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A review by socraticgadfly
Henry Clay: The Essential American by David Stephen Heidler
5.0
Fantastic book - maybe the greatest politician never to be president
I knew the basics of Clay's adult political life, namely the 1824 and 1844 elections and the Compromise of 1850, but didn't know beyond that, about his 1848 bid for the presidency, nor about his larger Whig political background.
For the most part, with one notable exception the authors cover well, Clay appears to have been a man of tremendous principle even in the political ring, and that may well be, as the book shows, part of why he could never grasp that brass ring. Though a decade younger than Jackson, his dislike of Jacksonianism -- not just expanded executive power but a more populist style of campaigning -- was in part due to what Clay thought was largely unprincipled pandering. This book shows all of this by example, the examples of how Clay was unable to land either the 1848 or the 1840 Whig nomination because he wouldn't bend his scruples.
One also sees that, perhaps, early northern Whig "bosses" figured Clay was not very controllable.
Beyond that, Clay sincerely believed people could be rallied by platforms and principles, not just personalities. Though a decade younger than Jackson, he seems a decade older, or a creature apart, in such ways.
That said, he lost against Polk in 1844, and partly lost the 1848 nomination over the issue of slavery. And, while not unprincipled here, the Heidlers show he was somewhat less principled. A relatively benign slaveowner, he was nonetheless a paternalistic one who seemed to believe his slaves, at least, were happy under his ownership.
This spilled over into political life. Clay tried to finesse the slavery issue in the 1844 campaign and failed, in part due to the actions of the President without a party, John Tyler. And, in addition to being the victim of personal backstabbing, his stance on land in the Southwest, vis-a-vis slavery, was undercut by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Finally, the Heidlers spell out in detail the various tragedies of Clay's personal life over the years.
I've just skimmed the surface of reviewing a magnificent book about possibly the most pivotal person of the era of 1810-1850 in American history. His rivalry with and distrust of Daniel Webster, the twists of John Calhoun and more are all in here.
I knew the basics of Clay's adult political life, namely the 1824 and 1844 elections and the Compromise of 1850, but didn't know beyond that, about his 1848 bid for the presidency, nor about his larger Whig political background.
For the most part, with one notable exception the authors cover well, Clay appears to have been a man of tremendous principle even in the political ring, and that may well be, as the book shows, part of why he could never grasp that brass ring. Though a decade younger than Jackson, his dislike of Jacksonianism -- not just expanded executive power but a more populist style of campaigning -- was in part due to what Clay thought was largely unprincipled pandering. This book shows all of this by example, the examples of how Clay was unable to land either the 1848 or the 1840 Whig nomination because he wouldn't bend his scruples.
One also sees that, perhaps, early northern Whig "bosses" figured Clay was not very controllable.
Beyond that, Clay sincerely believed people could be rallied by platforms and principles, not just personalities. Though a decade younger than Jackson, he seems a decade older, or a creature apart, in such ways.
That said, he lost against Polk in 1844, and partly lost the 1848 nomination over the issue of slavery. And, while not unprincipled here, the Heidlers show he was somewhat less principled. A relatively benign slaveowner, he was nonetheless a paternalistic one who seemed to believe his slaves, at least, were happy under his ownership.
This spilled over into political life. Clay tried to finesse the slavery issue in the 1844 campaign and failed, in part due to the actions of the President without a party, John Tyler. And, in addition to being the victim of personal backstabbing, his stance on land in the Southwest, vis-a-vis slavery, was undercut by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Finally, the Heidlers spell out in detail the various tragedies of Clay's personal life over the years.
I've just skimmed the surface of reviewing a magnificent book about possibly the most pivotal person of the era of 1810-1850 in American history. His rivalry with and distrust of Daniel Webster, the twists of John Calhoun and more are all in here.