Excerpts from Valentine Publishings An Introduction into United States History:
The years 1831 and 32 proved to be important years in the genesis of the young National Republican Party. It was in November of 1831 that the Virginia legislature voted in favor the gradual and compensated emancipation of slaves. This bill sent shockwaves through the normally Solid South. Not only did Virginia become the first state south of the Mason-Dixon line to abolish slavery, the act put many in the state firmly in the National Republican camp.
As was mentioned in section 3 of this chapter, Andrew Jackson and his Democratic Party despised the Bank of the United States for a variety of reasons. This was almost universally popular in the southern states. However, with the abolition of slavery in Virginia, the slave-holders were soon to be dependent on the Bank for compensation. To them, disbanding the Bank of the United States now equated emancipation without compensation and economic ruin. Furthermore, by the 1840s, the former slave-holders became actively involved with investing in the infrastructure of Virginia, a policy that was heartily supported by the pro-industry National Republicans, and equally opposed by the pro-agriculture Democrats.
Less dramatic than the swinging of Virginia to the National Republican camp was the decision of the Anti-Masonic party to support the National Republicans in the 1832 presidential election, in exchange for their presidential candidate, William Writ, being placed on the ballot as the National Republican candidate for Vice President. It is a historical irony that Writ, despite being the Anti-Masonic candidate for president, was in fact a Freemason himself, as was Henry Clay. With the support of the Anti-Masonic party, the National Republicans found a new upwelling of support in Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania. With William Writ on the ticket, the National Republicans also strengthened their base in his home state of Maryland.
Despite all these fortunate turns of luck, the fate of the Presidential election of 1832 was hardly ensured. The Democratic party still had strong support in many of the more rural states of the nation. As election day neared, nobody was willing to claim that they had the advantage. When the votes were eventually collected, Andrew Jackson had a small majority of the popular vote, by a difference of less than 2%. However, Henry Clay had managed to secure more electoral votes, 154 to Jackson's 132. Upon hearing the outcome, Jackson is rumored to have commented, "This is the second time Mr. Clay has stolen the presidency from me," a reference to the presidential election of 1824, covered in section 1 of this chapter.
CHAPTER VIII: The Birth of the Republican and Democratic Parties
Section 6The years 1831 and 32 proved to be important years in the genesis of the young National Republican Party. It was in November of 1831 that the Virginia legislature voted in favor the gradual and compensated emancipation of slaves. This bill sent shockwaves through the normally Solid South. Not only did Virginia become the first state south of the Mason-Dixon line to abolish slavery, the act put many in the state firmly in the National Republican camp.
As was mentioned in section 3 of this chapter, Andrew Jackson and his Democratic Party despised the Bank of the United States for a variety of reasons. This was almost universally popular in the southern states. However, with the abolition of slavery in Virginia, the slave-holders were soon to be dependent on the Bank for compensation. To them, disbanding the Bank of the United States now equated emancipation without compensation and economic ruin. Furthermore, by the 1840s, the former slave-holders became actively involved with investing in the infrastructure of Virginia, a policy that was heartily supported by the pro-industry National Republicans, and equally opposed by the pro-agriculture Democrats.
Less dramatic than the swinging of Virginia to the National Republican camp was the decision of the Anti-Masonic party to support the National Republicans in the 1832 presidential election, in exchange for their presidential candidate, William Writ, being placed on the ballot as the National Republican candidate for Vice President. It is a historical irony that Writ, despite being the Anti-Masonic candidate for president, was in fact a Freemason himself, as was Henry Clay. With the support of the Anti-Masonic party, the National Republicans found a new upwelling of support in Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania. With William Writ on the ticket, the National Republicans also strengthened their base in his home state of Maryland.
Despite all these fortunate turns of luck, the fate of the Presidential election of 1832 was hardly ensured. The Democratic party still had strong support in many of the more rural states of the nation. As election day neared, nobody was willing to claim that they had the advantage. When the votes were eventually collected, Andrew Jackson had a small majority of the popular vote, by a difference of less than 2%. However, Henry Clay had managed to secure more electoral votes, 154 to Jackson's 132. Upon hearing the outcome, Jackson is rumored to have commented, "This is the second time Mr. Clay has stolen the presidency from me," a reference to the presidential election of 1824, covered in section 1 of this chapter.