OOC: you know the tribunate was just something Napoleon the first did to keep up the appearance that France was still a republic?
OOC: I'm not disputing that, but when I was writing this, I actually was operating on the idea that Napoleon's Empire hadn't survived past 1820 or so, much like OTL, only reverting back to a republic in this world, instead of seeing the Bourbons being restored. I assume now, you had initially wanted Napoleon's Empire to hold together? It's fine either way, just trying to understand where you're coming from here, that's all.
Calhoun comes to mind, if only because he served for over 20 years.
IC: Oh, goodness no. Not even close, I dare say. Not only was he virulently pro-slavery, but his lack of competence, and
staunch unwillingness to work with
any more moderate elements on
many issues, caused
enormous problems while he was in office-he only got to stay in office for 22 years because virtually all the Southern & some Northern Democrats were willing to get in line to deny the Whigs and the Federalists their own chances for that seat, and if that meant keeping John C. Calhoun as speaker, then that's how they were going to do it.(Took until 1854 to get in James Buchanan, and even he wasn't the best Speaker.....though
miles and miles ahead of Calhoun, at least.)
OOC: Differing from OTL, Buchanan would later join the Republicans upon their founding in 1856 ITTL; left the Democrats in 1840, first becoming a Federalist*, before joining the Whigs in 1848.(And yes, the same party from OTL, though they lasted 4 more decades than in OTL, prior to them, and some of the Whigs, i.e. the aforementioned Congressman Buchanan, merging with the Republicans.)
(And yeah, Calhoun was a pretty fucked up guy, even IOTL.)