Changes

==Republican leader==

==Republican leader==

From 1800, when he campaigned for [[Thomas Jefferson]], he remained a resolute [[Democratic-Republican Party|Republican]]. A keen judge of the motives of men, he seldom permitted a difference in politics to interfere with personal friendship. Moreover, he was a middle-of-the-road man, always ready to compromise an issue and at all times ready, as he said, to let the people have what they wanted.  He rose rapidly in New York politics, first joining the [[DeWitt Clinton]] faction in opposing [[Aaron Burr]] and then splitting with Clinton and fighting him for control of the state party. The side-changing gave him a reputation as a fox-like ambitious manipulator; that and his red hair made him "the red fox of Kinderhook." In 1812, Van Buren was elected to the state senate, where he organized and led the "[[Albany Regency]]," the anti-Clinton faction. Chosen attorney-general of the state in 1816, he was defeated by the Clinton forces in 1819, but was triumphantly elected to the United States Senate two years later.  

From 1800, when he campaigned for [[Thomas Jefferson]], he remained a resolute [[Republicans (Jeffersonian)|Republican]]. A keen judge of the motives of men, he seldom permitted a difference in politics to interfere with personal friendship. Moreover, he was a middle-of-the-road man, always ready to compromise an issue and at all times ready, as he said, to let the people have what they wanted.  He rose rapidly in New York politics, first joining the [[DeWitt Clinton]] faction in opposing [[Aaron Burr]] and then splitting with Clinton and fighting him for control of the state party. The side-changing gave him a reputation as a fox-like ambitious manipulator; that and his red hair made him "the red fox of Kinderhook." In 1812, Van Buren was elected to the state senate, where he organized and led the "[[Albany Regency]]," the anti-Clinton faction. Chosen attorney-general of the state in 1816, he was defeated by the Clinton forces in 1819, but was triumphantly elected to the United States Senate two years later.  

In the decades after the [[War of 1812]] increasingly competitive political parties became characterized by greater popular participation and organizational sophistication, in what is called the "[[Second Party System]]." Silbey (2002) credits Van Buren the major role in this transformation. He introduced a new level of party organization, unswerving loyalty and recruitment of likely young men as campaigners and candidates, Throughout his career, Silbey contends, Van Buren was "the prime organizer, articulator, and manager of the nation's political conflict."  

In the decades after the [[War of 1812]] increasingly competitive political parties became characterized by greater popular participation and organizational sophistication, in what is called the "[[Second Party System]]." Silbey (2002) credits Van Buren the major role in this transformation. He introduced a new level of party organization, unswerving loyalty and recruitment of likely young men as campaigners and candidates, Throughout his career, Silbey contends, Van Buren was "the prime organizer, articulator, and manager of the nation's political conflict."  

Because Clinton's followers supported [[Andrew Jackson]] for the presidency in 1824, Van Buren aligned himself with the [[William H. Crawford]] forces and became their acknowledged leader in the congressional caucus that nominated Crawford. Crawford had a stroke and came in third.  In the Senate Van Buren supported the tariff bills but opposed internal improvement measures, possibly affected in this stand by the thought of protecting New York's Erie Canal. Increasingly, however, he became a states' rights man devoted to strict construction views. He was reelected to the Senate in 1827, but resigned to become governor of New York, a position he used briefly to advocate the "safety fund system," which required all banks in the state to insure each other's financial soundness.

Because Clinton's followers supported [[Andrew Jackson]] for the presidency in 1824, Van Buren aligned himself with the [[William H. Crawford]] forces and became their acknowledged leader in the congressional caucus that nominated Crawford. Crawford had a stroke and came in third.  In the Senate Van Buren supported the tariff bills but opposed internal improvement measures, possibly affected in this stand by the thought of protecting New York's Erie Canal. Increasingly, however, he became a states' rights man devoted to strict construction views. He was reelected to the Senate in 1827, but resigned to become governor of New York, a position he used briefly to advocate the "safety fund system," which required all banks in the state to insure each other's financial soundness.

 

==Jacksonian leader==

==Jacksonian leader==

By 1828 he had changed his political allegiance to Jackson, becoming his confidential political adviser and in 1828 managing his election campaign in the northeast.  Van Buren was rewarded as secretary of state. Internal factionalism beset Jackson's cabinet; Van Buren opposed Vice president [[John C. Calhoun]]. Carefully avoiding any conflicts with Jackson's close friends in the "Kitchen Cabinet" (Jackson's informal advisors) he became one of the most reliable supporters of the president. When [[Peggy Eaton]], wife of the secretary of war, was ostracized by senior officials (on rumors she once was a prostitute), Jackson supported Eaton and Van Buren went out of his way to befriend her. He vigorously supporting Jackson in trying to destroy the [[Second Bank of the United States]], over the opposition of  the business community. Van Buren helped Jackson by obtaining the New York legislature’s official  endorsement of Jackson’s stern warnings against South Carolina in the [[Nullification Crisis]].  By 1831 Jackson made it clear that Van Buren would be his vice-presidential running mate in 1832.  Appointed minister to the Court of St. James (i.e. ambassador to Britain) in 1831, Van Buren arrived in London only to find that Calhoun had blocked his confirmation in the Senate. During the next year he made a tour of Europe and returned to the States after he had been nominated for the vice-presidency. He was elected with Jackson, who defeated [[Whig Party]] candidate [[Henry Clay]].   

By 1828 he had changed his political allegiance to Jackson, becoming his confidential political adviser and in 1828 managing his election campaign in the northeast.  Van Buren was rewarded as secretary of state. Internal factionalism beset Jackson's cabinet; Van Buren opposed Vice president [[John C. Calhoun]]. Carefully avoiding any conflicts with Jackson's close friends in the "Kitchen Cabinet" (Jackson's informal advisors) he became one of the most reliable supporters of the president. When [[Peggy Eaton]], wife of the secretary of war, was ostracized by senior officials (on rumors she once was a prostitute), Jackson supported Eaton and Van Buren went out of his way to befriend her. He vigorously supporting Jackson in trying to destroy the [[Second Bank of the United States]], over the opposition of  the business community. Van Buren helped Jackson by obtaining the New York legislature’s official  endorsement of Jackson’s stern warnings against South Carolina in the [[Nullification Crisis]].  By 1831 Jackson made it clear that Van Buren would be his vice-presidential running mate in 1832.  Appointed minister to the Court of St. James (i.e. ambassador to Britain) in 1831, Van Buren arrived in London only to find that Calhoun had blocked his confirmation in the Senate. During the next year he made a tour of Europe and returned to the States after he had been nominated for the vice-presidency. He was elected with Jackson, who defeated [[Whig Party]] candidate [[Henry Clay]].