This seemed the only hope of
circumventing Van Buren's election. Four sectional candidates entered
the race: Webster was backed by New England; the Northwest united on
Harrison; the Southwest joined the Tennessee revolters in support of
White; Ohio had her own candidate in the person of McLean.
The plan was ingenious, but it did not work. Van Buren received 170
electoral votes against 124 in spite of his opponents. He carried
fifteen of the twenty-six States, including four in New England.
Harrison received 73 votes, White 26 (including those of Tennessee),
and Webster 14. South Carolina refused to support any of the
candidates on either side and threw away her votes on W.P. Mangum of
North Carolina. The Democrats kept control of both branches of
Congress.
Victory, therefore, rested with the Jacksonians--which means with
Jackson himself. The Democrats would have control of both the
executive and legislative branches of the Government for some years to
come; the Bank would not soon be re-chartered; the veto power would
remain intact; federal expenditure upon internal improvements had been
curbed, and the "American system" had been checked; the national debt
was discharged and revenue was superabundant; Jackson could look back
over the record of his Administrations with pride and forward to the
rule of "Little Van" with satisfaction.
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