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The Red Fox of Kinderhook

Part 8 of My Presidential Review Series

March 23, 2005 4:24:38 PM from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums


Leaving behind my favorite president, I now type of Martin Van Buren. Van Buren was the handpicked successor of Andrew Jackson. He was the first president to run against the Whig party. The third president to serve only one term, he was defeated by William Henry Harrison in 1840. He was the first former-president to run under a third-party, running under the Free-Soil Party in 1848. Van Buren served March 4, 1837 to March 3, 1841.

Two months after the inauguration of Van Buren, banks stopped converting paper money to gold and silver, touching off a nationwide panic that led to a severe economic depression that lasted until 1843. The panic was caused mainly by passage of the Specie Circular, successive crop failures, and an unfavorable balance of trade with England. 900 or so banks around the country collapsed. Van Buren blamed the banks, and sought to divorce the Treasury from private banking interests. He proposed a system of subtreasuries where federal funds could be deposited without fear of them being loaned out on easy credit and fueling another round of speculation. After a long delay in Congress, the Independent Treasury Act was passed in July 1840. It was repealed in 1841 but restored in 1846. The slump made Van Buren severely unpopular, and contributed to his loss in 1840.

Canadian insurgents had been leading a rebellion against British rule. Defeated in Toronto, they established a government-in-exile on Navy Island. Americans sympathetic to them transported supplies to the island on the steamship Caroline. In December 1837, Canadians, on order from the British, seized the Caroline, burned it, and sent it hurtling over Niagara Falls. 1 American was killed and several were injured. Van Buren was outraged and sent troops to the region, but refused to declare war and released a proclamation of neutrality. A Canadian, Alexander McLeod, was arrested in 1840 for the murder of the American but was acquitted. British-American relations, further aggravated by the Aroostook War, remained strained until the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.

The border between Canada and Maine had never been defined. Both the U.S. and Canada claimed a region of 12,000 square miles along the Aroostook River. The "war," though bloodless, started on February 1839 when Canadian officials arrested Rufus McIntire for attempting to expel Canadians from the area, on orders from Maine. Both sides massed their militia along the frontier and sought support from their governments. Van Buren again resisted cries for war and sent General Winfield Scott on a peace mission to the region. Scott arranged a truce, defusing the crisis pending the settlement of the issue by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.

Having finally won its independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas applied for statehood with the U.S. The North opposed annexation, for fear of the effect another slave state would have. The South and West supported annexation. Van Buren, who usually supported the South, sided with the North this time, for fear of deepening sectional divides in the country. Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845.

During Jackson's second term, Seminoles under Chief Osceola had gone to war against removal from Florida to the West. Van Buren was criticized for continuing Jackson's Indian policy. Seminole resistance was stamped out in 1842.

Van Buren died on July 24, 1862.

Van Buren was one of those many presidents who did little, but had one or so large decisions. Van Buren's Independent Treasury system did manage to prevent speculation from happening in large quantities again until the 1920's. Also, his decision to stay out of the Canadian rebellion despite increased tension and anti-British sentiment was commendable. But, in the end, he will be remembered as an average president during a depression.

Overall Ranking: 23

"There is a power in public opinion in this country - and I thank God for it: for it is the most honest and best of all powers - which will not tolerate an incompetent or unworthy man to hold in his weak or wicked hands in the lives and fortunes of his fellow-citizens."
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Reply #1 March 23, 2005 4:42:55 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Van Buren is one of the "Unknown" (unknown as in most people could not name him if they had to) Presidents, and based upon your article, i can see why.  However, what I did know of him, was that his tenure stunk, but it was not all his fault as you point out.

Now dont faint, but.........I think you got him pretty accurate on the ratings.

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Reply #2 March 23, 2005 4:59:24 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Van Buren is one of the "Unknown" (unknown as in most people could not name him if they had to) Presidents,


Most presidents are, sadly. Van Buren is just a starter for a solid bloc of Unknown Presidents coming up in the series.

Now dont faint, but.........I think you got him pretty accurate on the ratings.


*GASP* But...that's impossible....it's never happened before....

Well, with all the presidents I'm doing, I had to get at least 1 right, now didn't I?
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Reply #3 March 23, 2005 5:34:57 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Well, with all the presidents I'm doing, I had to get at least 1 right, now didn't I?

From your rankings so far, I suspect a lot more than one.

And yes, Van Buren to Buchanan, most are unknowns.  HOWEVER, being a Virginian, I do know about William Henry Harrison (is that a one liner?) and John Tyler, and Zach.  After all, we are the 'Mother of Presidents' Commonwealth!

I will be interested to see Harrison's ranking.  Can he even get one?  maybe dead center? After all, he did nothing bad.  And nothing good either!

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Reply #4 March 23, 2005 5:43:37 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
And yes, Van Buren to Buchanan, most are unknowns. HOWEVER, being a Virginian, I do know about William Henry Harrison (is that a one liner?) and John Tyler, and Zach. After all, we are the 'Mother of Presidents' Commonwealth!


Yes, and you are resented for it!

Seriously, who do we in New Jersey get? Woodrow Wilson? (oh wait, that's good)

will be interested to see Harrison's ranking. Can he even get one? maybe dead center? After all, he did nothing bad. And nothing good either!


Heh, you just wait and see. I might spend 5 minutes typing it up now.
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Reply #5 March 23, 2005 5:59:47 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Seriously, who do we in New Jersey get? Woodrow Wilson? (oh wait, that's good)

No you dont!  He was born in Staunton VA!  We got first dibs on him!

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Reply #6 March 23, 2005 6:02:19 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
No you dont! He was born in Staunton VA! We got first dibs on him!


What? Aw....well, if that's the way it goes, we got a claim on Cleveland!
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Reply #7 March 23, 2005 8:56:16 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
The only thing I knew about Van Buren was that he was rather scary looking. Also, there are eight letters in his name, so that makes him the eighth president!
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Reply #8 March 23, 2005 8:59:54 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
The only thing I knew about Van Buren was that he was rather scary looking.


Sadly, that is the most flattering picture I could find!

Also, there are eight letters in his name, so that makes him the eighth president!


Heh...yes, you are technically right. Like I said, we're kicking off a solid bloc of Unknown Presidents, so probably little will be known of the next few I write about.
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Reply #9 March 23, 2005 9:15:30 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
I know a ton of stuff about the "unknowns." Problem is, all the things I know are irrelevant. For example, you know Taft was fat because if you rearrange his name . . . Taft=Fatt
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Reply #10 March 23, 2005 9:17:29 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
I know a ton of stuff about the "unknowns." Problem is, all the things I know are irrelevant. For example, you know Taft was fat because if you rearrange his name . . . Taft=Fatt


I know, as you've told me numerous times before.
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Reply #11 March 23, 2005 9:25:21 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Let me redeem myself. In the article, you did not mention that Van Buren was the first president to be born in the United States after it won its independence. That is an important fact.
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Reply #12 March 23, 2005 9:27:16 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Let me redeem myself. In the article, you did not mention that Van Buren was the first president to be born in the United States after it won its independence. That is an important fact.


You are correct. You have officially redeemed yourself, and can now use the title "The Fazz" once more.
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Reply #13 March 24, 2005 7:29:58 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

What? Aw....well, if that's the way it goes, we got a claim on Cleveland!

The City?  You can have it!  I have been there, and other than having a shore on the wrong side (north), it is one of the dullest cities I have ever been to.

Oh, you mean the President!  As in the only one to win 2 non-consecutive terms, but to actually get the popular vote 3 times!  That Cleveland.

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Reply #14 March 24, 2005 6:55:10 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
The City? You can have it! I have been there, and other than having a shore on the wrong side (north), it is one of the dullest cities I have ever been to.


Oh no, that's Ohio's mess!

Oh, you mean the President! As in the only one to win 2 non-consecutive terms, but to actually get the popular vote 3 times! That Cleveland.


Yes, him. He was born in New Jersey, so he's ours.
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Reply #15 March 24, 2005 7:06:23 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Yes, him. He was born in New Jersey, so he's ours.

You got a few blogs to go before you get to him!  Where's William?

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Reply #16 March 24, 2005 7:13:52 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
You got a few blogs to go before you get to him! Where's William?


Oh, I nearly forgot! Sorry, Dr. Guy, I'll get right on it. You can expect to see it in a few minutes.
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Reply #17 March 24, 2005 7:15:13 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Yes, him. He was born in New Jersey, so he's ours.

You got a few blogs to go before you get to him!  Where's William?

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Reply #18 March 24, 2005 7:47:10 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Oh, I nearly forgot! Sorry, Dr. Guy, I'll get right on it. You can expect to see it in a few minutes.

Sorry for the split double post.  I have never seen that before!

But dont appologize.  After all, if any of them is forgettable, WHH is the one! (EXCEPT to us Virginians! Tippicanoe and Tyler too!)

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Reply #19 March 24, 2005 8:00:31 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Sorry for the split double post. I have never seen that before!


Me neither. Not quite sure how it happened either.

But dont appologize. After all, if any of them is forgettable, WHH is the one! (EXCEPT to us Virginians! Tippicanoe and Tyler too!)


Definetly. Anyway, I'm just deciding upon the quote now. He didn't really have many good ones.
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Reply #20 March 24, 2005 8:17:03 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Someone, my computer or JU is messing up.  Sorry for the double posts and my last post was:

Dont appologize, after all, everyone forgets about WHH!  Except us Virginians!  Tippicanoe and Tyler too! (wil this post as it did not before, or double post?).

You are doing a great job.

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