“The Honourable DeWitt Clinton” | Politics of the Presidency: Washington to Lincoln

Kelsey Roggensack

For DeWitt Clinton

In this video, I focused on highlighting Clinton’s honorability, role in New York politics, and accomplishments. The first three frames of the video feature white writing in the font: Lucida Blackletter, which is intended to resemble an early American print style, on a black screen. The frames read, “DeWitt Clinton”, “New York State Senator”, and “Mayor to New York City”. The next frame is a portrait of a well-dressed Clinton, with a quote in Lucida Blackletter, “The honourable DeWitt Clinton”. The next frame shows a map of New York from 1800, with the quote, “decidedly in favour of DeWitt Clinton”. This image was chosen because as stated previously, Clinton had been the mayor and senator of New York, and New York supported Clinton over Madison in the 1812 election. Furthermore, New York was primarily where Clinton’s political power came from, and New York was an electoral powerhouse. The next frame is the 12^th Amendment to the Constitution, which Clinton initiated. After the 12^th Amendment is a frame of a political cartoon showing unhappy merchants during the Embargo Act of 1807 with one of them saying, “Oh! This cursed Ograbme”, which is “embargo” backwards. Then a red “X” crosses over the cartoon because Clinton opposed the unpopular Embargo Act. The next frame features a quote that reads, “Mr. DeWitt Clinton of New York is unquestionably one of the greatest patriots in the nation, as is abundantly proved by the number and variety of important offices which he has from time to time consented to hold for the people’s good” over a map of America from between 1800-1810. The quote rolls over the map like movie credits, while the map is being zoomed-in on. As the words rolls out of the frame, and the image finishes zooming, Lake Erie is the central focus of the screen. Clinton began advocating for the Erie Canal in 1810 as a canal commissioner and in his political career focused on internal improvements for America. The next quote is broken up between three frames. The first frame features the quote on a black screen with white writing, which reads, “The people at large declare, in a manner unusually impressive”. The next screen features DeWitt Clinton with the middle part of the quote; “ ‘We have confidence in the political integrity of DeWitt Clinton’ ”. The third part of the quote, “If the voice of the majority be the standard of orthodoxy, whose opinion ought we adopt?” on a black screen with white lettering. The last frame features the first image of Clinton, very well-dressed, with a quote that reads, “Promote the election of the honorable DeWitt Clinton to the presidency of the United States”. This quote represents a picture of politics of the age. The quote is like a command or call to action, similar to the political action taken in the streets during this era.

Quotes: (in order of appearance)

Tickler. “Mr. Scratch, DeWitt Clinton; Leib”. Vol. V. Issue 25. Page 2. 10-13-1812. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *First two quotes

Washington Federalist. “Mr. Jefferson; United States; Washington; Mr. DeWitt Clinton”. Issue 746. Page 2. 05-15-1805. Georgetown, District of Columbia.

The Columbian. “DeWitt Clinton”. Volume II. Issue 439. Page 2. 04-01-1811. New York, New York.

Poulson’s American Daily Advisor. “New-York; Promote; DeWitt Clinton; Presidency; New-York; October”. Volume XLI. Issue 11205. Page 2. 10-22-1812. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Images: (in order of appearance)

Image 1: Portrait of DeWitt Clinton

https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/c/c3/Governor_DeWitt_Clinton.JPG

Image 2: New York 1800

http://vredenburgh.org/vredenburgh/graphics/New_York_1800.gif

Image 3: 12^th Amendment

http://nara.cyclecounters.org/12th_Amendment_Pg1of1_AC.jpg

Image 4: Embargo cartoon

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jPjIkl0Uv0Q/Ty9VxpFtOfI/AAAAAAAABwE/BulDb_rH54Y/s1600/ograbme.jpg

Image 5: Map of America

Image 6: Portrait of DeWitt Clinton

http://hallofgovernors.ny.gov/sites/default/files/themes/bartik/images/6DeWittClinton.jpg