Presidency of Daniel Webster

The presidency of Daniel Webster, began on March 4, 1837, when Daniel Webster was inaugurated as President of the United States, and ended on March 4, 1845. Adams, the eight United States president, took office following the 1836 presidential election, in which he, defeated incumbent President Martin Van Buren, becoming the first candidate to insert an incumbent president. Webster was a popular president, and he was seen as a beacon of strength especially with his role leading the Unioni during the American Civil War, this lead to him defeat William L. Marcy in the 1840 presidential election by a landslide. Shortly after taking office, the Calhoun Ultimatum took place which directly led into the American Civil War which would take most of Webster’s first term, while he also focused in the inner working of the National Federalist economic plans, he mainly ensured that the CSA was destroyed at all cost. His agenda was largely passed by Congress due to his faction’s majority and war time unity. The foreign affairs initiatives of the Webster administration was able to secure neutrality from both Canada and the Empire of Mexico.

During his second term the Civil War ended with the Philadelphia Trials, this also brought a tragedy as Vice President Henry Clay was shot dead by Confederate private Nathan Bedford Forrest who would eventually be arrested and executed during the Van Buren administration. Webster main action during his last 4 years were in Foreign Policy being able to solidify the Oregon border with the British under the Everett-Ashburton Treaty and buying a big portion of territory out of Mexico with the Webster-Iturbide Treaty by giving up half of the Mexican debt they owed to the Union greatly improving their economic situation, this also marked the Reconstruction of the South, Webster is debated to be the best president the Union ever had.

1836 presidential election


The Van Buren administration had been seen as weak and not decisive because of its incredible moderation and lack of major changes mainly due to their lack of congressional majorities in part of the Republican Unionist Party, this led to a very competitive election and the National Federalist found themselves in a very tight National Convention as multiple major candidates flocked to challenge Van Buren the main ones being: Senator Daniel Webster, Former New York Governor Stephen Van Rensselaer and Kentucky Governor John J. Crittenden, with Webster coming out on top, the Convention ended up selecting President Pro-Tempore Henry Clay as his running mate.

Van Buren ran on the Republican Unionist platform of and Independent Treasury the abolishment of the National Bank, low tariffs and less centralization, meanwhile Webster ran upon a return to Quinconianism and a better planned economy, Van Buren faced internal opposition by hardliner Southeners like John Tyler, and George McDuffie, later on John Tyler and John C. Calhoun would form a United ticket in opposition of both parties under the newly formed States' Rights Party which would win the electoral votes on SC and GA both given by their legislations, this amount of disunity contributed to Van Buren's defeat.

In the 1836 presidential election, Webster won a majority in the Electoral College, taking 154 of the 294 electoral votes, while Van Buren won 118, and Tyler won 22. Webster won also won plurality of the national popular vote.

1840 presidential election


Webster’s first term had been defined by the American Ciivl War which Webster was handily winning, by Election Day the Union army was closing in on North Carolina and Georgia with many of the original rebellion areas actually available for the election, because of this the National Federalist nomination went unanimously to Webster and Clay once again, with the Republican Unionist convention mainly debating whether to pursue southern voters with Kentucky Representative Linn Boyd or northern voters with Senator William L. Marcy, with Marcy eventually getting the nomination with Governor Aaron V. Brown of Tennessee as his running mate.

Marcy ran on the Northern focused Republican Unionist platform aware that he couldn’t really beat Webster he focused a lot more down ballot in an attempt of furthering the Republican Unionist cause for 1844 (which would succeed), meanwhile Webster ran on his own record, his leadership during the civil war, and being a war time leader, in general Webster campaigned more as a United States War leader than a National Federalist politician, which lead to him winning such a massive landslide.

In the 1840 presidential election, Webster won a landslide majority in the Electoral College, taking 178 of the 257 electoral votes, while Marcy won 79. Webster won also won a majority of the national popular vote.

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