What Would a Henry Clay Cabinet look like in 1845-49?

Yelnoc

Let's say that James Birney doesn't do as well in New York as in OTL, allowing Henry Clay to narrowly eak out a win in the state and thus win the election. Who does he appoint to his cabinet?

Bonus points if you can predict the general course of his presidency.
 

Shawn Endresen

Webster at State.

I don't actually think Cass would be there - he's a Democrat.

Crittenden would definitely be retained and promoted, perhaps to Treasury since he has no real military qualifications. Alas, I don't think he has any particular qualifications for Treasury either. John Bell may be brought back for War.

Joseph Vance of Ohio is a good choice for Cabinet. His electoral career has run its course, but he's done a lot for the Whigs and can be allowed to go out on a high note. What position remains to be seen.
Clay will need a New Yorker; let's see who Governor Seward thinks he can part with...hmm...sitting Congresscritter Charles H. Carroll looks like a good choice, and Seward can stick the up-and-comer Hamilton Fish in his place. Clay is likely to create the post of Secretary of the Interior, and Hugh White of New York (1798-1870) would be a good first SecInt.

Need to fill Navy and Postmaster, and Clay needs a deep south man. Hmm. Vance can be Postmaster (or War if Bell wasn't retained...yeah, I like that better. Vance at War, a Kentucky crony as PMG.), but a southern navy man...who's Port Authority in Charleston? Or a Virginian?
 
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Yelnoc

Shawn Endresen said:
Webster at State.

I don't actually think Cass would be there - he's a Democrat.

Crittenden would definitely be retained and promoted, perhaps to Treasury since he has no real military qualifications. Alas, I don't think he has any particular qualifications for Treasury either. John Bell may be brought back for War.

Joseph Vance of Ohio is a good choice for Cabinet. His electoral career has run its course, but he's done a lot for the Whigs and can be allowed to go out on a high note. What position remains to be seen.
Clay will need a New Yorker; let's see who Governor Seward thinks he can part with...hmm...sitting Congresscritter Charles H. Carroll looks like a good choice, and Seward can stick the up-and-comer Hamilton Fish in his place. Clay is likely to create the post of Secretary of the Interior, and Hugh White of New York (1798-1870) would be a good first SecInt.

Need to fill Navy and Postmaster, and Clay needs a deep south man. Hmm. Vance can be Postmaster (or War if Bell wasn't retained...yeah, I like that better. Vance at War, a Kentucky crony as PMG.), but a southern navy man...who's Port Authority in Charleston? Or a Virginian?
Click to expand...
So it's:

President: Henry Clay
Vice President: Theodore Frelinghuysen
Secretary of State: Daniels Webster
Secretary of War: Joseph Vance
Secretary of Treastury: John Crittenden
Secretary of Interior: Hugh White
Post Master General: James Harlan
Secretary of Navy: William Rives
?: Charles H. Carroll

So what does Carroll do and are we missing any posts?
 
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Wolfpaw

Banned
Postmaster General: James Harlan would be good, but he may not want to give up on his electoral career just yet.

Secretary of the Navy: How about (Democratic) Charleston mayor John Schnierle? I mean, you're not going to find any Whigs in SC, not really. Virginia's William C. Rives, on the other hand, seems a viable option, his term finishing up in '45 anyways.


 

Yelnoc

Wolfpaw said:
Postmaster General: James Harlan would be good, but he may not want to give up on his electoral career just yet.

Secretary of the Navy: How about (Democratic) Charleston mayor John Schnierle? I mean, you're not going to find any Whigs in SC, not really. Virginia's William C. Rives, on the other hand, seems a viable option, his term finishing up in '45 anyways.
Click to expand...
Edited.

You wouldn't happen to know how many cabinets posts there were back then, would you?
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
Yelnoc said:
Edited.

You wouldn't happen to know how many cabinets posts there were back then, would you?
Click to expand...
There were seven:

  • Vice President
  • Secretary of State
  • Secretary of the Treasury
  • Secretary of War
  • Attorney General
  • Postmaster General
  • Secretary of the Navy
 

Yelnoc

Wolfpaw said:
There were seven:

  • Vice President
  • Secretary of State
  • Secretary of the Treasury
  • Secretary of War
  • Attorney General
  • Postmaster General
  • Secretary of the Navy
Click to expand...
Ok then so, Carrol can be attorney General. Thanks guys.

President: Henry Clay
Vice President: Theodore Frelinghuysen
Secretary of State: Daniels Webster
Secretary of War: Joseph Vance
Secretary of Treastury: John Crittenden
Secretary of Interior: Hugh White
Post Master General: James Harlan
Secretary of Navy: William Rives
Attorney General: Charles H. Carroll
 
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