XI. JACKSON VS. BIDDLE 287

Cabinet reorganization--Duane becomes Secretary of Treasury--His reputation and party standing--Jackson’s New England tour--Plans removal of deposits--Consults Hamilton in New York--Conversion of Van Buren--The Bank’s cockiness over accession of Nullifiers--Blair makes the most of the coalition--Kendall’s reasons for immediate action--Conservatives of Cabinet alarmed--Kendall attempts to convince McLane--Van Buren rebuked by Kendall--Jackson polls the Cabinet--Kitchen Cabinet’s continuous sessions--Debate on the time for removal--Kitchen Cabinet favors recess action--Conservatives would postpone until Congress meets--Duane’s strange reticence--Jackson presses him for decision--Kendall’s mission--His experiences with politicians en route--Newspapers open fight--Jackson perfects his plans at Rip Raps--Van Buren hard pressed--Taney moves to Jackson’s side--Jackson’s Paper to the Cabinet--McLane and Cass threaten to resign--Benton’s delight--Duane’s many letters of protest--Is dismissed--Taney assumes command--Webster advises a “disciplining” of the people--The Bank plans a panic--Its methods and results--Clay advises distress meetings and petitions--Political purpose--Jackson and distress committees--Reaction against Bank--New leaders--Benton--Preston--Leigh.

XII. THE BATTLE OF THE GODS 322

Bitter battle in Congress--Clay leads onslaught--Calls for Paper read to Cabinet--Forsyth kills the effect--Senate rejects Government directors on Biddle’s demand--Webster reminds Biddle of his retainer--Attempt to exclude Lewis from Senate--Webster appeals to Story for opinion--Latter’s reply--Clay appeals to Tazewell--Is rebuked--Intense interest in congressional battle--Distress oratory--Forsyth’s cynicism--Jacksonians counter with memorials--Whig mob-baiters sent to country to continue the excitement--Clay’s censure resolution--His bitter speech--Speeches of Preston, Benton, Calhoun, Forsyth, and Webster--Clay’s motive--Webster’s disgust over Clay’s plan--Proposes compromise recharter plan--His speech--Calhoun presents another--Bank champions divided--Clay’s fury over Webster’s independent action--Forces Webster to kill his own bill--Forsyth makes the record clear--Clay’s attempt to involve Van Buren--His histrionic appeal--Van Buren makes it ridiculous--Censure passed--Jackson’s spirited Protest--Effect on masses--Reception in Senate--Forsyth’s clever move to pass the issue to the people--Protest rejected--Battle in the House--Adams’s activities--Horace Binney--The debate--Blair’s attack on Judge Hopkinson--Bank investigation ordered--Farcical nature--Clay’s resolution orders restoration of deposits--Debate--Senate rejects nominations of Stevenson and Taney.

XIII. POLITICAL HYDROPHOBIA 354

Whigs determine to win in New York City election--Lewis’s advice to Hamilton--Mayoralty nominees make Bank the issue--Mixed result--Whig celebration at Castle Garden--Democrats celebrate inauguration of anti-Bank mayor--The fall elections--The Whigs take their name--Forsyth’s sharp comment--The hotch-potch combination--Jackson visits the Hermitage--His confidence--Cabinet changes--Whigs impatient of Bank issue--Biddle’s indignation--Jackson’s triumph in New Jersey--Whigs redouble efforts in New York--Liberty poles--Mobs in Philadelphia--The Virginia campaign--Leigh reëlected through a betrayal--Effect--Poindexter defeated in Mississippi--Whigs accept result as defeat--Weed dumps the Bank--Webster abandons it--Clay tired of its troubles--Effect on politics of Bank fight--Bitter congressional session of December, 1834--Attacks on Post-Office Department--Instructions from legislatures to expunge censure--Effect on Whigs--Post-Office scandal--Kendall made Postmaster-General--What he found, and did--Mrs. Eaton tries a bribe--Attempt to assassinate Jackson--Poindexter accused--His character and career--His quarrel with Jackson--Demands an investigation--Is exonerated--Calhoun’s fight on Federal patronage--Its political purpose--Debate--Democrats celebrate wiping out of national debt--Whig Senators refuse to buy paintings for President’s house.

XIV. WHIG DISLOYALTY IN THE FRENCH CRISIS 386

The French indemnity treaty--French indifference to the obligation--Jackson determines to enforce treaty--Portrait of John Forsyth--Livingston sent to Paris--Real cause of difficulty there--Chamber again fails to appropriate--King sends regrets and assurances--Chamber again fails--Livingston advises show of spirit in Presidential Message--Jackson’s Message--Whig embarrassment, and criticism--Message reaches Paris--Livingston presents copy to de Rigny--King recalls French Minister--Livingston’s tact--Whigs plan to isolate Jackson--Whig papers apologize to France--Foreign Relations Committee of Senate packed against Jackson--Blair’s protest--Clay’s report--Circulated as political document to isolate the President--Clay suggests France may ask apology from Jackson--Buchanan explains the Paris state of mind--Defends Message--Senate passes Clay’s resolution--“Intelligencer” calls it to attention of France--Livingston’s spirited reply to de Rigny--Approved by Jackson, Van Buren, and Forsyth--Serurier refused audience by Forsyth--War clouds lower--Strange happenings in French Legation--House considers crisis--Adams’s attitude--Pays tribute to Jackson’s spirit--The amazing debate--Adams protests against tributes to France--Amendment to Fortifications Bill--Whig filibuster against it--The Nation naked to its foe--The Whig jubilation--French Chamber authorizes payment conditional on an apology from Jackson--Livingston leaves Paris--Mrs. Barton and Madame Pageot--Livingston’s tumultuous ovations in New York--Forsyth’s instructions to Barton--Diplomatic relations broken--“Oil or water?”--Livingston advises moderate tone for Message--The Message--Public indignation over failure of Fortifications Bill--Blair fans the flame--Approach of French squadron--Webster defends Senate and attacks House--Adams and Webster--Adams’s spectacular reply--Democrats follow Adams’s lead--English offer of mediation--Terms of acceptance--France recedes--Jackson’s triumph--Effect on America’s prestige in world.

XV. THE BATTLE OF THE SUCCESSION 423

Van Buren the heir apparent--Senator White’s disaffection--Whig plan to use him--Clay’s plan of campaign--Whig sneers at Mrs. White--Blair’s rebuke--The schism of Tennessee Democrats--Polk leads for Van Buren--White wins--Portrait of White--Kitchen Cabinet’s attack on him--Also determines to retire Bell from Speakership--“Globe’s” attacks on latter--Baltimore Convention--New York and Virginia combination broken--Van Buren’s reconciliation visit to Castle Hill--Whig confusion--Clay sulks--His complaint--Slavery question in campaign--Attempts to turn slave States against Van Buren--Davy Crockett’s biography of Van Buren--Holland’s--Adams’s comment--Van Buren’s serenity--Congress convenes--Bell defeated--Van Buren’s toothache--Whig fight on Taney--Whig Senators harassed by instructions from home--The embarrassment of Virginia Whigs--Ritchie’s mirth--Calhoun’s fight against abolition literature in mail--Purpose to embarrass Van Buren--Latter’s friends “play politics”--Calhoun’s extreme bill--Its partisan motive--Tie votes--Van Buren does not dodge--Calhoun’s bitter reference to Jackson--White’s bitter attack--Calhoun’s insult to Van Buren--Congress adjourns--Issues of 1836--Adams’s contempt for all the candidates--Enthusiasm for Jackson continues--Whig depression--Newspaper battles--Clay’s sulking--His one speech--Jackson’s electioneering--White’s campaign speech--Results of election--Their significance.

XVI. TWILIGHT TRIUMPHS 457

Jackson’s illness--Whigs attack him while down--He fights back--House Whigs’ last effort against Whitney--Jacksonians turn the tables--Threats of murder--Peyton and Wise--Benton plans to expunge--His speech--Bitter replies--The conference at Boulanger’s--Refreshments in Benton’s committee room--Clay’s theatrical speech--Scenes in Senate Chamber--Webster’s protest--Benton wins--Dramatic situation--The mob in the gallery--Benton’s friends arm--Mrs. Benton’s alarm--The Clay-Benton altercation--Jackson dines his friends--Last days in White House--His Farewell Address--Its real significance--His last reception--Jackson the Man--White House memories and women--The inauguration of Van Buren--Jackson the central figure--Homage of the multitude--Last night in the White House--The last conference at Blair’s--The end of the “Reign.”

BOOKS, PAPERS, AND MANUSCRIPTS CITED AND CONSULTED 481

INDEX 489

ILLUSTRATIONS

ANDREW JACKSON Steel engraving frontispiece

From a painting by Ralph Earle.

MARTIN VAN BUREN 54