A Word on the Whig Party

My thoughts are turning ever more of late to the process by which the reigning Democratic-Republican Party broke up in the 1830s, with the Jacksonian Democrats on the one and the Whigs on the other.

I think I have explained in this place WHY my thoughts are turning so much to that point. But the short version is: we may be entering another Era of Good Feelings. The Democratic Party may once again have a period of dominance. I hope it is a brief period, and I hope the Whigs are more competent that the Republicans have been for a long time now.

For the curious, here are the basics:

Whig Party - Definition, Beliefs & Leaders - HISTORY

The Whig Part was born in 1834.

It lost its first national election to Martin Van Buren in 1836. But it won in its second effort, electing William Henry Harrison in 1840. Harrison goes down in the history books for two pieces of trivia: (a) shortest term as president, dead after 32 days in office, and (b) half of the only grandfather-grandson set of presidents, with Benjamin H.

My thoughts will presumably go deeper than that if I continue this focus. In the meantime, enjoy this neat photo of President William H. Harrison's grave.

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