The election of 1832, Amos Kendall, and Jacksonian democracy

The Presidential election of 1832, long overlooked by historians of the "age of Jackson," may be an important key to understanding an era that continues to offer an ever widening rift of scholarly interpretations. Last fully examined in 1922, an updated consideration of this central antebellum political event is long overdue. In addition to offering a new perspective on the period, a revisionist interpretation may suggest the 1832 election worthy of more attention than it has traditionally received. The contest between Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay was politically transformative, witnessing the introduction of the third-party presidential candidacy, the national nominating convention, and the rebirth of the two-party system.;This paper will focus on the untold story of Amos Kendall and his impact on the election of 1832. Kendall left his mark on many significant aspects of the election. His suggestion to name Francis Preston Blair as editor of the new administration newspaper, the Globe, and his role in its formation would prove crucial to Jackson's reelection. Kendall also played a pivotal role in the decision to hold the Baltimore convention, the first Democratic nominating convention, in May 1832. He wrote the Bank veto message, which was not only one of the most important Presidential statements in American history, but was also the focus of much of the election. Kendall ran Jackson's 1832 campaign by editing the Extra Globe, creating the Central Hickory Club, and encouraging state and local Jackson political leaders to consolidate through organization and efficiency throughout the nation. An examination of Amos Kendall and the 1832 election offers insight into both the feats and the shortcomings of this important period of American history, suggesting both the triumphs and the failures of Jacksonian democracy.