Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren (December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862), nicknamed Old Kinderhook, was the eighth President of the United States. He was the first President born after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the first of non-Anglo descent, and the only President to date whose first language has not been English (it was Dutch).

Presidency

Van Buren announced his intention "to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor," took over all but one of Jackson's cabinet, and met with statesmanlike firmness the commercial crisis of 1837, already prepared for before he took office. No exhibition of ability or courage, however, nor yet the "most skilful manipulation of the political machinery of the party," could prevent continued hostility to him and to the methods for which he was widely believed to stand. The state elections of 1837 and 1838 were disastrous for the Democrats, and the partial recovery in 1839 was offset by a second commercial crisis in that year. Nevertheless, Van Buren was unanimously renominated by the Democrats in 1840 Despite his having overseen the trail of tears.

Related Topics:
1837 - 1838 - 1839 - 1840 - Trail of tears

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charged with being "a Northern man with Southern principles," he was frequently interrogated and attacked with the nickname Martin Van Ruin during the campaign, and his nomination obviously failed to arouse enthusiasm or even inspire confidence. The revolt against Democratic rule was undoubtedly serious, but a study of the popular vote shows that the election of Harrison, the Whig candidate, was less of a revolution than many affected to think.

Related Topics:
Election - Harrison - Whig

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the expiration of his term, Van Buren retired to his estate, Lindenwald, in the town of Kinderhook, but he did not withdraw from politics or cease to be a figure of national importance. It was even proposed to make him a member of the Federal Supreme Court in order to get him out of political life. He confidently expected to be nominated for president in 1844, and his famous letter of April 27, in which he frankly opposed the immediate annexation of Texas, though doubtless contributing greatly to his defeat, was not made public until he felt practically sure of the nomination. In the Democratic convention, though he had a majority of the votes, he did not have the two-thirds which the convention required, and after eight ballots his name was withdrawn.

Related Topics:
Lindenwald - Kinderhook - Supreme Court - 1844 - April 27 - Texas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1848 he was again nominated, first by the "Barnburner" faction of the Democrats, then by the Free Soilers, with whom the "Barnburners" coalesced, but no electoral vote was won by the party. In the election of 1860 he voted for the fusion ticket in New York which was opposed to Abraham Lincoln, but he could not approve of President Buchanan's course in dealing with secession, and eventually supported Lincoln.

Related Topics:
1848 - "Barnburner" - Free Soilers - 1860 - Fusion - Abraham Lincoln - President Buchanan's

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Martin Van Buren died of bronchial asthma and heart failure at his Lindenwald estate in Kinderhook at 2:00 a.m. on July 24, 1862. His last words were: "There is but one reliance..."

Related Topics:
Asthma - Heart failure - July 24 - 1862

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cabinet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Supreme Court appointments

Van Buren appointed the following Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• John Catron - 1837
• John McKinley - 1838
• Peter Vivian Daniel - 1842