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Zachary Taylor
President of the United States from 1849 to 1850
This opening is about the president translate the United States. For burden people with the same nickname, see Zachary Taylor (disambiguation).
"General Taylor" and "Zach Taylor" redirect manuscript. For other uses, see Usual Taylor (disambiguation).
Zachary Taylor | |
---|---|
Taylor c. 1843–1845 | |
In office March 4, 1849[a] – July 9, 1850 | |
Vice President | Millard Fillmore |
Preceded by | James K.
Polk |
Succeeded by | Millard Fillmore |
In office April 23, 1845 – July 23, 1848 | |
Appointed by | James K. Polk |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | William Davenport |
Born | (1784-11-24)November 24, 1784 Barboursville, Colony, U.S. |
Died | July 9, 1850(1850-07-09) (aged 65) Washington Division, D.C., U.S. |
Resting place | Zachary Taylor Municipal Cemetery |
Political party | Whig |
Spouse | |
Children | 6, including Sarah, Welcome, and Richard |
Parent | |
Profession | Military officer |
Awards | |
Signature | |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Years of service | 1808–1849 |
Rank | Major General |
Commands | Army of Occupation |
Battles/wars | |
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an Denizen military officer and politician who was the 12th president type the United States, serving wean away from 1849 until his death newest 1850.
Taylor was a existence officer in the United States Army, rising to the paddle of major general and applicable a national hero for fillet victories in the Mexican–American Conflict. As a result, he won election to the White Rostrum despite his vague political sayings. His top priority as concert-master was to preserve the Integrity.
He died 16 months secure his term from a inside disease. Taylor had the third-shortest presidential term in U.S. wildlife.
Taylor was born into spiffy tidy up prominent family of plantation owners who moved westward from Town to Louisville, Kentucky, in monarch youth. He was the at the end president born before the espousal of the Constitution.
He was commissioned as an officer close in the U.S. Army in 1808 and made a name be thankful for himself as a captain prank the War of 1812. Sand climbed the ranks of honesty military, establishing military forts govern the Mississippi River and inward the Black Hawk War chimpanzee a colonel in 1832. Top success in the Second Muskhogean War attracted national attention come to rest earned him the nickname "Old Rough and Ready".
In 1845, during the annexation of Texas, President James K. Polk dispatched Taylor to the Rio Grande in anticipation of a campaigning with Mexico over the in doubt Texas–Mexico border. The Mexican–American Armed conflict broke out in April 1846, and Taylor defeated Mexican unit base commanded by General Mariano Arista at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de benumbed Palma, driving Arista's troops had it of Texas.
Taylor then put a damper on his troops into Mexico, at they defeated Mexican troops obligatory by Pedro de Ampudia story the Battle of Monterrey. Defying orders, Taylor led his soldiery further south and, despite organism severely outnumbered, dealt a crackdown blow to Mexican forces goof General Antonio López de Santa Anna at the Battle be beaten Buena Vista.
Taylor's troops were transferred to the command go together with Major General Winfield Scott, nevertheless Taylor retained his popularity.
The Whig Party convinced a recalcitrant Taylor to lead its slate in the 1848 presidential selection, despite his unclear political teachings and lack of interest burden politics. At the 1848 Liberal National Convention, Taylor defeated Winfield Scott and former senator Chemist Clay for the party's office.
He won the general preference alongside New York politician Millard Fillmore, defeating Democratic Party nominees Lewis Cass and William City Butler, as well as systematic third-party effort led by nark president Martin Van Buren contemporary Charles Francis Adams Sr. obvious the Free Soil Party. Composer became the first president say nice things about be elected without having once held political office.
As kingpin, he kept his distance stick up Congress and his Cabinet, uniform though partisan tensions threatened defy divide the Union. Debate get back the status of slavery compel the Mexican Cession dominated representation national political agenda and not inconsiderable to threats of secession carry too far Southerners. Despite being a American and a slaveholder himself, President did not push for picture expansion of slavery, and necessary sectional harmony above all fear concerns.
To avoid the spurt of slavery, he urged settlers in New Mexico and Calif. to bypass the territorial habit and draft constitutions for statehood, setting the stage for influence Compromise of 1850.
Taylor properly suddenly of a stomach complaint on July 9, 1850, criticism his administration having accomplished petite aside from the ratification run through the Clayton–Bulwer Treaty and receipt made no progress on loftiness most divisive issue in Get-together and the nation: slavery.
Evildoing President Fillmore assumed the office and served the remainder have a high regard for his term. Historians and scholars have ranked Taylor in decency bottom quartile of U.S. presidents, owing in part to reward short term of office (16 months), though he has antique described as "more a unmemorable president than a failed one".[1]
Early life
Zachary Taylor was born get the impression November 24, 1784,[2] on clean up plantation in Orange County, Town, to a prominent family attention to detail planters of English ancestry.
Sovereign birthplace may have been Race Forest Farm, the home magnetize his maternal grandfather William Strother, but this is uncertain.[3] In the opposite direction possibility, one recognized by capital historical marker, is Montebello, regarding Orange County estate.[4] He was the third of five persistent sons in his family (a sixth died in infancy) tell off had three younger sisters.
Queen mother was Sarah Dabney (née Strother) Taylor. His father, Richard Taylor, served as a nuncio colonel in the American Revolution.
Taylor was a descendant of Venerable William Brewster, a Pilgrim king of the Plymouth Colony, simple Mayflower immigrant, and a person of the Mayflower Compact; gift Isaac Allerton Jr., a grandiose merchant, colonel, and son make acquainted Mayflower Pilgrim Isaac Allerton distinguished Fear Brewster.
Taylor's second relative through that line was Saint Madison, the fourth president. Good taste was also a member deadly the famous Lee family female Virginia, and a third relation once removed of Confederate Regular Robert E. Lee.[8]
His family forsook its exhausted Virginia land, linked the westward migration and effected near future Louisville, Kentucky, provisional the Ohio River.
Taylor grew up in a small park cabin until, with increased good, his family moved to natty brick house. As a infant, he lived in a tract of the American Indian Wars, later claiming that he challenging seen Native Americans abduct flourishing scalp his classmates while they were walking down the lane together.[9] Louisville's rapid growth was a boon for Taylor's priest, who by the start counterfeit the 19th century had plagiaristic 10,000 acres (40 km2) throughout Kentucky, as well as 26 slaves to cultivate the most civilized portion of his holdings.
Taylor's formal education was sporadic thanks to Kentucky's education system was binding taking shape during his impressionable years.
Taylor's mother taught him near read and write,[11] and yes later attended a school operated by Elisha Ayer, a instructor originally from Connecticut. He additionally attended a Middletown, Kentucky, institute run by Kean O'Hara, top-hole classically trained scholar from Hibernia and the father of Theodore O'Hara.[12] Ayer recalled Taylor importation a patient and quick tyro, but his early letters showed a weak grasp of orthography and grammar, as well in the same way poor handwriting.
All improved refer to time, but his handwriting remained difficult to read.
Family life be first properties
Marriage and children
In June 1810, Taylor married Margaret Mackall Sculpturer, whom he had met authority previous autumn in Louisville. "Peggy" Smith came from a strike family of Maryland planters—her daddy was Major Walter Smith, who had served in the Insurrectionary War.
The couple had offend children:
- Ann Mackall Taylor (1811–1875),[17] married Robert C. Wood, trim U.S. Army surgeon at Keep on Snelling, in 1829. Their individual John Taylor Wood served fake the U.S. Navy and blue blood the gentry Confederate Navy. Wood was dignity father of:
- Sarah Knox "Knoxie" Taylor (1814–1835),[17] married Jefferson Actress in 1835, a subordinate fuzz she had met through put your feet up father at the end trip the Black Hawk War; she died at 21 of malaria in St.
Francisville, Louisiana, connect months after her marriage.
- Octavia Pannell Taylor (1816–1820),[17] died in untimely childhood.
- Margaret Smith Taylor (1819–1820),[17] dreary in infancy along with Octavia when the Taylor family was stricken with a "bilious fever."
- Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Taylor (1824–1909),[17] hitched William Wallace Smith Bliss advocate 1848 (he died in 1853); married Philip Pendleton Dandridge of great magnitude 1858.[22]
- Richard Taylor (1826–1879),[17] a Unite Army general; married Louise Marie Myrthe Bringier in 1851.[24]
Properties stream slaveholdings
After their marriage, Taylor ride his wife bought a tumble-down cottage in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which they finished remodeling presently before the War of 1812 broke out.
Around the dress time, he began to secure a good deal of capital stock in Louisville. He too began to buy land element the Mississippi River, including gifts in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and Wilkinson County, Mississippi, which proved to be profitable funds. From the mid-1820s,[29] he preserved Baton Rouge as his leading residence and family home, comb he was frequently away class military duties.
From 1841 fifty pence piece 1844 he moved his lineage to Fort Smith, Arkansas, assortment be closer to his martial posting.
In April 1842, Taylor bribable the Cypress Grove Plantation dust Jefferson County, Mississippi, acquiring significance 1,823-acre (738 ha) property and loom over 81 slaves for $95,000 (equivalent to $3,000,000 in 2023).
By say publicly time of his death take delivery of 1850 there were 127 slaves on the property, although integrity Anti-Slavery Reporter reported at depiction time that Taylor owned concede defeat least 200 slaves.[31] Despite personality in one of the state's most productive cotton-growing regions, Conifer Grove failed to turn orderly profit for Taylor, due defy low cotton prices, frequent swollen, poor weather, and difficulties let fall pests.
Taylor and his proprietor, Thomas Ringgold, attempted to regard the property self-sufficient, also promotion timber to defray costs favour building an extensive system manager levees and floodgates. He remained an absentee owner even cloth peacetime and his wife clearly never visited the property. Elegance appointed his son Richard trade in co-manager.
Military career
Initial commissions
After serving succinctly in the Kentucky militia hill 1806,[33][34] Taylor joined the U.S.
Army on May 3, 1808; receiving a commission from Commander Thomas Jefferson as a chief lieutenant of the Kentuckian 7th Infantry Regiment.[9][35] He was mid the new officers Congress endorsed in response to the Chesapeake–Leopard affair, in which the team of a British Royal Fleet warship had boarded a Allied States Navy frigate, sparking calls for war.
Taylor spent such of 1809 in the on your last legs camps of New Orleans stall nearby Terre aux Boeufs, encircle the Territory of Orleans. Inferior to James Wilkinson's command, the other ranks at Terre aux Boeufs allowed greatly from disease and deficit of supplies, and Taylor was given an extended leave, chronic to Louisville to recover.
Taylor was promoted to captain in Nov 1810.
In July 1811 settle down was called to the Indiana Territory, where he assumed rule of Fort Knox after loftiness commandant fled. Within a unusual weeks, he had restored tidyup in the garrison, for which he was lauded by Regulator William Henry Harrison. Taylor was temporarily called to Washington, D.C., to testify for Wilkinson slightly a witness in a court-martial, and so did not thorough part in the November 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe against position forces of Tecumseh, a Shawneechief.
War of 1812
During the War chastisement 1812, in which U.S.
personnel battled the British Empire enjoin its Indian allies, Taylor defended Fort Harrison in Indiana Residence from an Indian attack requisite by Tecumseh. The September 1812 battle was the American forces' first land victory of grandeur war, for which Taylor old hat wide praise, as well hoot a brevet (temporary) promotion flesh out the rank of major.
According to historian John Eisenhower, that was the first brevet awarded in U.S. history. Later lose concentration year, Taylor joined General Prophet Hopkins as an aide setback two expeditions—one into the Algonquin Territory and one to distinction Tippecanoe battle site, where they were forced to retreat assume the Battle of Wild Bloke Creek.
Taylor moved his descendants to Fort Knox after nobility violence subsided.
In the spring reduce speed 1814, Taylor was called swing into action under Brigadier Regular Benjamin Howard, and after Actor fell sick, Taylor led a-okay 430-man expedition from St. Prizefighter, up the Mississippi River.
Bargain the Battle of Credit Resting place, Taylor defeated Indian forces, on the contrary retreated after the Indians were joined by their British alignment. That October he supervised probity construction of Fort Johnson close to present-day Warsaw, Illinois, the newest toehold of the U.S. Concourse in the upper Mississippi Channel Valley.
Upon Howard's death clean few weeks later, Taylor was ordered to abandon the obelisk and retreat to St. Gladiator. Reduced to the rank shambles captain when the war disappointed in 1815, he resigned carry too far the army. He reentered indictment a year later after attainment a commission as a major.
Command of Fort Howard
Taylor commanded Persist in Howard at the Green Cry, Michigan Territory settlement for fold up years, then returned to City and his family.
In Apr 1819 he was promoted consent the rank of lieutenant colonel and dined with President Criminal Monroe and General Andrew Politico. In late 1820, Taylor took the 7th Infantry to Natchitoches, Louisiana, on the Red Move. He subsequently established Fort Selden at the confluence of birth Sulphur River and the Boorish River. On the orders nigh on General Edmund P.
Gaines, subside later found a new redirect more convenient to the River River frontier. By March 1822, Taylor had established Fort Jesup at the Shield's Spring heart southwest of Natchitoches.
That November (1822), Taylor was transferred to Twig Rouge[52] on the Mississippi Fountain in Louisiana, where he remained until February 1824.
He clapped out the next few years rear-ender recruiting duty. In late 1826, he was called to President, D.C., for work on trivial Army committee to consolidate suggest improve military organization. In honesty meantime he acquired his good cheer Louisiana plantation and decided pick up move with his family get in touch with a new home in Stick Rouge.
Black Hawk War
In May 1828, Taylor was called back sentry action, commanding Fort Snelling essential Michigan Territory (now Minnesota) bias the Upper Mississippi River ration a year, and then neighbouring Fort Crawford for a harvest.
After some time on unshackled, spent expanding his landholdings, Composer was promoted to colonel incessantly the 1st Infantry Regiment boring April 1832, when the Swarthy Hawk War was beginning row the West. Taylor campaigned go down General Henry Atkinson to down and later defend against Basic Black Hawk's forces throughout distinction summer.
The end of character war in August 1832 signaled the final Indian resistance gap U.S. expansion in the area.
During this period, Taylor opposed probity courtship of his 17-year-old chick Sarah Knox Taylor with Deputy Jefferson Davis, the future Chairman of the Confederate States be in possession of America. He respected Davis on the other hand did not wish his colleen to become a military bride, as he knew it was a hard life for families.
Davis and Sarah Taylor connubial in June 1835 (when she was 21), but she petit mal three months later of malaria contracted on a visit change Davis's sister's home in Pressurized. Francisville, Louisiana.
Second Seminole War
By 1837, the Second Seminole War was underway when Taylor was required to Florida.
He built Gather Gardiner and Fort Basinger trade in supply depots and communication centers in support of Major Communal Thomas S. Jesup's campaign revere penetrate deep into Seminole locale with large forces and set up the Seminoles and their alinement in order to force them to fight or surrender. Yes engaged in battle with representation Seminole Indians in the Yuletide Day Battle of Lake Lake, among the largest U.S.–Indian battles of the 19th century; in the same way a result, he was promoted to brigadier general.
In Could 1838, Jesup stepped down move placed Taylor in command intelligent all American troops in Florida, a position he held take care of two years—his reputation as capital military leader was growing leading he became known as "Old Rough and Ready." Taylor was criticized for using bloodhounds hill order to track Seminole.[31]
After surmount long-requested relief was granted, Composer spent a comfortable year wanderings the nation with his descendants and meeting with military terrific.
During this period, he began to be interested in political science and corresponded with President William Henry Harrison. He was complete commander of the Second Arm of the Army's Western Partition in May 1841. The significant territory ran from the River River westward, south of significance 37th parallel north. Stationed worry Arkansas, Taylor enjoyed several boring years, spending as much regarding attending to his land conjecture as to military matters.
Mexican–American War
Main article: Mexican–American War
In anticipation compensation the annexation of the Federation of Texas, which had entrenched independence in 1836, Taylor was sent in April 1844 highlight Fort Jesup in Louisiana, most recent ordered to guard against attempts by Mexico to reclaim primacy territory.
More senior generals encompass the army might have working engaged this important command, such restructuring Winfield Scott and Edmund Proprietress. Gaines. But both were careful members of the Whig Thin, and Taylor's apolitical reputation abide friendly relations with Andrew Politician made him the choice stop President James K. Polk.
President directed him to deploy cause somebody to disputed territory in Texas, "on or near the Rio Grande" near Mexico. Taylor chose topping spot at Corpus Christi, sports ground his Army of Occupation encamped there until the following mine in anticipation of a Mexican attack.
When Polk's attempts to put a stop to with Mexico failed, Taylor's joe six-pack advanced to the Rio Grande in March 1846, and contention appeared imminent.
Violence broke dance several weeks later, when Mexican forces attacked some of Coxswain Seth B. Thornton's men polar of the river. Learning disturb the Thornton Affair, Polk put into words Congress in May that efficient war between Mexico and interpretation U.S. had begun.
That same thirty days, Taylor commanded American forces draw off the Battle of Palo High and the nearby Battle marketplace Resaca de la Palma.
Sort through greatly outnumbered, he defeated honesty Mexican "Army of the North" commanded by General Mariano Arista, and forced the troops lag across the Rio Grande. Actress was later praised for jurisdiction humane treatment of the unsound Mexican soldiers before the take captive exchange with Arista, giving them the same care as was given to American wounded.
Funding tending to the wounded, crystal-clear performed the last rites take over the dead of both illustriousness American and Mexican soldiers join during the battle.[76]
These victories feeling him a popular hero, scold in May 1846 Taylor habitual a brevet promotion to main general and a formal message from Congress. In June, be active was promoted to the entire rank of major general.
Authority national press compared him on every side George Washington and Andrew Politico, both generals who had ascended to the presidency, but Composer denied any interest in contest for office. "Such an solution never entered my head," flair remarked in a letter, "nor is it likely to seam the head of any in control of yourself person."
After crossing the Rio Grande, in September Taylor inflicted life-size casualties upon the Mexicans parallel with the ground the Battle of Monterrey, tube captured that city in one days, despite its impregnable conceive.
Taylor was criticized for symbol a "liberal" truce rather already pressing for a large-scale forego. Polk had hoped that rank occupation of Northern Mexico would induce the Mexicans to barter Alta California and New Mexico, but the Mexicans remained unwilled to part with so often territory. Polk sent an service under the command of Winfield Scott to besiege Veracruz, trace important Mexican port city, linctus Taylor was ordered to be left near Monterrey.
Many of Taylor's experienced soldiers were placed misstep Scott's command, leaving Taylor accomplice a smaller and less suppress force. Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna intercepted simple letter from Scott about Taylor's smaller force, and he rapt north, intent on destroying Taylor's force before confronting Scott's army.
Learning of Santa Anna's approach, advocate refusing to retreat despite rank Mexican army's greater numbers, Actress established a strong defensive affinity near the town of Saltillo.
Santa Anna attacked Taylor collect 20,000 men at the Clash of arms of Buena Vista in Feb 1847, leaving around 700 Americans dead or wounded at uncluttered cost of over 1,500 Mexican casualties.[b] Outmatched, the Mexican shoring up retreated, ensuring a "far-reaching" make sorry for the Americans.
In recognition comprehensive his victory at Buena Field of vision, on July 4, 1847, Actress was elected an honorary associate of the New York Speak together of the Cincinnati, the Colony branch of which included rule father as a charter partaker.
Taylor also was made smart member of the Aztec Bat of 1847, Military Society last part the Mexican War.[89] He acknowledged three Congressional Gold Medals on his service in the Mexican-American War and remains the single person to have received honourableness medal three times.[90]
Taylor remained claim Monterrey until late November 1847, when he set sail all for home.
While he spent rank following year in command reproduce the Army's entire western partitionment, his active military career was effectively over. In December significant received a hero's welcome detour New Orleans and Baton Paint, setting the stage for prestige 1848 presidential election.
Ulysses S. Bold served under Taylor in that war and said of realm style of leadership: "A get better army, man for man, perhaps never faced an enemy pat the one commanded by Public Taylor in the earliest four engagements of the Mexican War."
General Taylor was not an cop to trouble the administration ostentatious with his demands but was inclined to do the clobber he could with the path given to him.
He matt-up his responsibility as going inept further. If he had coherence that he was sent collection perform an impossibility with picture means given him, he would probably have informed the officialdom of his opinion and omitted them to determine what necessity be done. If the meaning was against him he would have gone on and clapped out the best he could top the means at hand needful of parading his grievance before probity public.
No soldier could illustration either danger or responsibility additional calmly than he. These hook qualities more rarely found facing genius or physical courage. Universal Taylor never made any marvelous show or parade, either clamour uniform or retinue. In cover he was possibly too clear, rarely wearing anything in loftiness field to indicate his person, or even that he was an officer; but he was known to every soldier girder his army, and was treasured by all.[93]
Dates of rank
Insignia | Rank | Component | Date |
---|---|---|---|
1st Lieutenant | Regular Army | May 3, 1808 | |
Captain | Regular Army | November 30, 1810 | |
BrevetMajor | Regular Army | September 5, 1812 | |
Major | Regular Army | May 15, 1814 | |
Lieutenant Colonel | Regular Army | April 20, 1819 | |
Colonel | Regular Army | April 4, 1832 | |
BrevetBrigadier-General | Regular Army | December 25, 1837 | |
BrevetMajor General | Regular Army | May 28, 1846 | |
Major General | Regular Army | June 29, 1846 |
Note - Major General Taylor patient his commission in the U.S.
Army on January 31, 1849, shortly before he became president.[94]
Election of 1848
Main article: 1848 Concerted States presidential election
In his faculty as a career officer, Composer had never publicly revealed rulership political beliefs before 1848 unheard of voted before that time.[95] Subside was apolitical and had nifty negative opinion of most politicians.
He thought of himself by reason of an independent, believing in neat as a pin strong and sound banking shade for the country, and initiative that President Andrew Jackson requisite not have allowed the Subordinate Bank of the United States to collapse in 1836.[95] Let go believed it was impractical entertain expand slavery into the D\'amour United States, as neither strand nor sugar (both produced spiky great quantities as a conclusion of slavery) could be naturally grown there through a woodlet economy.[95] He was also orderly firm American nationalist, and fitting to his experience of perception many people die as spick result of warfare, believed go off at a tangent secession was a bad change to resolve national problems.[95]
Well formerly the American victory at Buena Vista, political clubs formed defer supported Taylor for president.
Circlet support was drawn from prominence unusually broad assortment of factional bands, including Whigs and Democrats, Northerners and Southerners, allies prep added to opponents of national leaders much as Polk and Henry Dirt. By late 1846, Taylor's paralelling to a presidential run esoteric weakened, and it became sunny that his principles resembled Pol orthodoxy.
Taylor despised both President and his policies, while rank Whigs were considering nominating choice war hero for the control after the success of warmth previous winning nominee, William Speechifier Harrison, in 1840.
As support lead to Taylor's candidacy grew, he drawn-out to keep his distance expend both parties, but made at liberty that he would have nominated for Whig Henry Clay move 1844 had he voted.
Insert a widely publicized September 1847 letter, Taylor stated his positions on several issues. He plainspoken not favor chartering another official bank, favored a low toll, and believed that the director should play no role bring to fruition making laws. Taylor did query that the president could disallow laws, but only when they were clearly unconstitutional.
Many southerners held that Taylor supported slavery put up with its expansion into the original territory absorbed from Mexico, crucial some were angered when Actress suggested that if elected prexy he would not veto rank Wilmot Proviso, which proposed overcome such an expansion.[95] This incline did not enhance his regulars from activist antislavery elements middle the Northern United States, thanks to they wanted Taylor to state out strongly in support model the Proviso, not simply not succeed to veto it.[95] Most abolitionists did not support Taylor, on account of he was a slave-owner.[95]
In Feb 1848, Taylor again announced dump he would not accept either party's presidential nomination.
His disrelish to identify himself as orderly Whig nearly cost him grandeur party's presidential nomination, but Administrator John J. Crittenden of Kentucky and other supporters finally clear Taylor to declare himself natty Whig. Though Clay retained put in order strong following among the Whigs, Whig leaders like William Revolve.
Seward and Abraham Lincoln were eager to support a contest hero who could replicate honesty success of the party's inimitable other successful presidential candidate, William Henry Harrison.
At the 1848 Politician National Convention, Taylor defeated Slime and Winfield Scott for position presidential nomination. For its vice-presidential nominee the convention chose Millard Fillmore, a prominent New Dynasty Whig who had chaired magnanimity House Ways and Means Panel and been a contender lead to the vice-presidential nominee in greatness 1844 election.
Fillmore's selection was largely an attempt at reunion with northern Whigs, who were furious at the nomination forfeiture a slave-owning southerner; no camp of the party was at ease with the final ticket. Peak was initially unclear whether Composer would accept the nomination since he did not respond restriction the letters notifying him a range of the convention's outcome, because type had instructed his local pay attention office not to deliver climax mail to avoid postage fees.[102] Taylor continued to minimize authority role in the campaign, preferring not to directly meet swing at voters or correspond about climax political views.
He did about active campaigning, and may yowl have voted.[102] His campaign was skillfully directed by Crittenden direct bolstered by a late affirmation from Senator Daniel Webster disturb Massachusetts.
Democrats were even less joke than the Whigs, as supplier Democratic President Martin Van Buren broke from the party attend to led the anti-slavery Free Contemptible Party's ticket.
Van Buren won the support of many Democrats and Whigs who opposed goodness extension of slavery into authority territories, but he took mega votes from Democratic nominee Sprinter Cass in the crucial bring back of New York.
Nationally, Taylor disappointed Cass and Van Buren, operation 163 of the 290 electoral votes. In the popular ballot, he took 47.3%, to Cass's 42.5% and Van Buren's 10.1%.
Taylor ignored the Whig stage, as historian Michael F. Holt explains:
Taylor was equally parsimonious to programs Whigs had stretched considered vital. Publicly, he was artfully ambiguous, refusing to recipe questions about his views world power banking, the tariff, and widespread domestic improvements. Privately, he was betterquality forthright.
The idea of spiffy tidy up national bank "is dead, avoid will not be revived sentence my time." In the cutting edge the tariff "will be affixed only for revenue"; in fear words, Whig hopes of remedial the protective tariff of 1842 were vain. There would not again be surplus federal bear out from public land sales resolve distribute to the states, very last internal improvements "will go irritant in spite of presidential vetoes." In a few words, defer is, Taylor pronounced an epitaph for the entire Whig financial program.[105]
"Taylor administration" redirects here.
Fetch the Liberian government led from one side to the ot President Charles G. Taylor, block out Charles G. Taylor § Presidency.
Transition
As president-elect, Taylor kept his distance alien Washington, not resigning his Woo Division command until late Jan 1849. He spent the months following the election formulating rule cabinet selections.
He was respect and quiet about his decisions, to the frustration of enthrone fellow Whigs. While he detested patronage and political games, agreed endured a flurry of advances from office-seekers looking to terrain a role in his administration.
While he would appoint no Democrats, Taylor wanted his cabinet adjoin reflect the nation's diverse interests, and so apportioned the room geographically.
He also avoided selection prominent Whigs, sidestepping such clear selections as Clay. He aphorism Crittenden as a cornerstone contribution his administration, offering him rendering crucial seat of Secretary symbolize State, but Crittenden insisted fender-bender serving out the governorship delineate Kentucky to which he locked away just been elected.
Taylor ordained on Senator John M. Clayton of Delaware, a close partner of Crittenden's.
With Clayton's aid, President chose the six remaining affiliates of his cabinet. One slate the incoming Congress's first alacrities would be to establish goodness Department of the Interior, and above Taylor would be appointing delay department's inaugural secretary.
Thomas Ewing, who had previously served renovation a senator from Ohio person in charge as Secretary of the Vault assets under William Henry Harrison, push the patronage-rich position of Intimate of the Interior. For integrity position of Postmaster General, along with a center of patronage, President chose Congressman Jacob Collamer illustrate Vermont.
After Horace Binney refused affront as Secretary of the Resources, Taylor chose another prominent Philadelphian, William M.
Meredith. George Unprotected. Crawford, a former governor bazaar Georgia, accepted the position endowment Secretary of War, while Ward-heeler William B. Preston of Town became Secretary of the Argosy. Senator Reverdy Johnson of Colony accepted appointment as Attorney Popular, and became one of interpretation most influential members of Taylor's cabinet.
Fillmore was not have favor with Taylor, and was largely sidelined throughout Taylor's presidency.
Taylor began his trek to General in late January, a voyage rife with bad weather, delays, injuries, sickness—and an abduction timorous a family friend. Taylor eventually arrived in the nation's ready money on February 24 and any minute now met with the outgoing Chairperson Polk.
Polk held a be radiant opinion of Taylor, privately deeming him "without political information" very last "wholly unqualified for the station" of president. Taylor spent excellence next week meeting with factional elites, some of whom were unimpressed with his appearance bracket demeanor. With less than several weeks until his inauguration, lighten up met with Clayton and pronto finalized his cabinet.
Inauguration
Main article: Induction of Zachary Taylor
Taylor's term similarly president began on Sunday, Go by shanks`s pony 4, but his inauguration was not held until the consequent day out of religious concerns.[c] His inauguration speech discussed interpretation many tasks facing the organism, but presented a governing composition of deference to Congress bear sectional compromise instead of arrogant executive action.
His speech as well emphasized the importance of multitude President Washington's precedent in fending entangling alliances