alternatehistory.com

Well here it is my new TL! About a surviving Whig party and a different Mexican-American War as well as the Oregon dispute. (BTW, we discussed the POD itself in the link in my sig)

This is the intro as well as the POD, the rest will follow a text-book style.

Introduction

March 4 1841 - Washington
The President-Elect of the United States of America, William Henry Harrison, was preparing to take his inauguration speech to the American people. It was a cold day outside and rain was coming down irregularly. Despite the dreary conditions, Harrison was undeterred. He wanted to show the American people that “Tippecanoe” was still the same man he was back during that famous battle in 1811. In trying to assure the general public as well as himself, he wrote an extremely lengthy inauguration address, far longer than any other US President. Even when his personal friend, Daniel Webster edited it in an attempt to shorten it, the address would still take several hours to read. As Harrison was about to practice his speech one more time, a personal aid ran up to him,

“Wait Mr. Harrison, you mustn’t go out there in the cold without any hat or even a coat!”

“I’ll be fine. Besides, what would the American people think if I am dressed like Van Buren on my inauguration day”
replied Harrison, referring to the Democratic candidate in the 1840 election, Martin Van Buren, whom he had beaten.

“Mr. Harrison, you are going to become President in a few hours. I suggest that you wear the hat and coat for you own personal health.” No one will think that you are a ‘stuck up aristocrat’ like that damn ‘Van Ruin’ but rather, that you are smart enough to keep yourself protected from the weather. And get rid of some of these papers!”
his aid said, reaching for Harrison’s address. Pulling his hand back, Harrison replied,

“If I wear the coat and hat, will you leave me alone to practice my speech, the WHOLE speech?”

“Very well Mr. Harrison.”
The aid walked away.

Harrison then read over the most important parts of his speech once more, from the removal of several Jacksonian policies, to the revival of the Bank of the United States, to the introduction of the so-called “American System” that the Whig Party had put together in the past years. He had a lot of things on his mind. How would the Public react to the first Whig President? What challenges would face him? What would the next four years hold in store for him? He was about to find out.

About an hour later, Harrison walked up to the podium and stared at the large crowd of spectators. He felt the rain hitting the top of his hat the aid made him wear and looked down at his speech. He began reading…….
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