The Second Party System: Rise and Conflict of Whigs and Democrats

The Emergence and Evolution of the Democratic Party

• Transition from the Era of Good Feelings: The period following the War of $1812$ was initially characterized by a lack of formal political parties, but by the year $1836$, a two-party structure known as the Second Party System had fully emerged.

• Origins in the 1828 Election: The modern Democratic Party began to organize around the election of Andrew Jackson in $1828$.

• The Role of Martin Van Buren:

  • Van Buren was an "old Democratic Republican" from the earlier political era.

  • He utilized significant political talent to transform what were once loose factions into a highly efficient, nationally integrated organization.

• Naming Conventions and Identity:

  • In $1828$, the party utilized the name "Democratic Republicans."

  • This name was a strategic choice to capitalize on the name recognition associated with Thomas Jefferson's party during the pursuit of the first party system.

  • By $1832$, the party dropped "Republican" from its title to become the "Democrat" party.

  • The American Democratic Party is recognized as the oldest political party in the world.

The Formation of Whig Opposition

• Early Opposition to Jackson: During the $1828$ election, Jackson’s opponents were not yet organized. They utilized various labels, such as "National Republicans."

• Unified by Anti-Jackson Sentiment: The Whig party eventually coalesced around a shared loathing of Andrew Jackson. Opponents were divided into various factions based on specific grievances:

  • Opposition to Indian removal policies.

  • Opposition to Jackson's stance on the Bank of the United States.

  • Disagreement with Jackson's position regarding nullification.

  • Perceptions of the "abuse of power," specifically regarding the frequency of the presidential veto and the implementation of the "spoil system."

• Formal Organization: While they ran candidates against Jackson in $1832$ (a race Jackson won overwhelmingly), the Whigs did not emerge as a formally named, organized political party until $1836$.

• Etymology of the Name: The term "Whig" is derived from a $17th$ century British group that defended English liberties against the power of the monarchy. The American faction adopted the name to signify they were the "pro-liberty" group opposing a "king-like" president.

The Election of 1836 and the "House of Cards" Strategy

• Succession: Martin Van Buren was Andrew Jackson's hand-chosen successor. Jackson stepped aside in $1836$ to complete the two-term tradition established by George Washington.

• Whig Electoral Strategy: In their first presidential campaign in $1836$, the Whigs were less organized than the Democrats and attempted a unique strategy to win:

  • They ran three separate candidates, each appealing to a different geographic section of the country.

  • Goal: The Whigs hoped to recreate the four-way race seen in the election of $1824$.

  • The Plan: By splitting the vote, they aimed to prevent Van Buren from gaining an electoral majority, thereby throwing the election into the House of Representatives.

  • Once in the House, the Whigs intended to unite behind a single candidate to secure the presidency.

• Failure of the Strategy: The plan failed as Martin Van Buren defeated all three candidates decisively.

The Election of 1840 and the Panic of 1837

• Economic Shift: The Whigs began to see electoral success in $1840$ largely due to the Panic of $1837$.

• Blame and Response: Andrew Jackson was blamed for the economic mess, and Martin Van Buren was criticized for failing to respond effectively to the crisis.

• The Harrison-Tyler Ticket: In $1840$, the Whigs ran William Henry Harrison for president and John Tyler for vice president.

• Strategic Vice-Presidency: John Tyler was a Democrat who did not explicitly admit his affiliation; he was effectively a Jacksonian. The Whigs placed him on the ticket specifically to pull Democratic voters away from their party.

The Death of Harrison and the Tyler Presidency

• The Inauguration Tragedy: William Henry Harrison delivered a two-hour inaugural address in freezing rain. He subsequently contracted pneumonia and died, becoming the first U.S. president to die in office.

• John Tyler's Ideological Conflict: Despite being a Whig vice president, John Tyler held purely Jacksonian Democrat positions:

  • He was anti-Bank of the United States.

  • He was anti-tariff.

  • He was anti-internal improvements.

  • He was pro-Indian removal.

• The Legislative Conflict: Tyler rejected the entire Whig legislative initiative and began vetoing Whig bills.

• Impeachment Attempt: In response to his defiance, the Whigs launched the first serious attempt in American history to impeach a President of the United States. The attempt failed, leaving the Whig party in significant disarray.

Comparisons of the Second Party System (1836 to 1850s)

• Constituencies and Ideologies: While there were regional exceptions (e.g., Southern Whigs who supported slavery), general trends included:

• The Democratic Party:

  • Voters: Small farmers, frontier settlers, the less wealthy, and immigrants.

  • Platforms: Pro-states’ rights, pro-slavery, and pro-Indian removal.

• The Whig Party:

  • Voters: Wealthier individuals, residents of the Northeast, and business-oriented manufacturers.

  • Platforms: Supported the "American System," including internal improvements, a national bank, high tariffs (taxes), and a stronger central government.

  • Slavery Stance: Generally tended toward anti-slavery positions later in the system's life.

• Collapse of the System: The Second Party System persisted until the $1850s$, when the issue of slavery destroyed both parties. The Kansas-Nebraska Act in the $1850s$ is specifically identified as the event that destroyed the Whig Party, leading to a reorganization of the American political landscape.