president Jackson assassinated

What if Richard lawrence had succeeded in his assassination attempt of January 30, 1835?
 
Do I remember correctly. Was not Jackson's VP Martin Van Buren who won the 1836 election but lost in 1840?

How big a shock would the assasination have been?

Would it have increased pressure to clarify issues around succession after a VP.

(In OTL two Presidents died in the 15 years after 1835)
 
The assassination would have been a big shock. Jackson was only the 9th President of the US, so the nation was still pretty young. It might have created widespread fear for the federal government. We'd certainly have had a situation.
 
Bumping because I was going to start a thread if one hadn't been, but the search function got me this.

He was 7th - and given the way the doctor was treated in Lincoln's case, I can easily see a "witch hunt" of sorts that would nail 1-2 innocents simply for failing to prevent the situation, as he had been acting insane for days before this, and had apparently planned this but been unable to get close enough. (The best POD is for Lawrence not to choose to do it that day, as it was very humid, which caused the guns to misfire. So, perhaps he does it a couple days later.) As Robert says, it would have been a major situation, and the youth of the Republic would have meant as great a furor as the fact Lincoln's came so soon after the Civil War.

As far as succession, having Van Buren, Jackson's hand-picked successor, become President, I think it would have been easier on him than it was on John Tyler. Van Buren was very savvy politically, and I think clearly the leader of the party after Jackson. Tyler had Clay and Webster to contend with. So, it would likely be accepted that a VP actually became President, not just Acting President, quickly.

Van Buren would also be very likely to continue Jackson's same policies, and I think be re-elected in 1836. What does anyone else think?

Also, what about the status of the VP? In this TL, the situation is helped immensely by the fact that the President and VP were on the same page politically. Would more attention be paid to that and/or political experience in any future elections? Or, would they just figure it was a one-time thing for a president to die, and continue to pick peole only based on regional issues. (I mean, Breckinridge was only 36, King right before him was pretty sickly,and I won't even get into Andrew Johnson; I'm sure someone a little closer to Lincoln than Johnson could have been found, if they didn't want Hamlin.) They would likely do as they did in OTL, I think; but in OTL they had an example of someone who had muddled through despite Clay and Webster trying to wield some of the power. They may have figured that others would do the same.)

Side note: I wonder if a curse idea would be created to soothe fears, like for Harrison in 1840 when he died. (I read there was no evidence a curse had actually been made on all Presidents elected in a year ending in "0.") If any president invited a curse from Indians, it's Jackson.

I made a separate thread on the "year 8 curse," as a challenge.
 
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By 1835 there was the custom of the 2 term Presidency. In OTL Jackson (no relation I hope) did not run in 1836. How plain was that at the time of the plan to murder him?

If it was clear that he was towards the end of his Presidency would the impact have beenreduced a little.
 

bard32

Banned
What if Richard lawrence had succeeded in his assassination attempt of January 30, 1835?

Which attempt? The first or the second? His first attempt failed and he tried again. That attempt failed too because his guns misfired.
 
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