National Republican Party

This article is about the American political party. For other uses, see National Republican Party (disambiguation).
National Republican Party
Historic leaders John Quincy Adams,
Daniel Webster,
Henry Clay
Founded 1825 (1825)
Dissolved 1833 (1833)
Split from Democratic-Republican Party
Merged into Whig Party
Ideology Jeffersonianism
National System
International affiliation None
Colors      Yellow

The National Republican Party, also known as Anti-Jacksonian Party, was a political party in the United States. During the administration of John Quincy Adams (1825–1829), the president's supporters were referred to as Adams Men or Anti-Jackson. When Andrew Jackson was elected President of the United States in 1828, this group went into opposition. The use of the term "National Republican" dates from 1830.

History

Before the elevation of John Quincy Adams to the presidency in 1825, the Democratic-Republican Party, which had been the only national American political party for over a decade, began to fracture, losing its infrastructure and identity. Its caucuses no longer met to select candidates because now they had separate interests. After the 1824 election, factions developed in support of Adams and in support of Andrew Jackson. Adams politicians, including most ex-Federalists (such as Daniel Webster and even Adams himself), would gradually evolve into the National Republican Party, and those politicians that supported Jackson would later help form the modern Democratic Party.

The ad hoc coalition that supported John Quincy Adams fell apart after his defeat for reelection in 1828. The main opposition to Jackson, the new president, was the National Republican Party, or Anti-Jacksonians created and run by Henry Clay. It shared the same nationalistic outlook as the Adamsites, and wanted to use national resources to build a strong economy. Its platform was Clay's American System of nationally financed internal improvements and a protective tariff, which would promote faster economic development. More important, by binding together the diverse interests of the different regions, the party intended to promote national unity and harmony. The National Republicans saw the Union as a corporate, organic whole. Hence the rank and file idealized Clay for his comprehensive perspective on the national interest. Conversely, they disdained those they identified as "party" politicians for pandering to local interests at the expense of the national interest.[1] The party met in national convention in late 1831 and nominated Clay for the presidency and John Sergeant for the vice presidency. The Whig Party emerged in 1833–34 after Clay's defeat as a coalition of National Republicans, along with Anti-Masons, disaffected Jacksonians, and people whose last political activity was with the Federalists a decade before. In the short term, it formed the Whig Party with the help of other smaller parties in a coalition against President Jackson and his reforms.

Election year Result Nominees
President Vice President
1828 Lost John Quincy Adams Richard Rush
1832 Lost Henry Clay John Sergeant

United States
Presidential Elections
Election year % of
votes
Winner
1828 43.7% Andrew Jackson
1832 36.9%

United States
House of Representatives
Election year # of
overall seats won
+/– Presidency
1824
109 / 213
Increase 85 John Quincy Adams
1826
100 / 213
Decrease 9
1828
73 / 213
Decrease 27 Andrew Jackson
1830
66 / 213
Decrease 6
1832
61 / 213
Decrease 5

United States
Senate
Election year # of
overall seats won
+/– Presidency
1824
22 / 48
Steady John Quincy Adams
1826
21 / 48
Decrease 1
1828
23 / 48
Increase 2 Andrew Jackson
1830
24 / 48
Increase 1
1832
26 / 48
Increase 2
1834
24 / 52
Decrease 2

See also

Notes

  1. Brown (1985), p. 20.

References

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