Section #1 - The Congressmen Who Built Then Broke The Union
Chapter 51: The Whig’s General Zachary Taylor is elected President in 1848.
The Democrat’s plan for 1848 vanishes when James Polk declines to run for re-election. He is exhausted after winning the war, securing his Independent Treasury and passing Treasury Secretary Robert Walker’s reduction in tariff rates and will die a little over three months after leaving the White House.
This opens the door for the Whigs who nominate their second war hero in General Zachary Taylor, despite his lack of declared affiliation to the party.
The Democrats counter with Michigan Senator Lewis Cass who, along with Stephen A. Douglass, touts “Popular Sovereignty” elections in all new territories, thus allowing settlers to select between a Free or Slave State option.
But Taylor’s popularity carries the day with a solid win over Cass and Free Soiler, Van Buren.
The Presidential Election of 1848
| Popular Votes | Zachary Taylor | Lewis Cass | Martin Van Buren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 1,361,396 | 1,223,460 | 291,501 |
| % of total | 47.30% | 42.50% | 10.10% |
| Electoral Votes | |||
| Number | 163 | 127 | 0 |
| % of total | 55.80% | 44.20% | 0 |