A Different America
A Brief History Of The President’s Of The United States
Chapter 9: William Henry Harrison, the 9th President
9th President of the United States, William Henry Harrison
The Presidency of William Henry Harrison was one of notable events. Besides surviving a near-fatal cold at the on set of his term, ole Tippecanoe was notable for implementing various aspects of Henry Clay’s American System. Most notable, however, was his ability to rally the annexation of Texas, which came from his own, personal wants of expanding the American frontier, and from the push by Vice-President Tyler. After failing to get a Senate agreement in 1841, Harrison is notable for having worked his way into getting Secretary of State Daniel Webster to support the motion, and then getting Henry Clay, through securing vocal support for his candidacy in the next election, to also, perhaps unwillingly, support the move to annex Texas. In 1842 the Senate passed the motion to annex Texas by a vote of 27-24 with various Democrat’s coming along, and quite a few Whigs being persuaded to vote in favor.
A look at the Texas area.
Things with Mexico did not go well form there, and Harrison sent General Zachary Taylor to the border of Mexico in case of invasion. The Mexican-American War, however, may have been inevitable by this point. The Mexican populace believed war with America was needed for their taking of Texas. When Taylor’s troops crossed in Rio Grande to secure the border, Santa Anna called for war. However, Santa Anna was in the midst of political problems in the capital and removed from office days after the Declaration. Still, the United States and President Harrison went to war with an internally divided Mexico, easily winning major battles, and with commissioned explorer John C. Fremont arriving in California with armed supporters in late 1843, leading an American revolt in the area. Winfield Scott would also gain recognition in the war.
John C. Fremont who led the California insurgency for the United States.
By the time of the election, the war with Mexico was all but won. The Whig Party remained strong at home for it’s string of wins over Mexico in such a quick manner. Henry Clay, poised to win the election, easily secured the nomination on the Whig side, backed by President Harrison himself. As Vice-President, Theodore Frelinghuysen is selected.
A Banner for the Whig Candidates for President and Vice-President, Henry Clay and Theodore Frelinghuysen respectively.
For the Democrat’s, Martin Van Buren had been considered the front-runner in 1842, but his opposition to Texan annexation and to the highly successful war saw his support dwindle. Lewis Cass soon followed suit as the next front-runner, but many Cass enemies would flock to Van Buren who continued to demand the nomination. Eventually a compromise candidate came in the name of James Buchanan, Senator from Pennsylvania. Buchanan was unable to stop the momentum behind Henry Clay and loss soundly in the 1844 Presidential election by almost 100 EV’s.
Democratic Nominee James Buchanan.
Henry Clay would become President, ready to push his American System to it’s full potential and re-establish the Bank.
Just after the election, the Treaty of Mexico City would be signed, officially recognizing Texas up to the Rio Grande, and areas to the west, including all of California, as part of the United States along with recognizing the independence of the Yucatan Republic.