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JAMES MONROE: THE LAST REVOLUTIONARY PRESIDENT, PART II

© John S. Cooper

The election of 1816 was extremely dull. James Monroe was the obvious choice of his party. As Secretary of State, Monroe had reorganized and streamlined the State Department. When the War Department needed better leadership and organization during the crisis of the War of 1812, Monroe took over that department while continuing to run the State Department. Again, he revitalized the inefficient War Department improving supplies, communications, organization of field departments, and improving the system of granting contracts. The successes of the army in the latter part of the war were due in large part to Monroe's administrative ability.

The Democratic-Republican Congressional caucus nominated Monroe for President. The Congressional caucus of each party (Democratic-Republican and Federalist) nominated the national candidates. The national convention had not yet come into being.

The Federalist Party did not even bother making official nominations. The Federalist Party had been discredited by its opposition to the government's efforts during the War of 1812. They had threatened secession (it was New England, not the South, that first brought up the possibility of secession) and refused to let state troops leave their home states, and generally hampered the war effort. With the Treaty of Ghent and the Battle of New Orleans, the voters turned against the Federalist Party.

The Federalists decided to support Rufus King, a leading Federalist from New York who had been the Federalist candidate for Vice President in 1804 and 1808. Monroe carried every state but Connecticut, Delaware and Massachusetts.

Monroe took office as the Era of Good Feelings was beginning. After the War of 1812, a surge of national pride swept the nation. For the first time, people put the needs of the nation ahead of the needs of their state or region. This nationalism led to a change in the position of the Democratic-Republican Party on key issues. Monroe's Party had always opposed the Bank of the United States as well as internal improvements (canals, roads, railroads, bridges, etc.) at federal expense. They felt both of these plans gave too much power to the federal government.

The War of 1812 had shown the importance of a national government strong enough to protect its citizens. A central bank and a good transportation and communication system would have greatly helped the war effort. The Democratic-Republican Congress re-chartered the Bank of the United States in 1816, and Speaker of the House Henry Clay proposed a plan of internal improvements shortly thereafter.

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