
Whig campaigners such as Lincoln promoted Taylor's opposition to the spoils system, while in the South they stressed that he was a slaveholder. Democrats ran on their opposition to a national bank, high tariffs, and federal subsidies for local improvements. The Free Soilers called both major parties lackeys of the Slave Power. The Whigs had the advantage of Taylor's military glories.
Elections were much different in the antebellum period, long before the electronic media and the 24 hour news cycle. An excellent description of this campaign can be found in Professor Joel Silbey's book Party Over Section: The Rough and Ready Election of 1848. As Professor Silbey explains, the era had its still spin doctors and campaign managers, but it was a time when candidates did not make speeches, and when their message was spread through letters published in partisan newspapers.
Polk's lowering of tariffs had helped and hurt various parts of the nation, as had his vetoing spending on national improvements. While these were election issues, the main issue was slavery. Would the newly acquired territories become free states or slave states, that was the question on everyone's minds. This issue divided parties geographically. National campaigns of the two parties had to walk a tightrope on this issue, trying to maintain support in all areas of the country, while avoiding defections to the Free Soil movement. Although slavery was the major issues of the campaign, though in some areas like Pennsylvania where Polk's tariff policy had hurt the economy, voters punished the Democrats, regardless of their position on slavery.
Taylor captured 47.3% of the popular vote and 163 electoral votes, compared to 42.5% and 127 electoral votes for Cass. Van Buren received 10.1% of the popular votes, but no electoral votes.
Henry Clay and other Whigs had counted on Taylor being a president in name only, someone who would follow their dictates. This would prove to be a false assumption. However Taylor would die in office two years into his term, which was unfortunate, as there were many indications that he would have been a strong president, given the opportunity to complete his term. Instead, the country would end up with Millard Fillmore and the Compromise of 1850.
Polk retired from the Presidency following the conclusion of the controversial war with Mexico. The Whigs in Congress were critical of Polk's war policies (including a young Whig Congressman from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln, who had moved a controversial "spot resolution" in which he challenged Polk to show him the spot on American soil on which Mexicans had attacked American troops, giving cause for war.) In February of 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and gave the United States vast new territories (including what are now the states of California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico). The Whigs in the Senate had to backtrack from some of their criticism as they voted 2-1 to approve the treaty.
The Whig Party held their nominating convention in Philadelphia on June 7. War hero Zachary Taylor, a major general who then lived in Louisiana had no political background, having never held any elected office. No one was even sure if he was a Whig, but they were sure of his popularity after his victories at the the Battle of Palo Alto and the Battle of Monterrey, even though he was outnumbered in each battle. He was very popular with the public and because of his immense popularity, he was nominated as the party's candidate for president. Former New York Representative Millard Fillmore was nominated for vice president. The Whig convention was quick, convening for only a day. Taylor had been courted by both the Democrats and the Whigs, but ultimately declared himself a Whig. When delegates met in Philadelphia, Taylor secured 171 votes and won the presidential nomination on the fourth ballot. He was challenged for the nomination by Henry Clay, Winfield Scott, and Daniel Webster, but Taylor led on every ballot. Webster was offered the vice presidential spot on the ticket, but declined.
Former President Martin Van Buren sought the Democratic nomination, but Lewis Cass was nominated to run for the party on the fourth ballot. Cass was a former Governor and Senator for Michigan, as well as Secretary of War under Andrew Jackson, and from 1836 to 1842 as ambassador to France. He defeated Van Buren and future President James Buchanan for the nomination. The convention picked General William O. Butler of Kentucky as their nominee for Vice-President.
The Democrats chose a platform that kept silent on the issue of slavery. Cass was suspected of pro-slavery leanings, causing many anti-slavery Democrats to walk out of the Baltimore convention to begin the Free Soil party. One month later, the Free Soil party nominated Van Buren as their candidate. He accepted despite knowing that the Free Soilers had no chance of winning and that his candidacy would split the Democratic vote and throw the election to the Whigs.
Whig campaigners such as Lincoln promoted Taylor's opposition to the spoils system, while in the South they stressed that he was a slaveholder. Democrats ran on their opposition to a national bank, high tariffs, and federal subsidies for local improvements. The Free Soilers called both major parties lackeys of the Slave Power. The Whigs had the advantage of Taylor's military glories.
Elections were much different in the antebellum period, long before the electronic media and the 24 hour news cycle. An excellent description of this campaign can be found in Professor Joel Silbey's book Party Over Section: The Rough and Ready Election of 1848. As Professor Silbey explains, the era had its still spin doctors and campaign managers, but it was a time when candidates did not make speeches, and when their message was spread through letters published in partisan newspapers.
Polk's lowering of tariffs had helped and hurt various parts of the nation, as had his vetoing spending on national improvements. While these were election issues, the main issue was slavery. Would the newly acquired territories become free states or slave states, that was the question on everyone's minds. This issue divided parties geographically. National campaigns of the two parties had to walk a tightrope on this issue, trying to maintain support in all areas of the country, while avoiding defections to the Free Soil movement. Although slavery was the major issues of the campaign, though in some areas like Pennsylvania where Polk's tariff policy had hurt the economy, voters punished the Democrats, regardless of their position on slavery.
Taylor captured 47.3% of the popular vote and 163 electoral votes, compared to 42.5% and 127 electoral votes for Cass. Van Buren received 10.1% of the popular votes, but no electoral votes.
Henry Clay and other Whigs had counted on Taylor being a president in name only, someone who would follow their dictates. This would prove to be a false assumption. However Taylor would die in office two years into his term, which was unfortunate, as there were many indications that he would have been a strong president, given the opportunity to complete his term. Instead, the country would end up with Millard Fillmore and the Compromise of 1850.