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The Democratic Machine, 1850-1854 NUNC COCNOSCO EX PARTE TRENT UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 1 THE DEMOCRATIC MACHINE 1850-1854. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/democraticmachinOOOOnich FRANKLIN ERCE s STUDIES IN HISTORY, ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC LAW EDITED BY THE FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Volume CXI] [Number 1 Whole Number 248 THE DEMOCRATIC MACHINE 1850-1854 BY ROY FRANKLIN NICHOLS, Ph.D. Instructor in History, Columbia University New Hark COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SALE AGENTS New York : Longmans, Green & Co. London: P. S. King & Son, Ltd. 1923 V \J R Copyright, 1923 BY ROY FRANKLIN NICHOLS 5Tn JEANNETTE PADDOCK NICHOLS 18570 (V TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE FOREWORD History and the Ways of Politicians. 13 CHAPTER I The Democracy in Chaos. 15 CHAPTER II Attempts to Evolve Cosmos from Chaos. 30 CHAPTER III The Last of the Heroes. 41 CHAPTER IV The Sage of Wheatland. S3 CHAPTER V Jackson’s Heir. 79 CHAPTER VI The Statesman of the Democracy. 92 CHAPTER VII The Lochinvar of the Young Democracy.107 CHAPTER VIII The Strength of Hidden Currents.119 CHAPTER IX The Crisis Safely Passed.129 CHAPTER X The Campaign.. 7] 7 8 CONTENTS [8 PASS CHAPTER XI The Cabinet.169 CHAPTER XII The Distribution of the Spoils.187 CHAPTER XIII The Cohesive Power of the Public Plunder ..197 CHAPTER XIV Why?.221 Appendix ..227 Bibliography. 232 Index.. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Opposite page James Bucn3.n3.r1 %... William O. Butler. 53 James Campbell.Tgy Lewis Cass. 42 Caleb Cushing . y Jefferson Davis.jgy James C. Dobbin.209 Stephen A. Douglas. 93 James Guthrie.xg7 William R. King. 41 William L. Marcy. 93 Robert McClelland.209 Franklin Pierce.frontispiece 9] 9 ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author has received much help and many favors dur¬ ing the period of his research. Officials of many public and semi-public libraries have extended much-needed and much- appreciated cooperation. Especially to Mr. John C. Fitz¬ patrick of the Division of Manuscripts of the Library of Congress does the author wish to acknowledge his indebted¬ ness. For the space of six months and more the writer spent most of his time in the Manuscript Division and as a result he desires to be one of the many who in growing numbers give testimony of their appreciation of Mr. Fitz¬ patrick’s knowledge of the manuscript sources and his wil¬ lingness to bear all sorts of importunities from historical students. Mrs. George H. Dana of Burkehaven, New Hampshire and Mrs. Andrew Marshall of Boston generously placed at the author’s disposal invaluable historical material which has been of great use in the preparation of this study. Miss Mary A. Reilly has taken great pains to transcribe the rather involved manuscript for submission and printing and has consequently saved the author much worry and labor. Professor John Hubbard Logan of Rutgers College was largely responsible for the author’s interest in personalities and politics and has read this study in manuscript. There are three men, however, to whom the author feels especially in debt. This study was undertaken under the guidance of the late Professor William Archibald Dunning and during the early stages of the enterprise, sometimes dis- ii] ii 12 ACKNOWLEDGMENT [12 couraging and often uncertain, Professor Dunning was al¬ ways sympathetic, always encouraging and always inspir¬ ing. The author has many happy recollections of the re¬ ports and consultations which resulted in the acceptance of the plan of the study substantially as it is here set forth. Professor Dunning died before any of the manuscript was ready but his death only strengthened the author’s realiza¬ tion of the quality and value of his influence, an influence powerful because of the rare combination of human sym¬ pathy and natural dignity which made this teacher a great man. When the first draft was completed Professors Dixon Ryan Fox and Nathaniel Wright Stephenson gave the author unsparingly of .their time and attention. They carefully read and criticized the manuscript and to them are owed a very large number of helpful and valuable suggestions which have been incorporated into the following pages. The author has been extremely fortunate in his advisers and critics. To the one to whom he is most deeply indebted, the author has dedicated this book. Roy Franklin Nichols. Columbia University, March 3, 1923. FOREWORD History and the Ways of Politicians Politicians have their “ trade psychology ”; they are in the business of carrying elections and running govern¬ mental enterprises, “ selling ” candidates and platforms. Like other entrepreneurs, their chief aim is success—success that means the wielding of power. The gaining and re¬ taining of power and the satisfaction of vanity secured from occupying public place become their outstanding char¬ acteristics, and to obtain the satisfaction of these desires they bend their energies. Some are scrupulous, some are not; some are high-minded, many think they are; some strive for principles, some for graft, but the majority for the satisfaction of success. This political psychology has had its effect upon history. The politician’s place in our national development can be understood only in the light of a knowledge of these dominant traits. The history of the Democratic party during the interlude between the sectional struggles of 1850 and 1854 presents an excellent field for the study of the genus politician. In those days public opinion was generally apathetic and the politicians plied their trade with little interference. As most of the leading Democrats of this period were prominent in the strife which led to secession and civil war, the study which follows is an introduction to the part played by the Democratic party in the years from 1854 to i860. 13] 13 ERRATA Page 69, last line for “ democrats ” read “ Democrats ” 83, “ disruptable ” read “ disreputable ” 84, line 3 for “subjuct” read “subject” 85, 17 “ ocasionallly ” read “ occasionally ” 85, 18 “ acquainstances ” read “ acquaintances ” 86, 25 “ simplicty ” read “ simplicity ” 89, 19 “ varitable ” read “ veritable ” 90, 9 “ democrats ” read “ Democrats ” 91, 10 “ Case ” read “ Cass ” 93, 10 “ belongs ” read “ belong ” 99, 22 “ Crosswell ” read “ Croswell ” 100, 23 “Tennesse” read “Tennessee” 101, 8 “ write ” read “ wrote ” 109, 8 insert comma after “ in ” 1H, 1 for “ willigness ” read “ willingness ” 114 23 “ simular ” read “ similar ” 120, 8 “ando” read “and” 122, 2 “ suporting ” read “ supporting ” 130, 3 “ Caroll ” read “Carroll” 135, 3 “ Meeting again at four,” read “ They met again at four; ” 136, 12 “ Deleware ” read “ Delaware ” 136, 24 “ Indian ” read “ Indiana ” 137, 23 “Caroll” read “Carroll” 139, 13 “ us ” read “ up ” 139, 15 “ delgates ” read “ delegates ” 139, 20 “Deleware” read “Delaware” 147, 20 “ emplowering” read “empowering” 147, 23 “ Committee ” read “ committee ” 159, 6 “ wote ” read “ wrote ” 154, 4 “ Thes ” read “ These ” 162, 18 “committe” read “committee” 168, 1 “ county ” read “ country ” 174 15 “ sems ” read “ seems ” 173, 26 “ states’ ” read “ state’s ” 174, 15 “had ” read “ hand ” 177, 12 after “ third ” insert “ and fourth ” 181, 22 for “ Marcly ” read “Marcy” 182, 20 “ in ” read “ on ” 183, 1 “ resolution ” read “ resolutions ” 186, 13 “ leaders ” read “ leader’s ” 1:89, 24 adminstration ” read “ administration ” 193, 24 undersirable” read “undesirable” 195, 7 ‘ members ” read “ member ” 202, 26 “ Cochran ” read “ Cochrane ” 203, 4 “ Cochran ” read “ Cochrane ” 203, 12 “ Cochran ” read “ 'Cochrane ” 206, 4 manoeuvers” read “manoeuvres” 208, bolter’s” read “bolters’” 211, “ PePter ” read “ Peter ” 216, “seceder’s” read “ seceders’” 218, 10 “years” read “year’s” 221, 15 .“succed” read “succeed” 223, 21 omit"“ a growing” 226, 15 for “ displeasng ” read “ displeasing ” 14 [14 CHAPTER I The Democracy in Chaos Andrew Jackson had been the personification of the Democratic party; around him it united. He attracted personal admirers, true lovers of the ideal of democracy, and men who felt it expedient, from motives of personal ambition, to be among the associates of a powerful leader. His animosities and his prejudices determined the platforms of the Democratic party; his personal enemies became its opponents. For nearly a decade, under the rallying cry of “ Old Hickory,” the party won a series of unbroken victor¬ ies. It weathered the storm of Calhoun’s withdrawal and lived to receive him back. And as the Old Hero had plan¬ ned, in the heyday of his power, to be succeeded by Martin Van Buren for two terms and by Benton for two more, the faithful with but slight objection accepted “ Little Van ” as their leader’s chosen successor. But thereafter Jackson’s party came upon evil days. Economic conditions were bad. Van Buren, shrewd poli¬ tician that he was, had neither the heroic mold nor the per¬ sonal appeal of the Old Hero of the Hermitage. As 1840 drew on, after the reverse of 1838, the weakening party had recourse to principles and laid down a platform. It formu¬ lated a creed, the articles of which were the lessons learned behind the banner of Old Hickory. According to the plat¬ form, the federal government was one of limited powers: it could neither undertake a system of internal improve¬ ments nor assume state debts contracted for that purpose: 15] « !6 THE DEMOCRATIC MACHINE, 1850-1854 [16 it could not grant protection to industry by means of high tariffs: it could not operate a bank: its funds must be care¬ fully guarded in the vaults of the national treasury from manipulation by the money power. The platform reaffirmed
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