1
Whereas, During the late War with England in 1812; and during the great political struggles of 1798—1812—1824 and 1828, the people of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Southern and Western States, a great majority of whom are now supporting
the election of Martin Van Buren, and Richard M. Johnson, and opposed to the election of Hugh L. White, were of the Democratic Party, and as the Federalists of the New England States, who are now supporting Webster for President; and opposed Madison the War President, and Democratic candidate in 1814; when the success of the war depended upon the democratic party, and opposed General Jackson in 1824, and voted against him in Congress in 1825—the People’s candidate—opposed to Executive Patronage; and as the State of South Carolina, now supporting Hugh L. White, has taken the lead in the odious measures of Nullification:
Therefore:—
Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That we deprecate as grossly unjust, the false and arrogant claims of the Webster, White, and Harrison party, to the exclusive use of the ancient and honorable name of Whig.
Resolved, That we have the most perfect confidence in the patriotism, integrity, and Democratic
Republican principles of Martin Van Buren of New York, and Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky.
Resolved, That we approve of their nomination by the Democratic Convention held at Baltimore, on the 20th of May last , and that we earnestly recommend them to our fellow citizens, as proper persons
to fill the offices of President and Vice President of the United States.2
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Resolved, That as every man, who is eligible to the office of President, has an undoubted
right to become a candidate, there is the greater necessity for the people to meet
together, and agree who they will support, in order to prevent an election by Congress; and that we deprecate as cruel and unjust the attempts which have been made, and
are now making by the Webster, White, and Harrison party, to cast opprobrium on the name of General Jackson.
Resolved, That we approve of the Democratic doctrine, as laid down by Mr. Jefferson in 1801, and by Jackson in 1829;3 and that we disapprove of the duplicity of those, who have been for the last ten
years, engaged in abusing General Jackson, now resolving that they approve of his measures in 1829.
Resolved, That we view the continued efforts of the opposition party, to divide the Jackson democratic party, and thus bring the election into the House of Representatives, as evidence that they have no hope of success by fair means, and their want of respect
for the good sense and independence of the people.
1On January 2, 1836, Calvin Tunnel introduced the preamble and resolutions in the House of Representatives. The House tabled the preamble and resolutions. On January 5, the House agreed to
take up the preamble and resolutions by a vote of 31 yeas to 30 nays, with Abraham Lincoln voting nay. John Dawson offered an amendment affirming that the preamble and resolutions were “foreign to
the duties of the Representatives of a free people--not calculated to harmonise legislation,
but to destroy its usefulness to the people whom we represent.” John Henry moved to amend the amendment by adding four resolutions that condemned political
conventions and the excesses of political parties. Dividing the question, the House
rejected the first resolution by a vote of 19 yeas to 32 nays, with Lincoln voting
yea. The House adopted the second resolution by a vote of 47 yeas to 4 nays, with
Lincoln voting yea. The House rejected the third resolution by a vote of 25 yeas
to 36 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. The House adopted the fourth resolution by
a vote of 44 yeas to 7 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. Edwin B. Webb moved to further amend the amendment by adding resolutions calling for the reduction
in the price of public lands, pre-emption rights to settlers on public lands, elimination
of the property requirement for voting, and exclusion of free blacks from the elective
franchise. The House adopted this amendment by a vote of 35 yeas to 16 nays, with
Lincoln voting yea. The House rejected the amendment as amended by a vote of 19
yeas to 32 nays, with Lincoln voting yea. On Lincoln’s motion, the House called for
a division on the question on the adoption of the original preamble and resolutions.
The House adopted the preamble by a vote of 30 yeas to 20 nays, with Lincoln voting
nay. The House adopted the first resolution by a vote of 32 yeas to 18 nays, with
Lincoln voting nay. The House adopted the second resolution by a vote of 34 yeas to
17 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The House adopted the third resolution by a vote
of 32 yeas to 19 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. Lincoln then withdrew his call for
a division of the question, and the House adopted the fourth, fifth, and sixth resolutions
by a vote of 32 yeas to 19 nays, with Lincoln voting nay. The Senate took no action on the preamble and resolutions.
Illinois House Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 2nd sess., 211-12, 233-40;
Illinois Senate Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 2nd sess., 175-76.
2Whigs nationwide condemned the Democratic National Convention as an example of “the excesses of party,” and lauded their own failure to organize
a convention as proof that they, unlike the Democrats, valued the interests of the people and democratic principles of government over
party loyalty.
Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), 486.
Printed Transcription, 2 page(s), Journal of the House of Representatives, at the Second Session of the Ninth General Assembly, of the State of Illinois (Vandalia, IL: J. Y. Sawyer, 1835), 211-12