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Samuel L. Southard: Jeffersonian Whig
This book is the first full-length biography of one of New Jersey's most distinguished and influential political leaders. Samuel Lewis Southard (1787-1842) participated in virtually every major public controversy of his era, from the bitter Federalist-Republican contests in New Jersey during the War of 1812, through the rise of the American party system. It offers a fresh and penetrating view of Southard's career in the context of a changing social and economic environment.
269 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
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October 31, 2019
In a cabinet filled with would be presidents Samuel Southard was just thinking of surviving. He
picked the right next president and got to serve altogether six years as Navy Secretary in the
Monroe and Adams administration.
Southard hailed from a prominent family of Jeffersonian Republicans in New Jersey and was born in
`1787. He went to school at Princeton and married a girl from a Virginia plantation who certainly
reinforced his views.
But after the War of 1812 commenced and Southard started to change his views as the Federalists
gradually disappear. Maybe some of their views on things like a national bank had something to it.
He saw the difficulties in financing a war without one. In any event when he's elected to the New
Jersey State
Assembly he's a budding Whig.
Southard gets elected to the US Senate in 1821 and in 1823 Monroe makes him Secretary of the Navy
succeeding Smith Thompson who goes to the Supreme Court.
Southard's Cabinet colleagues included would be presidents John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, and John C. Calhoun. Southard managed to support the right one and Adams continued
him as Secretary of the Navy.
Southard who didn't know stern from bow on a ship turned in a good performance in the department where a lot of construction for dry docks was done under his leadership. He also had
a discipline problem with Captain David Porter who shot up Puerto Rico in pursuit of pirates. The
Spanish government protested and Porter got disciplined with President Adams backing Southard
all the way.
Southard managed to carry New Jersey for Adams in 1828. But Adams lost to Andrew Jackson.
Southard got himself elected governor in 1829 and in 1833 was back in the US Senate. By that
time Henry Clay was in the Senate and Southard and Clay are good friends since the Adams administration when Clay was Secretary of State. The two become Jackson's biggest opponents
in his war on the National Bank.
Southard had a good home life, but was constantly in need of money because of bad business
ventures. He died in 1842 by that time President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
A useful career and a great example of how theories of governance can change in the experiences
we have.
picked the right next president and got to serve altogether six years as Navy Secretary in the
Monroe and Adams administration.
Southard hailed from a prominent family of Jeffersonian Republicans in New Jersey and was born in
`1787. He went to school at Princeton and married a girl from a Virginia plantation who certainly
reinforced his views.
But after the War of 1812 commenced and Southard started to change his views as the Federalists
gradually disappear. Maybe some of their views on things like a national bank had something to it.
He saw the difficulties in financing a war without one. In any event when he's elected to the New
Jersey State
Assembly he's a budding Whig.
Southard gets elected to the US Senate in 1821 and in 1823 Monroe makes him Secretary of the Navy
succeeding Smith Thompson who goes to the Supreme Court.
Southard's Cabinet colleagues included would be presidents John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, and John C. Calhoun. Southard managed to support the right one and Adams continued
him as Secretary of the Navy.
Southard who didn't know stern from bow on a ship turned in a good performance in the department where a lot of construction for dry docks was done under his leadership. He also had
a discipline problem with Captain David Porter who shot up Puerto Rico in pursuit of pirates. The
Spanish government protested and Porter got disciplined with President Adams backing Southard
all the way.
Southard managed to carry New Jersey for Adams in 1828. But Adams lost to Andrew Jackson.
Southard got himself elected governor in 1829 and in 1833 was back in the US Senate. By that
time Henry Clay was in the Senate and Southard and Clay are good friends since the Adams administration when Clay was Secretary of State. The two become Jackson's biggest opponents
in his war on the National Bank.
Southard had a good home life, but was constantly in need of money because of bad business
ventures. He died in 1842 by that time President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
A useful career and a great example of how theories of governance can change in the experiences
we have.
Displaying 1 of 1 review