One of Harrison's first actions as President was to try and bring a peaceable close to the Second Seminole which had been raging in the Florida territory since 1835. 1836 had been a particularly vicious year, with several Generals having to be replaced for failure to end the Indian threat. Harrison asked Senator Theodore Frelinghuysen, who had built up a reputation by opposing the Indian Removal Act, to to join General Thomas Jesup and act as a diplomat to the remaining Seminole forces.
On May 10th, Chief Osceloa agreed to meet with Frelinghuysen to discuss an end to hostilities. Over the Senator's objections, General Jesup had the Chief and his entourage detained. Frelinghuysen sent word to Washington, calling on the President's intervention in the situation. It would take a week for word to get back from Washington, while Seminole attacks intensified, lead by Sam Jones in retaliation to the deceit. On May 17th, Major General Winfield Scott arrived at Jesup's camp with a letter from the President. Jesup was relieved of command, and Scott was placed in charge. Eye witnesses state that Jesup tore up the letter, and left camp for Washington immediately. He would return to his duties as quartermaster general.
Major General Scott had Osceloa released, as a sign of good faith of President Harrison. He was told to return to his people to calm down the attacks, and talks can resume in the future. It wouldn't be until April 16th that the attacks would calm back down, and talks would resume. Six months of talking and offered bribes would lead to the creation of a reservation in Southern Florida for the Seminole people to live without the intervention of the Americans. Anyone who voluntarily moved west would be offered money, a rifle, and one-years rations. While some took up on the offer, most did not leaving about 3,000 Seminoles within Florida.
This is compromise is the path that the Harrison administration would follow when dealing with the Cherokee Removal after canceling the planned forced removal in 1838....
-From Unconquered People: Florida' Seminole and Miccosukee Indians by Bren Weisman, 1999
SPECIE CIRCULAR RESCINDED, PAPER MONEY ACCEPTED
President Harrison has officially repealed President Jackson's last Executive Order banning paper money use for public land sales. Many have potential buyers had expressed concern over the ability to pay for land only in gold and silver, and believe that this will make these sales much easier. More than a few have also called for the restoration of the National Bank, a measure supported by President Harrison....
-Headline Story from the New York Herald, March 6th, 1837
CONGRESSMAN RUFUS CHOATE REPLACES SENATOR WEBSTER
-Headline Story from the Quincy Patriot, March 7th, 1837
DAVY CROCKETT'S SON, CONGRESSMAN JOHN CROCKETT, REPLACES SENATOR WHITE
-Headline Story from the Nashville Republican, March 7th, 1837
SENATOR JOHN CRITTENDEN CONFIRMED BY SENATE FOR SUPREME COURT
-Headline Story from the New York Herald, April 22nd, 1837
GOVERNOR JAMES MOREHEAD REPLACES SENATOR CRITTENDEN
-Headline Story from the Louisville Times, April 24th, 1837
In the first two months of his administration, Harrison was focused on restoring the National Bank. Killed by Jackson because of corruption and perceived tyranny, Harrison sided with the rest of the Whigs in seeing it as stabilizing force. An opinion held by many Democrats as well. So Harrison set out to garner support in Congress for the recreation of the bank. With the support of Henry Clay and John C Calhoun, the bank restoration passed easily in April of 1837. Speaker Polk refused to put the legislation for a vote without making some changes to the the proposal. Polk wanted the National Bank Head to be chosen by the Secretary of Treasury and answerable to the Treasury Department. Furthermore, as the Bank would be an extension of the Treasury department, it's employees would be subject to the same scrutiny as any other Department. So it was that on May 10th, 1837 the Third National Bank Charter was passed, set to expire in 1857.
-From The Rise an Fall of the Whig Party, by Michael Holt, 1999
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And we're now up to the OTL Panic of 1837, which I'm butterflying (mostly)(probably) away. I realized as I was making some of the headlines here that I already, accidently, released who would be replacing cabinet officials and Crittenden in the Senate back in my election roundup post awhile back. Oops. Oh well, hope you enjoy the update.