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12. ZACHARY TAYLOR
(Whig - Louisiana) 1849 - 1857
Vice President: Millard Fillmore

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A hero of the Mexican-American War, Zachary Taylor was elected to the presidency despite never having held political office before, and having never even voted in a presidential election. He defeated Lewis Cass and Martin Van Buren in the election of 1848, after having been recruited by both major parties. While Taylor was a Louisianan slaveholder, he was opposed to the expansion of slavery into territories acquired from the Mexican War. Following a health scare in the summer of 1850, he signed the Bell-Clay Compromise, which admitted California, New Mexico and San Antonio into the Union, while upholding the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Although he was a Southerner, Taylor tried to negate sectional differences, and to promote compromise between different parties and regions.

Taylor was re-elected in 1852, defeating young Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas, and continued with his policy of moderation and compromise, while advocating for Whig policies such as internal improvements, and for a relatively strong federal government. With regards to foreign policy, the Taylor administration negotiated the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, regarding a Central American canal, and worked to continue to improve relations with Great Britain. Taylor's first Secretary of State, William Clayton, took a firm stand against filibustering attempts in the Caribbean, though this prohibition was less strictly followed in Taylor's second term. Taylor also worked to open up relations with Japan, with Commodore Matthew Perry making several trips under Taylor. President Taylor had pledged to avoid any new wars in his presidency, and he lived up to this promise, respecting the sentiment of a nation weary from the Mexican War.

Taylor was not a trained politician or diplomat, and there were tensions in his relationships with Congress, and with other nations, especially initially. However, he learnt quickly, and his natural skills as a leader came to the fore, working as a force of moderation in a polarizing and rhetorically-charged atmosphere. Taylor was initially opposed by northern anti-slavery Whigs, but most significant resistance eventually came from southern Democrats, who felt betrayed by Taylor's stance against the expansion of slave territory. Taylor was re-elected without support from any Deep South state except for his own, Louisiana. He retired in 1856, following the tradition of presidents only serving two terms. His Whig Party made great progress in both 1850 and 1852, before suffering a little in the mid-term elections of 1854. Taylor presided over a strong economy, as the nation continued to recover from the Panic of 1837, and was able to maintain much of his popularity from the Mexican War, even as he moved into the political sphere.
 
13. JOHN CRITTENDEN
(Whig - Kentucky) 1857 - 1861
Vice President: Abraham Lincoln

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A former Senator and Governor from Kentucky, John Crittenden was a supporter of Taylor in the election of 1848, and then later his Attorney General, a role he had previously briefly held under William Henry Harrison and John Tyler. Crittenden was Taylor's chosen successor, and was nominated on a platform of maintaining the balance and compromises that Taylor had promoted, and for a de facto third term of Taylor's policies. Crittenden was even technically related through marriage to Taylor; his wife was Taylor's cousin. Crittenden was elected over James Buchanan and John Hale, although his victory was less comprehensive than Taylor's had been four years earlier. Crittenden was the oldest President inaugurated, at 69 years old, making him less than three years younger than the outgoing President Taylor.

Crittenden was popular at first, but his presidency was tarnished by several damaging situations, most significantly the financial Panic of 1858, which significantly hurt the nation's economy, especially in the Great Lakes and northwest. The effects of the Panic led to the Whigs losing the House in the 1858 fall elections. Crittenden was also embarrassed by a corruption scandal which forced his Attorney General, Soloman Haven, to resign. His administration was also hurt by clashes with Congress over the organization of the Kansas Territory. While Crittenden's agenda of maintaining the Missouri Compromise, and keeping slavery out of territory north of Missouri, was ultimately successful, the process of setting up territorial government was an ugly one.

Crittenden's foreign policy record was also mixed. He continued Taylor's efforts to maintain and support relations with Britain, and was able to peacefully settle several minor disagreements. He also managed to keep the United States out of war. However, he was also significantly criticized for his handling of the attempted Spanish invasion of Mexico in 1859, which he condemned, but he was seen to be insufficiently vigorous in his enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine against European interference in the Americas. While events in Europe meant that the Spaniards had to withdraw, Crittenden's response was unpopular, and seen as weak.

He ran for re-election in 1860, but the Democrats were able to take advantage of the nation's financial woes, a sense of public weariness after twelve years of Whig government, and Crittenden's unpopular foreign policy, and portrayed Crittenden's commitment to his mantra of sectional compromise as being a position of indecisiveness, and a lack of dedication to American ideals. While Crittenden had been able to advance Taylor's commitment to solving some key sectional differences, he was not rewarded with four more years in the White House.
 
Did you already give up on this? I've never seen a TL with a surviving Zachary Taylor and would've liked to have seen more :D
 
Did you already give up on this? I've never seen a TL with a surviving Zachary Taylor and would've liked to have seen more :D

I second this, It also seems like there might not be a civil war which is something you don't see often in US centric timelines of this era.
 
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