American Presidents Blog

Sarah's Fashions

2013-05-23T18:21:00.001-07:00

We often think about fashionable First Ladies as someone like Jackie Kennedy or Nancy Reagan. But Sarah Polk was also quite the fashionable First Lady! This article showcases her clothes and talks about her fashion - as well as she knew how to make her buck for clothes go a long way:
After their marriage in 1824 James and Sarah Polk practiced thrift, a habit that they carried into the White House, despite the high costs of frequent entertaining and maintaining proper appearances. The first lady developed dress patterns that she liked and then hired seamstresses to make them using elegant and expensive materials - velvet, satin, and silk - decorated with imported fringe, ribbons and lace. She avoided frills and preferred solid colors that flattered her exotic dark hair and olive complexion.

The article talks about Mrs. Polk's clothing choices, including her own seamstress a free black woman, and her order to Paris. Pictures of many of the dresses are included.

Andrew Jackson and the Cherokees

2013-05-22T21:20:00.002-07:00

This article talks about the long process Major Ridge and John Ross fought to save the Cherokees, but lost to Andrew Jackson. They tried every strategy and knew how to use the system, but could not get around the very stubborn Jackson:
By 1813, Ridge had seen enough of politics to understand the diplomatic advantage to be gained from joining the Tennesseans against the Red Sticks. The Cherokees might even have realized that advantage had it not been for the militia leader they fought under: Andrew Jackson.

As a boy in the 1770s, Jackson had listened to stories of Indian violence toward settlers, and with no apparent understanding of their motives, he developed prejudices that he—like many Americans of his day—held throughout his life. He routinely called Indians “savages” and people of mixed heritage “half-breeds,” and he was unshakable in his conviction that Indians should be removed from the South. When news that the Red Sticks were attacking settlers reached him in Nashville, he asked: “Is a citizen of the United States, to remain under the barbarous lash of cruel and unrelenting savages?”
In March 1814, Jackson tracked the Red Sticks to Horseshoe Bend, a peninsula formed by the Tallapoosa River in what is now Alabama, and launched a frontal assault on their breastworks. His troops might have been repulsed had the Cherokees not crossed the river and attacked from the rear. Caught between two attacking forces, the Red Sticks lost nearly 900 warriors in what proved to be the decisive battle of the war.

That day, a Cherokee named Junaluska saved Jackson from an attacker, prompting the Tennessean to declare, “As long as the sun shines and the grass grows, there shall be friendship between us.” But in the peace treaty he negotiated with the Creeks, Jackson confiscated 23 million acres of land in Alabama and Georgia—some of which belonged to the Cherokees.

The list of the methods Ross and Ridge tried are impressive and should have worked - the courts even agreed with them. Jackson did not, though, and Jackson won, albeit unfairly (yes, yes, I'm siding with them, not Jackson...I usually don't takes sides, but I'm sorry....Jackson was clearly in the wrong and this is not a stellar moment for him or the US).

General Grant in Love and War

2013-05-18T19:05:00.001-07:00

This is a neat article on Grant and his wife, Julia. The quotes from their courtships letters are a lot of fun!
As soon as he was away, Grant began writing love letters to Julia Dent. They portray a tender, sensitive and insecure young man, overly concerned that his fiancée did not share the intensity of his longing for her. She did not write as frequently as he did, causing him great despair, but when she did compose and send letters, Grant would read them over and over.

“My Dear Julia,” he wrote. “You can have but little idea of the influence you have over me Julia, even while so far away…and thus it is absent or present I am more or less governed by what I think is your will.”

One letter arrived in return with two dried flowers inside, but when Grant opened it the petals scattered in the wind. He searched the barren Mexican sands for even a single petal, but in vain. “Before I seal this I will pick a wild flower off of the Bank of the Rio Grande and send you,” he wrote. Later, from Matamoras, he wrote, “You say in your letter I must not grow tired of hearing you say how much you love me! Indeed dear Julia nothing you can say sounds sweeter…. When I lay down I think of Julia until I fall asleep hoping that before I wake I may see her in my dreams.”

New Goals...

2013-05-14T12:14:00.002-07:00

You might have noticed that my posting as been pretty sparse, which is the sign of a long semester. Over the summer, my goal is to store up ideas (which is half my problem...I'm usually brain dead by the time I try to do this!) and my goal is going to be three times a week for posting and to keep this up from now on. Wish me luck! As some of you realize (as you have sent me ideas, thanks!), you can always email me if you have suggestions!

McKinley at Antietam

2013-05-14T12:12:00.004-07:00

I was giving a tour a couple of weeks ago and someone asked me if I'd seen the McKinley marker at Antietam. Well, no, because I haven't been to Antietam (now I really want to go - we are doing DC this summer....I see a stop!), but I had to look this up!

So here's some information on McKinley in the Civil War and at Antietam:
When the Civil War broke out, 18-year-old William McKinley quit his job as a postal clerk in Poland, Ohio, and enlisted as a private in Company E, of the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Before his first year of service had ended, young McKinley was promoted to Commissary Sergeant.

On September 17, 1862, at the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day of the Civil War, Sergeant McKinley was just to the rear of the battlefield watching over the brigade’s food and supplies. The men had eaten only a scanty breakfast, and he knew that as the day wore on the Buckeyes were growing weaker.

Gathering up a hand full of stragglers, Sergeant McKinley courageously led two mule teams with wagons of rations and hot coffee into the thick of battle. Working his way over rough ground, through a hailstorm of artillery and rifle fire, he ignored repeated warnings to retreat – and continued on. He lost one team of mules to Confederate gunners, but did not return to the rear of the brigade until his fellow soldiers had been properly fed under the most adverse conditions.

For his coolness under fire, outstanding bravery, and attention to DUTY, young McKinley was that same week promoted to second lieutenant. By war’s end he was a major – and thirty years later became President of the United States.

Psychiatric Health of US Presidents

2013-05-06T20:53:00.004-07:00

A study at Duke University set out to assess the psychiatric Health of US Presidents. And they labeled many Presidents (just going to Nixon) with various mental illnesses:

After culling data from presidential biographies, Davidson was joined by Kathryn Connor, associate professor of psychiatry, and Marvin Swartz, professor and head of the social and community division of psychiatry, to analyze the information. Together, they diagnosed the commander-in-chiefs from 1776 to 1974.

According to the study, published in January in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, of the 37 presidents researched, 18 were found to suffer a mental illness of some form. Depression was the most prevalent disorder among presidents, occurring at a rate of 24 percent.

Some of them are as simple as social phobia:

Though Calvin Coolidge's hypochondria may not have had the most profound effect on affairs of state, Coolidge, Grant and Thomas Jefferson were diagnosed with social phobia by Davidson and his associates.

"Social phobia is kind of remarkable in a president. It meant he was shy and avoided social circumstances, and yet he was president," Swartz said.

Yet, this concluded that this didn't affect the country:

The study noted among its implications that no national calamities seem to have been a result of presidential mental illness.

CSPAN Mary Lincoln

2013-04-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Last Monday on CSPAN's series on Mary Lincoln. This was very sympathetic to Mary, which was enjoyable. I did learn a few things and it gives a good impression of Mary. One of the guests was very into Elizabeth Keckley, which I found a great topic.

Franklin Pierce...according to Hawthorne!

2013-04-25T20:44:00.001-07:00

Did you know that Nathaniel Hawthrone wrote a biography of Franklin Pierce? This was part of his campaign! Hawthrone and Pierce actually went to school together and hence he was supporting the presidential campaign the best way he could - with the pen.

Here's an excerpt from Chapter 5, his time in Mexico:
resisted the American advance; while the artillery of the intrenched camp played upon our troops, and shattered the very rocks over which they were to pass.

General Pierce's immediate command had never before been under such a fire of artillery. The enemy's range was a little too high, or the havoc in our ranks must have been dreadful. In the midst of this fire, General Pierce, being the only officer mounted in the brigade, leaped his horse upon an abrupt eminence, and addressed the colonels and captains of the regiments, as they passed, in a few stirring words--reminding them of the honor of their country, of the victory their steady valor would contribute to achieve. Pressing forward to the head of the column, he had nearly reached the practicable ground that lay beyond, when his horse slipped among the rocks, thrust his foot into a crevice, and fell, breaking his own leg, and crushing his rider heavily beneath him.

Pierce's mounted orderly soon came to his assistance. The general was stunned, and almost insensible. When partially recovered, he found himself suffering from severe bruises, and especially from a sprain of the left knee, which was undermost when the horse came down. The orderly assisted him to reach the shelter of a projecting rock; and as they made their way thither, a shell fell close beside them, and exploded, covering them with earth. "That was a lucky miss," said Pierce calmly. Leaving him in such shelter as the rock afforded, the orderly went in search of aid, and was fortunate to meet with Dr. Ritchie, of Virginia, who was attached to Pierce's brigade, and was following in close proximity to the advancing column. The doctor administered to him as well as the circumstances would admit. Immediately on recovering his full consciousness, General Pierce had become anxious to rejoin his troops; and now, in opposition to Dr. Ritchie's advice and remonstrances, he determined to proceed to the front.

With pain and difficulty, and leaning on his orderly's arm, he reached the battery commanded by Captain McGruder, where he found the horse of Lieutenant Johnson, who had just before received a mortal wound. In compliance with his wishes, he was assisted into the saddle; and, in answer to a remark that he would be unable to keep his seat, "Then," said the general, "you must tie me on." Whether this precaution was actually taken is a point on which authorities differ; but at, all events, with injuries so severe as would have sent almost any other man to the hospital, he rode forward into the battle.

The contest was kept up until nightfall, without forcing Valencia's intrenchment. General Pierce remained in the saddle until eleven o'clock at night. Finding himself, at nine o'clock, the senior officer in the field, he, in that capacity, withdrew the troops from their advanced position, and concentrated them. at the point where they were to pass the night. At eleven, beneath a torrent of rain, destitute of a tent or other protection, and without food or refreshment, he lay down on an ammunition wagon, but was prevented by the pain of his injuries, especially that of his wounded knee, from finding any repose. At one o'clock came orders from General Scott to put the brigade into a new position, in front of the enemy's works, preparatory to taking part in the contemplated operations of the next morning. During the night, the troops appointed for that service, under Riley, Shields, Smith, and Cadwallader, had occupied the villages and roads between Valencia's position and the city; so that, with daylight, the commanding general's scheme of the battle was ready to be carried out, as it had originally existed in his mind.

At daylight, accordingly, Valencia's entrenched camp was assaulted. General Pierce was soon in the saddle, at the head of his brigade, which retained its position in front, thus serving to attract the enemy's attention, and divert him from the true point of attack. The camp was stormed in the rear by the American troops, led on by Riley, Cadwallader, and Dimmick; and in the short space of seventeen minutes it had fallen into the hands of the assailants, together with a multitude of prisoners. The remnant of the routed enemy fled towards Churubusco. As Pierce led his brigade in pursuit, crossing the battle field, and passing through the works that had just been stormed, he found the road and adjacent fields every where strewn with the dead and dying. The pursuit was continued until one o'clock, when the foremost of the Americans arrived in front of the strong Mexican positions at Churubusco and San Antonio, where Santa Anna's army had been compelled to make a stand, and where the great conflict of the day commenced.

General Santa Anna entertained the design of withdrawing his forces towards the city. In order to intercept this movement, Pierce's brigade, with other troops, was ordered to pursue a route by which the enemy could be attacked in the rear. Colonel Noah E. Smith (a patriotic American, long resident in Mexico, whose local and topographical knowledge proved eminently serviceable) had offered to point out the road, and was sent to summon General Pierce to the presence of the commander-in-chief. When he met Pierce, near Coyacan, at the head of his brigade, the heavy fire of the batteries had commenced. "He was exceedingly thin," writes Colonel Smith, "worn down by the fatigue and pain of the day and night before, and then evidently suffering severely. Still, there was a glow in his eye, as the cannon boomed, that showed within him a spirit ready for the conflict." He rode up to General Scott, who was at this time sitting on horseback beneath a tree, near the church of Coyacan, issuing orders to different individuals of his staff. Our account of this interview is chiefly taken from the narrative of Colonel Smith, corroborated by other testimony.

The commander-in-chief had already heard of the accident that befell Pierce the day before; and as the latter approached, General Scott could not but notice the marks of pain and physical exhaustion, against which only the sturdiest constancy of will could have enabled him to bear up. "Pierce, my dear fellow," said he,--and that epithet of familiar kindness and friendship, upon the battle field, was the highest of military commendation from such a man,--"you are badly injured; you are not fit to be in your saddle." "Yes, general, I am," replied Pierce, "in a case like this." "You cannot touch your foot to the stirrup," said Scott. "One of them I can," answered Pierce. The general looked again at Pierce's almost disabled figure, and seemed on the point of taking his irrevocable resolution. "You are rash, General Pierce," said he; "we shall lose you, and we cannot spare you. It is my duty to order you back to St. Augustine." "For God's sake, general," exclaimed Pierce, "don't say that! This is the last great battle, and I must lead my brigade!" The commander-in-chief made no further remonstrance, but gave the order for Pierce to advance with his brigade.

The way lay through thick standing corn, and over marshy ground intersected with ditches, which were filled, or partially so, with water. Over some of the narrower of these Pierce leaped his horse. When the brigade had advanced about a mile, however, it found itself impeded by a ditch ten or twelve feet wide, and six or eight feet deep. It being impossible to leap it, General Pierce was lifted from his saddle, and, in some incomprehensible way, hurt as he was, contrived to wade or scramble across this obstacle, leaving his horse on the hither side. The troops were now under fire. In the excitement of the battle, he forgot his injury, and hurried forward, leading the brigade, a distance of two or three hundred yards. But the exhaustion of his frame, and particularly the anguish of his knee,--made more intolerable by such free use of it,--was greater than any strength of nerve, or any degree of mental energy, could struggle against. He fell, faint and almost insensible, within full range of the enemy's fire. It was proposed to bear him off the field; but, as some of his soldiers approached to lift him, be became aware of their purpose, and was partially revived by his determination to resist it. "No," said he, with all the strength he had left, "don't carry me off! Let me lie here!" And there he lay, under the tremendous fire of Churubusco, until the enemy, in total rout, was driven from the field.

Fillmore (and Taylor) on Slavery

2013-04-23T18:32:00.002-07:00

Millard Fillmore was a New York, but would sign one of the most notorious slavery bills ever, the Fugitive Slave Act. Fillmore and Taylor disagreed on slavery, but actually not as most would expect as Taylor was the slave owning Southern and the Fillmore the northerner:
Taylor and Fillmore disagreed on the question of slavery, but not in the manner that people might imagine. Taylor wanted the new states to be free states, while Fillmore supported slavery in those states to appease the South. Fillmore said "God knows that I detest slavery, but it is an existing evil ... and we must endure it and give it such protection as is guaranteed by the Constitution." Apparently he was personally opposed to slavery on principle, but put his principles behind his politics. The debate over the issue was wild and wooly and as Vice-President, Fillmore was responsible for presiding over the senate. During one debate, Senator Henry S. Foote of Mississippi pulled a pistol on Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri.

To expand on Taylor's views:
At the time Taylor became President, the issue of slavery in the western territories of the United States was the number one political issue of the day. Debate between extreme pro and antislavery viewpoints had become very bitter. In 1849, Taylor told the residents of California, including the Mormons around Salt Lake, and the residents of New Mexico to create state constitutions and apply for statehood in December when Congress met. He correctly predicted that these constitutions would come out against slavery in California and New Mexico. In December 1849, and January 1850, Taylor told Congress that it should allow them to become states, once their constitutions arrived in Washington D.C. He opposed attempts to develop territorial governments for the two future states, because he worried that this might increase tension between pro and antislavery activists regarding a congressional prohibition of slavery in the territories (the very thing that would occur in Kansas years later.)

The slavery issue dominated Taylor's short term. Although he owned slaves on his plantation in Louisiana, he took a moderate stance on the territorial expansion of slavery, angering fellow Southerners. He told them that if necessary to enforce the laws, he personally would lead the Army. He said that if anyone was "taken in rebellion against the Union, he would hang ... with less reluctance than he had hanged deserters and spies in Mexico." He never wavered from this position. Henry Clay then proposed a complex Compromise of 1850. Taylor died as it was being debated.

Taylor's sudden death meant that it was Fillmore who now faced the Compromise of 1850 and he strongly supported it, unlike Taylor:
Fillmore's views on the all-encompassing slavery issue were markedly different from his predecessor's, and everyone in Taylor's cabinet knew it. Days before the President's death, Fillmore had bluntly told Taylor that if the Compromise of 1850 came to a vote in the Senate, he would cast his vice presidential tie-breaking vote to pass it if necessary. The cabinet, who had barely spoken to Fillmore up to this point, saw the writing on the wall and unanimously resigned; the new President curtly accepted them all. In days, America was governed by an entirely new order. Fillmore appointed to his cabinet Whigs who shared his pro-Union, pro-compromise views.

His longtime ally Henry Clay, aged and exhausted, readied himself for a final battle in Congress. At the end of July, not one month since Taylor had helped stall the compromise, Senator Clay introduced a modified omnibus combination of bills that comprised it. Fillmore pressured Congress to consider the original bill rather than the watered-down version. The angry tone of the national debate increased. In Congress, forces for and against slavery fought over every word of the bill. Both sides chipped away at the bill's provisions, and support for it collapsed, much to Fillmore's deep disappointment. Clay, wasted by the struggle, left Washington, D.C.

A new player, from the opposing party, entered the fray. Stephen Douglas, age thirty-seven, had headed the committee charged with partitioning new American territories while serving in the House. Elected to the Senate in 1847, he now headed its Committee on Territories.

Instead of fighting one great battle, Douglas would fight five smaller ones. The compromise was reworked into a quintet of bills, with each having just enough support from one section of the country or another to assure passage. One by one, the bills squeaked through Congress. As a result, Texas settled its border dispute with New Mexico and received $10 million from the United States as compensation for conceding territories. California gained statehood as a free state. New Mexico and Utah were granted territorial status, without specifying any policy on slavery for either, affirming the principle of popular sovereignty in deciding the issue (i.e., local determination). The Fugitive Slave Law, which would later provoke rancorous debate, occasioned almost no debate in the Senate or the House and passed with surprising ease. The final bill involved the nation's capital itself. Slave trading, but not slavery itself, became illegal in the District of Columbia. Congress worked well into the fall, in its longest session to date. Fillmore signed the bills, considering their passage a triumph of interparty cooperation that had kept the Union intact.

Catching up CSPAN

2013-04-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Mary Lincoln, as I realize many of you are interested in her, so make sure to tune in on CSPAN. I thought I'd catch up here. I watched the two episodes that I haven't posted on yet the Polk/Taylor/Fillmore and then Pierce/Buchanan.

Sarah Polk
You all know I love Sarah. I did get a FB question on this episode, so I was very happy! I overall liked how they talked about her, but I am left wondering again why they choose who they did. It seems that their first, second, third, fourth, etc. choices turned them down and so they picked whoever would say yes. The law guy they had on Polk just left me wondering. I did enjoy seeing the two sparring over the Mexican War! I also really enjoyed the information on her frugality. The information on her dresses was a lot of fun! I have been to Columbia, TN, to see the Polk Museum, so I was glad to see that on here.

Margaret Taylor
There wasn't much here, as expected, they mentioned what I knew, that she was well educated, just didn't take part in much of politics. I was rather annoyed they never even named her daughter, Betty Bliss Taylor, who did her entertaining. They mentioned a daughter, but that was it. They talked about Varina Davis instead! Granted, neat link, but still...let's talk about Betty!

Abigail Fillmore
I actually learned a lot here and really enjoyed learning about how they really rose through the ranks. I liked how they talked about how they changed religions as they "moved" up. Really interesting! Their education was very broad and Abigail was very interested in it, they really talked about that, which was great.

Jane Pierce
So Ann Covell wrote a book on Jane Pierce (which seriously, I didn't realize anyone cared enough), but she does NOT come across well on TV. I could barely make it through this episode and she was most of the reason. This was mostly about all that was wrong with her and how depressed she was. They also barely mentioned the alcoholism. This could have SO been shorter (and so given more time to Sarah Polk by putting say Abigail Fillmore here....Sarah deserved her own episode, just saying!).

Harriet Lane
So Ann Covell stuck around, but we also got Feather Schwartz Foster, who was much less aggravating. I got another FB question up here! They mostly talked about her charm, youth, and fun in the White House. Foster actually seemed to think Buchanan was good at some things, which surprised me as Buchanan usually is seen as a complete failure, but this was definitely a different side, really just looking at entertaining, which Harriet really kept going for him. They didn't mention the rumors of being gay, although they talked about his broken romance.

Polk and Mexican War

2013-04-19T12:49:00.006-07:00

I have yet to post on the Sarah Polk episode on CSPAN (hopefully this weekend, I will get caught up...), but the two guests were sparring over Polk and the Mexican War. You could tell the two guests (Conover Hunt and Paul Finkelman) did NOT agree on the Mexican War. Finkelman saw it as a unwarranted aggression well Hunt was more of the opinion, it was done, probably necessary to our success as a country. So anyway here's some information on the war, so you can make your own opinion!

Here is some background information:
What Polk wanted was to push Mexico into negotiating with the United States, and he was willing to create a threat of war to do this. If he had to fight, he wanted a short war and a quick victory. He never expected a long-drawn-out war. The Army was not ready for war and had never fought so far from home before. The country was divided. So Polk was taking a considerable risk in his bold stand toward Mexico.

Negotiations might have been possible if Polk had tried a different approach. Mexico had refused to recognize either the independence of Texas or its annexation by the United States, and when annexation occurred, broke relations and withdrew its minster from Washington. Polk rightly believed that he had to restore diplomatic relations, so he sent a special temporary envoy to Mexico. The Mexicans expected that envoy, John Slidell, would offer an indemnity to settle the Texas question, after which Mexico would receive him or someone else as permanent minister. Instead Polk made Slidell permanent minister and instructed him to open negotiations for the sale of California, ignoring Texas completely.

This did not suit the Mexicans at all. If they started by making a concession on Slidell’s status they would probably never get any settlement on Texas. Also Polk had backed up Slidell by sending troops to the Rio Grande, which Texans claimed was their proper boundary. The Mexican president, José Herrera, was newly in office and not very powerful. He did not dare receive Slidell for fear of being overthrown, as the opposition press was accusing him of planning to betray the country by selling Texas. Since he could not be received, Slidell left Mexico City for a town a few miles away, and Herrera sent troops to the Rio Grande to confront the Americans. Matters had reached an impasse.

Polk now needed an excuse to declare war, expecting at the most to fight a few skirmishes on the Rio Grande and then start negotiating. The Mexicans gave him the excuse he needed. The general commanding their troops on the Rio Grande sent a force across the river, and it ambushed a detachment of Americans and killed or captured all of them. The American general, Zachary Taylor, reported this action as a Mexican attack and concluded: "I presume this means the beginning of war." Polk and his cabinet prepared a declaration of war. Congress, badly divided between war and peace, had to support American soldiers under attack and voted to send supplies and reinforcements, whereupon Polk’s Democratic supporters convinced them that they might as well declare war altogether.

But Polk still did not expect the Mexicans to put up much of a fight. When his brother in Europe learned of what had happened, he wanted to come home and enlist, but Polk told him not to, as the war would soon be over.

The treaty itself was done after Polk recalled the diplomat:
With Mexico's capital in American hands, Polk sent diplomat Nicholas Trist to negotiate the terms of Mexican surrender with yet another new government, this one having overthrown Santa Anna after his loss of Mexico City. Expansionist fever at home in his own party pressured Polk to wring every possible concession from Mexico. Some even called for the annexation of "All Mexico," although all Polk really wanted was California. Trist resisted Polk's instructions, however, and so the President recalled him. In spite of this, the diplomat continued to negotiate with Mexico, and on February 2, 1848, he signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which authorized U.S. payment of $15 million for California and New Mexico, and named the Rio Grande as the Texas border.

With the treaty in hand, Polk wisely decided to submit it to the Senate. After a short debate, the Senate approved the treaty on March 10, 1848, by a vote of thirty-eight to fourteen. Half of the opposition came from Democrats who wanted more Mexican territory, and half from Whigs who wanted none at all. Mexico, in what was called the Mexican Cession, ceded over one-third of its territory to the United States, increasing the latter's size by one-fourth. This Mexican Cession now contains the present-day states of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, much of New Mexico, and portions of Wyoming and Colorado. Just before leaving office, Polk created the Department of the Interior in an effort to help organize and administer these vast new western lands.

Thinking of Boston.....

2013-04-15T20:59:00.002-07:00

In honor of Boston, here's a post from the JFK Library. I saw this quote today and just loved it:
He read in the strangest way . . . He'd read walking, he'd read at the table, at meals, he'd read after dinner, he'd read in the bathtub . . . He really read all the times you don't think you have time to read. . . . He was always reading—practically while driving a car.

You can see a list of some of the books the President owned as well. And one the house on Bowdoin Street - this is neat because it is a list of whatever books were in the house, including things like insurance annuals! There is then a list of books considered Kennedy's favorites. The one on John Quincy Adams amused me - I wonder if he'd compare himself to Adams at all? Seems an odd comparison to me.....

Hail to the Chief

2013-04-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Where did the use of this song for the President come from? In the CSPAN series, both Julia Tyler and Sarah Polk are credited with its first use and while it probably doesn't matter who gets credit (the historians on the Polk episode pretty much said "who cares?"), its history is still interesting. I found this article on its history from the Library of Congress and it discusses the different aspects of the two women's use of the song:
It was Julia Tyler, the wife of President John Tyler, who first requested that "Hail to the Chief" be played specifically to announce the President's arrival on official occasions. The tune was included in certain nineteenth century musical instruction books and the future First Lady, Sarah Childress Polk, studied it as a young woman. It was played at her husband James Polk's inauguration but she, perhaps more than others, ritualized its use. As the historian William Seale stated,

Polk was not an impressive figure, so some announcement was necessary to avoid the embarrassment of his entering a crowded room unnoticed. At large affairs the band...rolled the drums as they played the march...and a way was cleared for the President.

The song was actually even used earlier for Presidents as well:
"Hail to the Chief" was first associated with a Chief Executive on February 22, 1815, when it was played (under the title "Wreaths for the Chieftain") to honor both the belated George Washington and the end of the War of 1812. Andrew Jackson was the first living president to be personally honored by "Hail to the Chief," on January 9, 1829. The tune was among a number of pieces played for Martin Van Buren's inauguration ceremony on March 4, 1837, and for social occasions during his administration.

Harrison and the Tyler Wives

2013-04-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

The First Ladies episode from the week before last covered Anna Harrison and the two Tyler wives. There was actually more than I expected on Anna Harrison. For instance, I didn't know she actually lived with her son and so her grandson, Benjamin Harrison, for awhile.

On the Tylers, they covered both wives, which was nice. Julia got a little more coverage, but both were well done. I really liked that they had interviews with Tyler's living grandson, Harrison Tyler, and his wife. They told some neat family stories. I really liked Dr. Edna Medford, one of the historical experts. She really shared my opinion on John Tyler and the slavery issue (go back and read on my post on John Tyler). They had a lot of letters from Julia Tyler as well as her opinion of her influence, which they saw as more in her mind. They brought out what I already knew, which was that she came from a slave holding background herself. This was a good solid episode, with a lot of great information and sources.

First Ladies

2013-04-08T18:19:00.001-07:00

I was out of town last week and so it has been crazy here with Easter just passing. I had made a goal that I wanted one of my questions from Facebook to make the FL CSPAN series and so far I have gotten two of them up! Hopefully, you have been watching and caught that! I actually just realized, as I don't usually get to watch live (Mondays are grading days....I should be grading right now actually!) and so have been catching up. So these are my thoughts on the next two in the series, which were Elizabeth Monroe/Louisa Adams and then Rachael Jackson/Hannah Van Buren

Elizabeth Monroe/Louisa Adams
So I get that someone like Martha Jefferson really doesn't need 90 minutes, but I totally think Louisa Adams did!!! CSPAN, pick better who you are short-changing! There wasn't a lot of documentary evidence on Elizabeth Monroe, hence the issue with her (the opposite is true of Louisa, who we have a ton on, as we do on all the Adams'). loved the picture of her heading out – still a teenager – newly married to move to Virginia from New York, 7 months pregnant. I think that really shows the strength we might not see otherwise!

To start with, I love Louisa. I was really glad to see they really highlighted her letters and her wit. I really think they did a great job of showcasing what a great person she was and so much more than we usually see! I loved the researcher they brought in from the MHS, Amanda Mathews. She talks about the Adams the way I do – as if I was sitting next to them! I thought that was a great addition to this part. Richard Norton Smith seems to agree with me that JQA would have been a prig to live with, but Amanda Mathews seemed to see more in their relationship. I always enjoy new opinions. The good news, to me at least, is they are published Louisa's work in a trade edition.

Rachel Jackson/Hannah Van Buren

The story of Rachel Jackson always plays well because it is such a tragedy/love story. I did really like how this played up how her being divorced was because she had the backing of her family. The class issue discussion was also great and really that distinction between the westerners and the easterners, which most of us wouldn't notice today, but was a big deal at the time. I liked the inclusion of Emily Donelson inclusion in Eaton affair and how that was used to really showcase Jackson's personality, but I thought way too much time was on the Eaton affair and not enough on Emily herself or her successor, Sarah Yorke Jackson (who I'm not even sure they mentioned more than in passing!). So I was a little annoyed at that.

There was really nothing Hannah Van Buren, which was to expected due to her dying so early (the quote from a son asking his father what his mother's name was sad and revealing!). I did like all the information on Angelica Van Buren and while I knew a lot, I also learned a lot here as well. There was much more on her personal life and background than I knew before, so I was excited about that.

General Pierce

2013-04-03T20:49:00.003-07:00

I am currently at an online conference and one of the sessions I went to involved digital copyright. The speaker brought up a lot of websites that are pretty much all free access, like the Library of Congress. So, of course, I had to start browsing through American Memory (because you just must...) and found this picture of General Franklin Pierce during the Mexican-American War. So that led me to bring you some information about Pierce's service:
Aware of the positive effect of military service on his father's political success, Franklin Pierce saw an opportunity in the Mexican-American War. He helped enlist men into the New Hampshire Volunteers and was himself a private. Using his connections, he appealed to President James Polk for a commission. The President repaid Pierce's old campaign favors. By the time the force sailed for the Mexican shores of Veracruz in mid-1847, Pierce was a brigadier general commanding over two thousand men, though he had no military experience whatsoever....

In August, the army won two battles against Mexican forces southwest of Mexico City. Unfortunately, the war soon proved less than kind to the inexperienced Brigadier General Pierce. At the Battle of Contreras on August 19, his horse stumbled. Pierce was thrown onto the pommel of his saddle and fell off his horse, crushing his leg. He passed out from the pain and some of the men under his command began to break ranks and flee. The injured Pierce was able to ride again within a month but he arrived too late to participate in decisive victory at the Battle of Chapultepec in September 1847. Some soldiers, perhaps resentful of a political general like Pierce, began referring to him behind his back as "Fainting Frank." The unfair allegations later followed him into presidential politics. Pierce returned home to New Hampshire at war's end. His résumé now included a war record and the title "Brigadier General Franklin Pierce."

The Eaton Affair

2013-03-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

So what was the Eaton affair?
Jackson and Eaton had known each other since the days when they both served as senators from Tennessee and had roomed at the same boarding house in Washington, D.C. Eaton was in love with Margaret O'Neal Timberlake, the daughter of the boardinghouse owner, who lived there at the time. A beautiful and flirtatious young woman, she was smart and outspoken. Far from home and family, the gentlemen at the boardinghouse - many of them senators and congressmen - found her beguiling. She would later say, "I was always their pet." At the time Margaret met John, she was married, with her husband often away. Many said her relationship with Eaton was scandalous. Margaret and Eaton described it as a friendship. When Margaret's husband died under suspicious circumstances, the gossips claimed that he had committed suicide over the unfaithfulness of his wife. Just after Jackson's election in 1828, Eaton came to ask Jackson's advice on his decision to marry Margaret, despite the rumors. Jackson told him, "If you love Margaret Timberlake go and marry her at once and shut their mouths."

Jackson wanted to appoint John Eaton secretary of war in his new administration. Some of Jackson's supporters begged him not to do so, citing the inevitable social and political fallout associated with Mrs. Eaton. Jackson explained that, "When I mature my course, I am immovable," and refused to back down. He told his critics, "Do you suppose that I have been sent here by the people to consult the ladies of Washington as to the proper persons to compose my cabinet?" Once his cabinet was in place, Jackson insisted that its members force their wives to receive Margaret Eaton socially, something the wives steadfastly refused to do. One day, when John Eaton was absent, Jackson called a cabinet meeting for the express purpose of defending Margaret's honor, presenting evidence of her morality. The lecture did not achieve the desired results. At the annual cabinet dinner, all wives, except Margaret Eaton, found reasons to stay away. The most adamant was Floride Calhoun, Vice President John Calhoun's wife. Calhoun had seemed to be the man in line to become Jackson's handpicked successor at the end of his term. Yet Jackson's anger at Calhoun's inability to control his wife led to a breach in the relationship and emphasized other irreconcilable differences between the two men on personal and political issues.

The so-called "Petticoat War" raged on, and began to erode the energy and focus of Jackson's cabinet. Only Secretary of State Martin Van Buren, being a man with presidential ambitions of his own, sided with Jackson. Van Buren, a widow, was not in the same position as the other cabinet members. Furthermore, he saw that the Democratic Party was being damaged by this whole affair, and perhaps recognized that his own political career might be enhanced if he could mend the rift. Knowing that Jackson would not ask Eaton to resign, he convinced Eaton to do so on his own. Then Van Buren resigned. Other cabinet members followed suit, at Jackson's request, thus allowing him the opportunity to be rid of all involved in the controversy, and start afresh.

Washingtonians were amazed and wondered what it all meant. Questions abounded. The Senate had confirmed all of these cabinet officers. By demanding that they resign, did Jackson intend to end the Senate's role and set up a dictatorship? Did Mrs. Eaton's efforts to gain legitimacy in Washington society symbolize the democratizing influences of Jackson, and, if so, wasn't it a dangerous trend? Eventually the displaced cabinet members and others wrote letters to the editors of prominent newspapers, claiming that Mrs. Eaton was influencing presidential patronage. To hear them tell it, she was controlling every government appointment Jackson made, a charge that proved unfounded. Jackson was undeterred by their complaints: the cabinet acted as an advisory body to the president, he said, and the task required harmony. When harmony did not exist - some said harmony meant compliance with Jackson's views - it was time for a change.

This site also has some primary sources from the era, which I think are so much fun and great classroom materials! Here is one of the excerpts:
In a letter written to Mrs. Boyd in the spring of 1829, Mrs. Smith expressed her opinions about Jackson's new cabinet, and once again brought up the subject of Mrs. Eaton.

. . . . you wish for a description of the Inauguration, and for some account of the new Cabinet, of the President and his family. On these topics I have but little to say. Bayard will transmit to Sister Jane and she to you, my last long letter to him, containing a full account of that grand spectacle, for such it was, without the aid of splendid forms or costumes. Of the Cabinet, I can only say the President's enemies are delighted and his friends grieved. It is supposed wholly inefficient, and even Van Buren, altho' a profound politician is not supposed to be an able statesman, or to possess qualifications for the place assigned him. Yet on him, all rests. Mr. Ingham, is the only member with whom we are personally acquainted, -- him we have known long and well. He is a good man, of unimpeachable and unbending integrity. But no one imagines him possessed of that comprehensiveness and grasp of mind, requisite for the duties of his new office. He will be faithful, this, no one doubts. Whether he will be capable, experience only can show. Of the others, we know absolutely nothing, the people know nothing, and of course can feel little confidence. As for the new Lady [Mrs. Eaton], Elizabeth enquires of after a thousand rumours and much tittle-tattle and gosip and prophesyings and apprehensions, public opinion ever just and impartial, seems to have triumphed over personal feelings and intrigues and finally doomed her to continue in her pristine lowly condition. A stand, a noble stand, I may say, since it is a stand taken against power and favoritism, has been made by the ladies of Washington, and not even the President's wishes, in favour of his dearest, personal friend, can influence them to violate the respect due to virtue, by visiting one, who has left her strait and narrow path. With the exception of two or three timid and rather insignificant personages, who trembled for their husband's offices, not a lady has visited her, and so far from being inducted into the President's house, she is, I am told scarcely noticed by the females of his family.

On the Inauguration day, when they went in company with the Vice-President's lady, the lady of the Secretary of the Treasury and those of two distinguished Jacksonian Senators, [Robert] Hayne and [Edward] Livingston, this New Lady never approached the party, either in the Senate chamber, at the President's house, where by the President's express request, they went to receive the company, nor at night at the Inaugural Ball. On these three public occasions she was left alone, and kept at a respectful distance from these virtuous and distinguished women, with the sole exception of a seat at the supper-table, where, however, notwithstanding her proximity, she was not spoken to by them. These are facts you may rely on, not rumours--facts, greatly to the honor of our sex. When you see Miss Morris, she will give you details, which it would not be proper to commit to writing. She and I have become very social and intimate and have seen each other often. I hope she will call on you and talk over Washington affairs. Dear Mrs. Porter, her departure cost me some bitter tears. And so did good Mrs. Clay's. Mrs. Ingham professes a desire to be very social with me, "the oldest friend," as she says her husband has in the city, but a friend of 18 years is a thing I shall never make now, it is too late in the day. We visited the President and his family a few days since, in the big house. Mr. Smith introduced us and asked for the General. Our names were sent in and he joined the ladies in the drawing-room. I shall like him if ever I know him, I am sure,--so simple, frank, friendly. He looks bowed down with grief as well as age and that idea excited my sympathy, his pew in church is behind ours, his manner is humble and reverent and most attentive.

Dolley and Martha

2013-03-21T12:21:00.001-07:00

The third episode covered Martha Jefferson and Dolley Madison. I saw they had Martha J. listed and I was wondering what they were going to talk about for 90 minutes, so I think putting her with Dolley (given Dolley often did hostessing for Jefferson) was a good idea. I would have liked a little more on her and her daughters (who also did hostessing duty for Jefferson) than they had though. This was really all Dolley with 5 minutes on Martha J. I think they could have spent more time on her life as well as her daughter's and how they came to help their father in Washington. So that was disappointing.

Most of the information on Dolley I already knew - most of what I didn't was early information. What I did find fascinating was the question someone asked about her letter to her sister as she was fleeing DC from the British and how we don't actually have that letter (she told someone about it and it was only quoted in an early biography) and the question of if Dolley "edited" history a bit. They mentioned an article in the documentary on this that I have going to ILL and then I'll post here on what it says. So you can look forward to that!

Most Irish

2013-03-20T20:54:00.003-07:00

Sorry, I meant to get this up on Monday! Unfortunately I'm "breaking" in a new computer and can't seem to catch up!

So who did you think of when you thought Irish? Kennedy, right? No, that's not the answer....and I got this right! It is Andrew Jackson! Why Jackson? Well, here's the answer:
Old Hickory was a founder of the modern Democratic Party and a fierce supporter of individual rights (except for native Americans). He is the only president whose parents were both born in Ireland. They left County Antrim for the New World in 1765, two years before Andrew was born.

There are arguments actually that Jackson was actually born at sea!

Pop Quiz!

2013-03-17T20:59:00.002-07:00

Here's your St. Patrick's Day pop quiz - who was the "most Irish" president? It is NOT your first thought! I'll post the answer with information tomorrow!

Abigail

2013-03-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

So the next installment of this First Ladies series that CSPAN is doing was Abigail Adams. First, you'll notice you can watch this if you missed it (I'm DVRing them all...expect a weekly post on my commentary....) and you will notice how much cool stuff there is on this site - a great teaching resource! Also you can "watch" ahead, but the program is live on Mondays...so I'm guessing the ones after Abigail aren't finished yet. Just what they already have (the taped bits from historical sites they visit).

So my comments on this. I know a boatload about Abigail Adams (probably high on my list of favorites and the ones I know the best) and have read a lot of biographies of her and John Adams (my latest was First Family). While there was a lot of good information on this, I didn't really learn anything new where I had from the Martha episode. I also found Edith Gelles to be very defensive of Abigail and almost too quick to jump to her defense. Abigail was an awesome person and deserves great respect, but she was a human and had faults - that's okay, in my opinion. Gelles seemed to want to gloss over anything that might make Abigail look bad and really pushed that. One of her big issues were the commentary on Abigail as a mother. Was a Abigail a bad mother? I don't think so, but she was also wasn't a perfect mother, and I think Gelles almost wanted the viewers to believe that. Early in the show, she really glosses over the alcohol problems of Charles, but they do go back to that talk about how it was an issue in the family. I found the other panelist. Jim Taylor, to be less biased, but he also is obviously more of an Abigail and John historian whereas Gelles is an Abigail historian.

I also felt they needed another 90 minutes as much of the information was too brief, but very good as teaching tool.

Jefferson on the Budget

2013-03-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

This article drew me in because Jefferson died horribly in debt and was not well known for his ability to keep a personal budget, but this is about how he helped to reduce the American deficit while in office.

Here is some information on his work to reduce it by a third:
Jefferson understood that debt was necessary to pay for war and to invest in the public good, but he believed that “neither the representatives of a nation, nor the whole nation itself, assembled can validly engage debts beyond what they may pay in their own time....” That was a generation, according to Jefferson, and his debt reduction plan, devised by his Secretary of Treasury Albert Gallatin, was to eliminate the debt he inherited in sixteen years.
It was a formidable task. When Jefferson came into the presidency in 1800, the country was $83 million in debt, most of it from the Revolutionary War. He started his attack by doing what most Republican deficit-hawks today suggest: he went after the federal civilian bureaucracy. “We are hunting out and abolishing multitudes of useless offices,” he proudly wrote his son-in-law, “striking off jobs, lopping them down silently.”

The problem was that the civilian government was more muscle than lard, including only 130 employees. Gallatin explained to Jefferson that while cutting civilian jobs saved thousands of dollars, they could save hundreds of thousands more if they followed federal expenditures, which mostly went to the military.

Caroline Kennedy Dolls

2013-03-05T20:32:00.002-08:00

This is a neat write up on an old exhibit at the JFK Library that featured Caroline Kennedy's doll collection. Here are some fun facts about her collection:
•A Peruvian mother-and-child doll from the First Lady of Peru, Senora de Prado, wife of President Manuel Prado

•Clay dolls depicting Indian women dressed in brightly colored saris from the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi

•A Monegasque palace guard from Princess Grace of Monaco

•An African doll in a colorful print costume with matching turban from Ivory Coast President Felix Houphouet-Boigny

•Eighteen dolls representing Mexico’s diverse regions from the First Lady of Mexico, Ave Lopez Mateos

•An Italian Lenci doll in traditional costume from the Prime Minister of Italy, Amintore Fanfani

•Two dolls in traditional French costumes and a playhouse from the wife of the President of France Charles de Gaulle

•A Norwegian boy and girl in festive attire from Norwegian Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen

•An Indonesian doll from President Sukarno of Indonesia

Martha: A New Series

2013-03-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

C-SPAN is a doing a documentary series on the First Ladies and the first one, on Martha Washington, was recently aired. I actually watched it online as you can as well. I was impressed with this, as it was 90 minutes and very in depth. They had two historians (of which one of their books is sitting on my own shelf) talking to the interviewer. They did a lot of on location shots, talking to historical sites, like Mt. Vernon or places with the capital while it was in Philadelphia. For me, the on site pieces, got a little long, but I also get the valuable added ambiance they add, plus they are great advertisement for the sites (I'm a historical site junkie, you don't need to sell me!). I definitely recommend watching this episode and I plan to watch the rest of the series (just set my DVR!).

Lincoln World Tour

2013-02-27T11:35:00.002-08:00

The state of Illinois sent Lincoln on a world tour this February in honor of his birthday and the new movie. The pictures of "Abe" in London are cute, so enjoy!