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The Victor and the Spoils: A Life of William L. Marcy
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438 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1959
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July 26, 2019
If you know the name of William L. Marcy chances are it will be because of Mount Marcy the highest
peak in New York State named after him. More likely it will be because of his sterling defense of
political patronage that wound him in Bartlett's. 'To the victor go the spoils he said'.
Marcy was born in 1786 to a Jeffersonian family in Massachusetts. He attended Brown University and
moved to Troy, New York which he found more congenial politically and practiced law. Marcy saw
naval service in the War Of 1812 and then entered politics.
He was a charter member of Martin Van Buren's Albany Regency and held a number of posts until
he was chosen as US Senator in 1831. But he only lasted two years there because in 1832 Van Buren
who was running for Vice President with Andrew Jackson tapped Marcy as the gubernatorial candidate
to help the national ticket. Marcy won the first of three two year terms for Governor.
His was a conservative regime devoted to economy and budget cutting. Things went south for the
Democrats during Van Buren's presidential term economically with the panic of 1837. Marcy was
defeated for governor in 1838.
When Van Buren's term was over in 1841, the loaves and fishes of patronage disappeared and a lot
of the men whom he raised to glory like Marcy started charting their own courses. Throughout
his life Marcy did not like slavery, but was careful not to anger southern interests as they might
kill his chances for the White House. He was thinking in those terms when his former boss Van
Buren could not get renominated in 1844.
Marcy became Secretary of War in Polk's cabinet and in time for the Mexican War. The unbelievable massive incompetence of the Mexican military made us win that one. Marcy was
caught in the middle between Polk and Polk's political machinations involving the two commanding generals Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor.
After Polk's term was up Marcy started laying the ground work for a presidential run of his own in
1852. But he was wounded at the starting gate because New York Democrats did not unite behind
him. Dark horse Franklin Pierce won the nomination and election and Marcy became Secretary of
State.
Marcy's involvement in foreign affairs kept him generally away from the slavery issue. Indirectly
as we tried to acquire Cuba it was southern interests that wanted that. They also warmly approved
of the Gadsden purchase where Marcy sent James Gadsden to Mexico to purchase some land that
would be the southern third of Arizona below the Gila River and a southwest corner of New Mexico.
It was for a proposed southern transcontinental railroad. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis was
involved in that one as well.
Marcy as a result of Commodore Perry's voyage to open up Japan got a treaty going with the
Japanese government where we got limited access to two ports and the right to send a consul
there who was New York Democrat and merchant Townsend Harris. Marcy also had to deal with
the British in what is now Belize and a Central American canal which was years in the future as
it turned out. The filibustering expedition of William Walker occurred in Nicaragua bringing
criticism to the Pierce administration foreign and domestic.
The British also got themselves caught up in controversy as their minister was caught trying to recruit Americans for their Crimean War. Marcy dealt with all of these problems in a creditable
manner.
Although he was 71 years old when he left office, Marcy actually was thinking in terms of an 1860
run for president. But he died in July of 1857 rather suddenly.
Marcy was far from alone in missing the moral significance of the slavery issue. He had a decent
and creditable career and as Secretary of State was one of the better ones. But he was a spoilsman
politician and that is how he will forever be identified.
peak in New York State named after him. More likely it will be because of his sterling defense of
political patronage that wound him in Bartlett's. 'To the victor go the spoils he said'.
Marcy was born in 1786 to a Jeffersonian family in Massachusetts. He attended Brown University and
moved to Troy, New York which he found more congenial politically and practiced law. Marcy saw
naval service in the War Of 1812 and then entered politics.
He was a charter member of Martin Van Buren's Albany Regency and held a number of posts until
he was chosen as US Senator in 1831. But he only lasted two years there because in 1832 Van Buren
who was running for Vice President with Andrew Jackson tapped Marcy as the gubernatorial candidate
to help the national ticket. Marcy won the first of three two year terms for Governor.
His was a conservative regime devoted to economy and budget cutting. Things went south for the
Democrats during Van Buren's presidential term economically with the panic of 1837. Marcy was
defeated for governor in 1838.
When Van Buren's term was over in 1841, the loaves and fishes of patronage disappeared and a lot
of the men whom he raised to glory like Marcy started charting their own courses. Throughout
his life Marcy did not like slavery, but was careful not to anger southern interests as they might
kill his chances for the White House. He was thinking in those terms when his former boss Van
Buren could not get renominated in 1844.
Marcy became Secretary of War in Polk's cabinet and in time for the Mexican War. The unbelievable massive incompetence of the Mexican military made us win that one. Marcy was
caught in the middle between Polk and Polk's political machinations involving the two commanding generals Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor.
After Polk's term was up Marcy started laying the ground work for a presidential run of his own in
1852. But he was wounded at the starting gate because New York Democrats did not unite behind
him. Dark horse Franklin Pierce won the nomination and election and Marcy became Secretary of
State.
Marcy's involvement in foreign affairs kept him generally away from the slavery issue. Indirectly
as we tried to acquire Cuba it was southern interests that wanted that. They also warmly approved
of the Gadsden purchase where Marcy sent James Gadsden to Mexico to purchase some land that
would be the southern third of Arizona below the Gila River and a southwest corner of New Mexico.
It was for a proposed southern transcontinental railroad. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis was
involved in that one as well.
Marcy as a result of Commodore Perry's voyage to open up Japan got a treaty going with the
Japanese government where we got limited access to two ports and the right to send a consul
there who was New York Democrat and merchant Townsend Harris. Marcy also had to deal with
the British in what is now Belize and a Central American canal which was years in the future as
it turned out. The filibustering expedition of William Walker occurred in Nicaragua bringing
criticism to the Pierce administration foreign and domestic.
The British also got themselves caught up in controversy as their minister was caught trying to recruit Americans for their Crimean War. Marcy dealt with all of these problems in a creditable
manner.
Although he was 71 years old when he left office, Marcy actually was thinking in terms of an 1860
run for president. But he died in July of 1857 rather suddenly.
Marcy was far from alone in missing the moral significance of the slavery issue. He had a decent
and creditable career and as Secretary of State was one of the better ones. But he was a spoilsman
politician and that is how he will forever be identified.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review