Second Presidency of Martin Van Buren

The second presidency of Martin Van Buren, began on March 4, 1845, when Martin Van Buren was inaugurated as President of the United States, and ended on March 4, 1849. Van Buren, the seventh and ninth United States president, took office following the 1844 presidential election, in which he, defeated Commander of the U.S. Army and National Federalist Candidate Winfield Scott. Van Buren had a much better second term compared to his first term as president, and he was able to pass a lot due to the Republican Unionist Party gaining control of the Senate for the first time since it’s creation, this lead to hiss becoming a popular leader for both the country and his party he also became the first president that win two non-consecutive terms.

Upon taking office, Van Buren retook his old agenda. His plan included dissolving the Second Bank of the United States and replace it with an Independent Treasury, he also wanted to limit Federal Influence in the states, and lower tariffs, this time though all of his plans came to fruition, during his presidency the Second Bank of the United States was dissolved and an Independent Treasury placed in its place, he also reduced federal involvement in several works projects though he didn’t end them, and also ordered the crackdown of the Knights of the Confederates.

Van Buren supported the 13th and 14th Amendments, he also moved against the American Party in their efforts to establish anti-Catholic laws, and supported the Oregon Treaty.

1844 election
In the years leading up to the 1844 election, it was clear that Webster would not seek a second re-election following the precedent started by Washington. Various individuals were considered as possible presidential nominees in the 1844 election, including Van Buren, General Zachary Taylor, and Former Secretary of State Richard Mentor Johnson, on the Republican Unionist side and General Winfield Scott, Secretary of the Treasury Thomas Ewing, and Representative Edward Stanly. In order to agree on a national ticket, the Republican Unionist and National Federalists held their national convention in May 1844, and March 1844 respectively. Van Buren emerged as the favorite and won the presidential nomination on the second ballot of the 1844 Republican Unionist National Convention.

In the 1844 election, Van Buren would face a victorious party as with Scott being a war hero from a party that just won the civil war, his odds were seen as non-existent at the start of the campaign. In March 1844, the National Federalists convened and nominated a ticket led by Winfield Scott. For vice president, the National Federalists nominated Edward Stanly, who had served as Representative from North Carolina.



The aftermath of the civil war was the major issue of the 1844 campaign, although tariffs and the banking crisis were significant in the election, with Van Buren trying to tie the banking crisis with the Second Bank of the United States and the high tariffs of the National Federalists.

Van Buren, managed to successfully portray his cooperation with Webster in coordinating Republican Unionist loyalists in the south to destabilize the Confederacy as proof of his honor and Loyalty to the Union, his popularity took a turn for the better when he suffered an assassination attempt on the hands of a pro-slavery activist, and as the economy worsened the expectations were still looking at a Scott victory albeit a much slimmer one. Against all expectations Van Buren won the election if only barely, winning 159 electoral votes, over the 147 needed. Van Buren won 49.3 percent of the popular vote nationwide. Scott received 49.1% of the popular vote and 134 electoral votes, with Ohio being the closest state decided by less than 5000 votes which if they had gone to Scott would have won him the Electoral College and the Popular Vote. This time alongside Van Buren's victory in the presidential election, his allies would gain control of the Senate.

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