The Great Triumvirate

Clay, Calhoun, & WebsterClay, Calhoun, & Webster

• Between 1812 and 1850 had more impact on American government than any three politicians in American history.

• none were ever elected president

• they left a lasting legacy on American politics– more presidents of

their day could match.

The Great TriumvirateHenry Clay John C Calhoun

Daniel Webster

Henry Clay• Born 1777 in

Hanover County, Virginia

• Studied law in Richmond

• Joined the Bar in 1797 and moved to Lexington, Kentucky

Clay’s Political Career

• Nov 1806 – March 1807– appointed to U.S Senate

to fill an unexpired term, even though he was not the required age of 30.

• Jan 1810 - March 1811– Filled another unexpired

term in Senate from

• March 1811 – Jan 1814– served as Speaker of the

House

– Commissioner to negotiate treaty to end War of 1812

Clay’s Political Career• March 1815 – March 1825

– served as Speaker of the House

– created the American System and the Missouri Compromise

• 1825 - 1829 – Secretary of State for J.Q.

Adams

• 1831 – 1842 – U.S. Senate– created the compromise tariff

to end the Nullification Crisis

• 1849 – 1852 – U.S. Senate– created the Compromise of

1850

Clay for President• Election of 1824

– Democratic-Republican– places 4th

– but helps decide the election as Speaker of the House

• Election of 1832– Whig – against Jackson– supports the Bank, loses

• Election of 1844– Whig– against James K. Polk,– does not support the

annexation of Texas, loses

“I’d rather be right than president”- Henry Clay

The Great Compromiser

John C. Calhoun

• Born in 1782 in Abbeville, South Carolina

• Graduated from Yale

• Became a lawyer

Calhoun’s Political Career• 1811 – Nov. 1817

– House member

• 1817-1825 – Secretary of War for

James Monroe

• 1825 – 1829 – Vice-President for J.Q.

Adams

• 1829 – 1832 – Vice-President for

Jackson– issues Doctrine of

Nullification, resigns in Dec 1832

Calhoun’s Political Career

• 1832 – 1843 – U.S. Senate from

South Carolina

• 1844 – 1845 – Secretary of State

for Tyler

• 1845 – 1850 – U.S. Senate– Compromise of

1850• argued to support

slavery and the rights of slave holders in the debates over the, dies before the final votes on the parts of the Compromise make it law.

“In looking back, I see nothing to regret and little to correct.”

- John C. Calhoun

Champion of State’ Rights

Daniel Webster• 1782 born in Salisbury,

New Hampshire

• Graduated from Dartmouth College

• Admitted to the Bar in 1805

Webster’s Political Career

• 1813 – 1817 – Represented New Hampshire in

the U.S. House

• 1816– Moved to Boston, Massachusetts

to pursue his legal career

• 1823 – 1827 – Represented Massachusetts in

the U.S. House

• 1827 – 1841 – Represents Mass. in the Senate– spoke against nullification in the

Webster-Hayne Debates

• 1836– Runs for president as a Whig,

loses to Van Buren

• 1841 – 1843 – Secretary of State for W.H.

Harrison then Tyler,– Webster-Ashburton Treaty,

1842, settled the boundary between Maine and Canada

• 1845 – 1850 – Senate– supported the Compromise of

1850 against the wishes of his supporters

• 1850 – 1852 – Secretary of State for Fillmore– Known as one of the best

orators of his day, school children memorized parts of his speeches for generations

Webster’s Political Career

Webster and the Supreme Court

• Argued 171 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court– People packed the

courtroom to hear him when he was arguing a case

• Dartmouth College v. Woodward– made contracts more secure

• McCulloch v. Maryland– defended the Bank of the U.S.

and won

• Gibbons v. Ogden– defended Gibbons and supported

the idea that transportation is part of commerce

Defender of the Union