The Best Laid Plans of Whigs and Men

Japhy

Banned
Thank you both but really call this a one shot, its sort of just a demonstation about how things can get chaotic very fast in the early American Republic and the 1841-1845 Term could have had a bunch of dead people. It wasn't going to be as interesting past this, so I'm fine just ending it now, as a demonstration piece.

I'm not trying to make a scene, or be overly dramatic about this. So I'd like to just leave it alone now.
 
If it will get you to stop, then yes.

This mind you is all covered in many sources, to pull two off my shelf:
The Great Triumvirate: Webster, Clay, and Calhoun by Merrill D. Peterson

Sorry to be a nuisance, but I've been dipping into my copy of TGT and so far haven't found anything on the issues in question. It discusses how Clay soon fell out with Tyler on policy, but so far I've found nothing about whether Tyler was President or only "acting", and nothing at all about what should happen in case of a double vacancy. If I've missed something could I trouble you to point it out?



At this point we have one four year period with an obscene number of Presidents. Considering that, I'm not sure what the point is with bothering with going with anything else.
Then what's the problem exactly? If they are all going to die in office or be impeached, does it particularly matter whether they were elected for two years or four, since they are not going to complete the term either way?
 

Thande

Donor
As for 1842, James Buchanan while popular within the Washington establishment isn't much one for offering anything of value, as I noted in the piece, he was an idiot and not one that the old Jacksoniam machine could much get behind. He only got the job in 1856 because Jackson was long dead and there was no one else left. In comparison Everett had done a decent job in Massachusetts as governor, and the Whigs can run on a platform talking about how things would obviously work if they were allowed to to have a "real" go at it, as opposed to the previous disaster. Its also worth remembering that they won in 1840 and came one third party spoiler in New York away from winning in 1844. I figured it wasn't beyond reason that they could win in 1842.

When you have the third Presidential Election in four years though, the Democratic propaganda is going to be a different story though.
I see. I had forgotten the OTL 1844 election was so close; for some reason I was misremembering it as the Whigs decisively being thrown out after the disaster of Tyler. If it was that close what with everything in OTL, then this does seem plausible.
 
I see. I had forgotten the OTL 1844 election was so close; for some reason I was misremembering it as the Whigs decisively being thrown out after the disaster of Tyler. If it was that close what with everything in OTL, then this does seem plausible.



Which could raise a question about an 1842 election. Pretty clearly, that will go ahead only if the Whigs are 100% certain of winning it. If they have the slightest doubt about it's outcome, expect a hasty Act of Congress (no problem there as both Houses are Whig in 1842) rescinding that provision and leaving the PPT in charge until 1845.

This could cause real fun. Until 1890, the PPT was normally chosen only for a particular session. OTL, this didn't cause any turnover, as Mangum was left in the chair till 1845; but TTL the position carries with it the Acting Presidency of the US, and so is a far more valuable prize. Expect some fierce infighting among Whig Senators.

Throw in a death or two by accident or illness (19C Washington was a notoriously unhealthy town) and you could easily get half a dozen Presidents in four years.

As a matter of interest, does anyone know what salary Mangum would receive? Would it be just his normal one as Senator, or would he get the salary of a POTUS while exercising the powers and duties of that office?
 

Stolengood

Banned
Sorry to necro, but would the Princeton incident really still happen ITTL? It seems too convergent, to me, and too conveniently fucks over the Whigs more than they've already been fucked.
 
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