The Democratic Republican Party in the first Monroe Administration
The Democratic Republican Party made sweeping gains during Monroe's first administration. In the elections of 1816-1817, the DRP gained 30 former Federalist seats in the U.S. House, and in the midterm elections of 1818-1819 they took an additional 12. When the 16th Congress assembled on 12/6/1819, the party breakdown in the House was DR-154, F-29, I-2. During these four years, the Federalist presence in the U.S. Senate was cut from 14 to seven.
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The Democratic Republican Party in the first Monroe Administration
The Democratic Republican Party made sweeping gains during Monroe's first administration. In the elections of 1816-1817, the DRP gained 30 former Federalist seats in the U.S. House, and in the midterm elections of 1818-1819 they took an additional 12. When the 16th Congress assembled on 12/6/1819, the party breakdown in the House was DR-154, F-29, I-2. During these four years, the Federalist presence in the U.S. Senate was cut from 14 to seven.
The Monroe administration is generally called the "Era of Good Feelings," a term coined by the Boston newspaper the Columbian Centinel to describe the lessening of partisan rancor. Monroe's cabinet, one of the most successful in US history, included SOS John Quincy Adams, who in 1818 alone signed a treaty with Great Britain to settle disputes regarding the border with Canada and issued an ultimatum to Spain annexing Florida. As the nation expanded westward with the addition of Mississippi, Illinois, and Alabama, the agricultural basis of the nation was bolstered. Meanwhile, the 1820 census showed that the presidential state of Virginia had slipped from 19% of the population in 1790 to just 11.5%.
In the spring of 1820, some members of Congress wanted to call a National Caucus. Vice President Tompkins, tired of presiding over the Senate, was running for Governor of New York state against his former Lieutenant Governor, DeWitt Clinton. Some party leaders hoped to make an alternate nomination, so Sen. Samuel Smith, who presided over the 1816 caucus, issued the call for a new caucus on 4/4/1820 (printed in that morning's edition of the National Intelligencer).
The 6th DRP National Caucus
The DR Caucus assembled in the U.S. House chamber at 7:30 on 4/8/1820. Only 40 delegates attended, with few or no delegates from the large states of VA, PA, NC, MA, and NJ. A large portion of the New York delegation attended to guard the interest of VP Tompkins [NYC Columbian, 4/12/1820].
Chairman: Hugh Nelson VA
Richard M. Johnson offered the following resolution: "It is inexpedient, at this time, to proceed to the nomination of persons for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States." His reasoning was that it was clear that President Monroe and VP Tompkins were going to be elected in the fall, regardless of Caucus action. After debate, the resolution was unanimously adopted, and the meeting adjourned sine die. [Washington Gazette, 4/10/1820]
5th Democratic Republican Caucus [1816]
7th Democratic Republican Caucus [1824]
Popular Vote of 1820
Electoral Vote of 1820
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