{"id":290,"date":"2012-04-23T19:07:40","date_gmt":"2012-04-23T19:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/?p=290"},"modified":"2012-05-07T18:44:52","modified_gmt":"2012-05-07T18:44:52","slug":"henry-clay-the-star-of-the-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/1844\/henry-clay-the-star-of-the-west\/","title":{"rendered":"Henry Clay: &#8220;The Star of the West&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Elect Clay 1844.dv\" width=\"584\" height=\"438\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F-IjyiIIaYo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Dan DiVietri<\/p>\n<p>Election of 1844: Pro Henry Clay<\/p>\n<p>In my campaign video for the election of 1844, I decided to focus on the strengths of Henry Clay as a distinguished statesman.\u00a0 The \u201cdark horse\u201d Polk could not match Clay\u2019s experience, and I sought to exploit this in my campaign ad.\u00a0 <!--more-->Perhaps one of the most important men in United States politics, Clay had a repertoire of accomplishments exceeded by very few at his time and perhaps in our nation\u2019s history.\u00a0 Going into this election he had been a senator and member of Congress from Kentucky, a three-time speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of State, a leading war hawk later chosen to discuss peace terms after the War of 1812, and an important figure in both the Nullification Crisis and Missouri Compromise of 1820.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn1\">[1]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Equally important as what I decided to highlight in my video is what I decided to leave out.\u00a0 A key issue in the 1844 election was foreign policy.\u00a0 The annexation of Texas and Oregon boundary issues were met with conflicting views throughout the country.\u00a0 Initially, Clay took a stand against expansion though he later reneged and agreed to support annexation if it was on \u201cjust and fair\u201d terms and did not lead the nation into war.\u00a0 This change in stance probably resulted from his recognition that most voters were supporting expansion.\u00a0 Instead of covering this issue that Clay was notoriously inconsistent on, I focused on Clay\u2019s American System economic program, past accomplishments, and overwhelming support from the Whigs while highlighting his nicknames, \u201cHenry of the West\u201d and \u201cThe Western Star\u201d to show people worried about the above-mentioned controversies that he was proven (though in an exclusive degree) in Western affairs.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn2\">[2]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In search of support songs for Henry Clay, I was led to the National Clay Melodist and National Clay Minstrel.\u00a0 The Whigs became famous for these catchy campaign jingles after the popular \u201cTippecanoe and Tyler too\u201d song from the previous election.\u00a0 I tried to recapture this spirit surrounding Clay.\u00a0 I cut portions from a few campaign songs because I believed this method provided better fitting audio to correspond to both my imagery and a more compelling campaign video.\u00a0 In a short video, I tried to make every second count and every word spoken mean somthing.\u00a0 The first portion calls for people to \u201cJoin in the shout for the name we love best.\u201d\u00a0 It refers to Clay endearingly as \u201cThe Friend of the People, The Man of the West,\u201d and comes from a song entitled \u201cThe Same Old Tune.\u201d\u00a0 I decided to transpose this over an image of Clay with the words \u201cWho is Henry Clay?\u201d\u00a0 The image is one of the relatively few colored and photogenic images I could find of Clay.\u00a0 Still, he looks older, experienced, and in my mind presidential.\u00a0 The text is a play off the Whig campaign slogan, \u201cJust Who is James K. Polk?\u201d and introduces the first of three segments of my video.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn3\">[3]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In this segment I focus on Clay\u2019s electability and past achievements.\u00a0 He had already had an illustrious career despite losing in two previous presidential elections.\u00a0 First, I use a quote from the Baltimore Patriot from the Early American Newspapers database.\u00a0 The quote summarizes the exigency, or \u201curgent need or demand\u201d of the country, and it associates Clay with \u201cpersonal freedom and independence.\u201d\u00a0 At this point the music shifts to \u201cClay and Frelinghuysen,\u201d a more catchy, singsong tune that highlights the unity of the Whigs and the \u201cmusic in these \u2018Coons\u201d (the raccoon was a symbol for Clay\u2019s supporters).\u00a0 Next, I chose a second image of Clay in which he looks young, intelligent, and distinguished.\u00a0 Over this I highlight some of the many nicknames credited to Clay followed by a quote about his patriotism and ability to \u201csave the country.\u201d\u00a0 I thought this was a great follow up to the past reference to exigency, showing that this election is serious and the people needed someone experienced with \u201ctalents, abilities, and political integrity.\u201d\u00a0 This quote is from a toast in Virginia (held at the Orange Court House on July 4<sup>th<\/sup> and published in the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Virginia Enquirer<\/span>), showing that Clay did have some Southern support.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn4\">[4]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Following this I move to an image photoshopped from an 1844 article in the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Hudson River Chronicle<\/span>.\u00a0 The quote essentially speaks for itself as it claims Clay is a \u201cperfect Hercules\u201d without \u201can equal in the Union.\u201d\u00a0 The next image I chose to include in this section is of the USS Constitution during its victory over the HMS Java.\u00a0 The ship scored some critical victories for the United States in a war that helped the nation form an identity.\u00a0 I thought this image would conjure of positive feelings for people of the time and also relate Clay to his war hawk past in a more positive light (since at this time he did not feel the fight for Texas was right for America).\u00a0 The quote I chose shows Clay\u2019s indispensability to society as the main-mast and also refers to him as a \u201cworking man.\u201d\u00a0 I thought this tied together the image of the ship well, and just as importantly portrays Clay as a person that the people could not only count on, but actively seek out for the role of President.\u00a0 The quote also comes from a toast, this found in the book <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Hail to the Candidate<\/span> recommended by the library.\u00a0 Finally, I used a quote from Thomas Jefferson to back Clay.\u00a0 I thought it was important to show that a Democrat could support Clay and tie the presidential candidate back to the founders of our country, where his opposition was relatively unknown and inexperienced in comparison.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn5\">[5]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the middle segment the focus shifts to Clay\u2019s support and what I try to portray as imminent victory.\u00a0 I try to show the shift by reposing the question \u201cWho is Henry Clay?\u201d but this time over the Grand National Whig Banner under which he is termed as \u201cThe Nation\u2019s Choice for President.\u201d\u00a0 The shift in segments is further shown by a shift in music to \u201cWe Are Met Again Like Jolly Boys\u201d with the performer saying that it has come time for \u201cWhigs to rally.\u201d\u00a0 The next image I chose is another excerpt from the Baltimore Patriot, this time referring to Clay as \u201cThe next Chief Magistrate\u201d and saying, \u201cSuch a nation merits such a President.\u201d\u00a0 As the music shifts to chants of \u201cHurrah for Clay,\u201d I shift the image to a political cartoon entitled \u201cPolk in his Extremity.\u201d\u00a0 I located this image on the Library of Congress website, and it shows the ease of Clay\u2019s rise to the Civil Crown compared to the difficulties of Polk who is being pushed\/polked to no success.\u00a0 Clay is saying \u201cWith ease I reach the goal, when the hearts of my countrymen are with me.\u201d\u00a0 I also include a quote showing the resounding support Clay is garnering from all areas of the country.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn6\">[6]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the final image of this segment I decided to continue with the theme of political cartoons.\u00a0 This one I also found on the Library of Congress website called \u201cThe Two Bridges.\u201d\u00a0 Here the bridges are located over \u201cThe Salt River,\u201d a common theme of the time.\u00a0 Clay and Frelinghuysen are easily successful in their crossing to \u201cThe Presidential Chair.\u201d\u00a0 The music bellows, \u201cClear your throats for Old Kentucky\u201d as the road to the presidency seems paved for Clay by \u201cThe People\u2019s Bridge\u201d compared to the \u201cLoco Foco Bridge\u201d travelled by Polk and Dallas\/Benton.\u00a0 Benton says, \u201cI forgot the old bridge was rotten\u201d as Andrew Jackson tries to support the dilapidated structure, an allusion to the shift in power that occurred with Whig victory in the election of 1840.\u00a0 A quote exclaims that \u201cThe voice of the people in favor of Henry Clay in becoming louder everyday,\u201d showing the increasing support for him while Polk carrying \u201cAnnexation Texas\u201d and Benton carrying \u201cMint Drops\u201d (an allusion to Democratic support for hard money) fall.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn7\">[7]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The third and final segment switches the focus to the other candidate, James K. Polk.\u00a0 The quote was a key Whig slogan, and the image I chose portray Polk in black and white as he appears to be snarling.\u00a0 The music switches again, this time to \u201cThe First Polk Song\u201d saying \u201cYou better keep your Polk away.\u201d\u00a0 The song continues, \u201cOr we will cover him over with Clay.\u201d\u00a0 At this point the imagery transitions to the \u201cFight between the Kentucky Coon and the Tennessee Alligator\u201d cartoon showing Clay pinning down Polk saying, \u201cIt is no use trying to Polk this nondescript animal against the People\u2019s Coon.\u201d\u00a0 Jackson is notably displayed as a giraffe saying, \u201cI cannot overlook this disaster to our cause.\u201d\u00a0 Daniel Webster, another popular Whig, is portrayed as a bear saying \u201cI\u2019ll put my foot on him [Polk] when you are done, and that will sink him out of sight.\u201d<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn8\">[8]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I again transition to a political cartoon.\u00a0 As the music shifts back to \u201cClay and Frelinghuysen\u201d saying, \u201cThe nation\u2019s rising,\u201d I pan to the \u201cBalloon Ascension to the Presidential Chair.\u201d\u00a0 Here I show the rising balloon of Clay and Frelinghuysen by shifting the view up to create the desired effect.\u00a0 The Whigs again rise with ease when compared to Polk whose balloon has no air and is pushed to Jackson with minimal success.\u00a0 Polk says, \u201cI think my friends have placed me at a very ridiculous position!\u00a0 They set me up here only to \u201cpoke\u201d fun at me,\u201d showing his hopelessness.\u00a0 I end with a quote broken up first over black and then over \u201cA Peep at the Future,\u201d another political cartoon.\u00a0 The first portion shows that even honest democrats cannot be expected to vote for Polk (over black because it is a serious issue), while the second half presents Clay as \u201cthe noble alternative.\u201d\u00a0 The image represents a Whig hopeful\u2019s vision with Clay and Frelinghuysen occupying the White House with minstrels who had chanted their praises outside.\u00a0 Polk is represented as a monkey and says, \u201cWell this is better than having to carry the Fox!\u201d an allusion to Van Buren.\u00a0 I thought putting Clay in the White House, while also lauding his ability to be an \u201cupright, incorruptible statesman\u201d was a good way to conclude the ad.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn9\">[9]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Difficulties naturally arise when designing a political campaign ad for a losing candidate, especially when we realize in retrospect this candidate\u2019s shirking of the main issue and loosely aligned party likely cost him the election.\u00a0 However, at the election\u2019s beginning Henry Clay was better known, much more experienced, and better supported by his party than James K. Polk.\u00a0 I tried to capture these critical advantages because that is what the Whigs did at the time.\u00a0 I applied contemporary Whig jingles that had been met with great success for Harrison in the election of 1840 to show the support Clay had from the nation.\u00a0 I used cartoons from the time displaying Clay as victorious over Polk with my candidate always pictured above his competitor.\u00a0 Finally, I highlighted Clay\u2019s achievements as a qualified, patriotic, and well-supported statesman of America, and I tried to make it appear that America needed him at this time rather than the dark horse Polk. Looking back, this does not appear to be true as the nation fared very well under the Polk administration, but to a Clay campaign manager at the time this idea likely seemed impossible.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<hr align=\"left\" size=\"1\" width=\"33%\" \/>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a> http:\/\/www.ohiohistorycentral.org\/entry.php?rec=87<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a> http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Henry_Clay; http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_presidential_election,_1844<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref3\">[3]<\/a> <em>Getting the Message Out: National Campaign Materials 1840-1860<\/em>, http:\/\/dig.lib.niu.edu\/message\/sound.html; http:\/\/www.google.com\/imgres?q=Henry+Clay&amp;hl=en&amp;client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;biw=1141&amp;bih=608&amp;tbs=isz:l&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbnid=fgzUdnohg0dSHM:&amp;imgrefurl=http:\/\/www.governorsmansion.ky.gov\/Facing%2Bthe%2BPast%2BExhibition.htm&amp;docid=WJZMDEzTYWs4IM&amp;imgurl=http:\/\/www.governorsmansion.ky.gov\/NR\/rdonlyres\/234CB093-5AB6-4CF7-B71B-A59C7249CD46\/245856\/44NeagleJohnHenryClay.jpg&amp;w=4524&amp;h=5126&amp;ei=evGMT6CiK-XL0QGk4rDgCQ&amp;zoom=1&amp;iact=rc&amp;dur=226&amp;sig=118192294703320267239&amp;page=2&amp;tbnh=132&amp;tbnw=127&amp;start=14&amp;ndsp=29&amp;ved=1t:429,r:15,s:14,i:164&amp;tx=80&amp;ty=79<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a> <em>Getting the Message Out<\/em>; http:\/\/www.google.com\/imgres?q=Henry+Clay&amp;hl=en&amp;client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;biw=1141&amp;bih=608&amp;tbs=isz:l&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbnid=69g4iA-Wom5_qM:&amp;imgrefurl=http:\/\/linkrandom.blogspot.com\/2012\/01\/look-into-history-us-presidential.html&amp;docid=KcvSXgPi0NUpoM&amp;imgurl=http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-r9gxMf490DA\/TwSMQ7jh6KI\/AAAAAAAAKUg\/ZRlj1iwUTok\/s1600\/Henry_Clay.JPG&amp;w=1326&amp;h=1600&amp;ei=pPKMT9SuJMbZ0QGVutH4CQ&amp;zoom=1&amp;iact=rc&amp;dur=239&amp;sig=118192294703320267239&amp;page=2&amp;tbnh=119&amp;tbnw=94&amp;start=14&amp;ndsp=29&amp;ved=1t:429,r:24,s:14,i:183&amp;tx=38&amp;ty=104;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref5\">[5]<\/a> http:\/\/infoweb.newsbank.com\/iw-search\/we\/HistArchive\/?p_product=EANX&amp;p_theme=ahnp&amp;p_nbid=N61U54CPMTMzNDYyMjY4NS4xNTE1Mzk6MToxNDoxMzcuMTY1LjE2Mi4xOA&amp;p_action=doc&amp;s_lastnonissuequeryname=10&amp;d_viewref=search&amp;p_queryname=10&amp;p_docnum=1&amp;p_docref=v2:10DBDB164C232D80@EANX-10DAA387383C4938@2394547-10DAA38750E21138@0-10DAA3890F812590@Col.+R.+M.+Johnson+and+Henry+Clay; Melder, Keith E. <em>Hail to the Candidate: Presidential Campaigns from Banners to Broadcasts. <\/em>Smithsonian Institution (Washington 1992); http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/pictures\/item\/98519867\/.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref6\">[6]<\/a> <em>Getting the Message Out<\/em>; http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/pictures\/item\/2008661423\/; http:\/\/www.google.com\/imgres?imgurl=http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/0\/0f\/Clay_Frelinghuysen_2.png\/220pxClay_Frelinghuysen_2.png&amp;imgrefurl=http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_presidential_election,_1844&amp;h=287&amp;w=220&amp;sz=135&amp;tbnid=rNyKJjJvjPuZbM:&amp;tbnh=95&amp;tbnw=73&amp;prev=\/search%3Fq%3Delection%2Bof%2B1844%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&amp;zoom=1&amp;q=election+of+1844&amp;docid=JMe8BgINj9MUHM&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=QfaMT-WwHei80QHS0ZyDDw&amp;ved=0CDsQ9QEwAQ; http:\/\/infoweb.newsbank.com\/iw-search\/we\/HistArchive\/?p_product=EANX&amp;p_theme=ahnp&amp;p_nbid=T61K54IPMTMzNDYyMjY4NS4xNTE1Mzk6MToxNDoxMzcuMTY1LjE2Mi4xOA&amp;p_action=doc&amp;s_lastnonissuequeryname=13&amp;d_viewref=search&amp;p_queryname=13&amp;p_docnum=1&amp;p_docref=v2:107D4AD8C258B928@EANX-10826DC1F8C42678@2389650-10826DC25D38CDF0@1-10826DC478B8FB18@Nomination+for+the+Presidency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref7\">[7]<\/a> http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/pictures\/item\/2008661424\/; http:\/\/infoweb.newsbank.com\/iw-search\/we\/HistArchive\/?p_product=EANX&amp;p_theme=ahnp&amp;p_nbid=T61K54IPMTMzNDYyMjY4NS4xNTE1Mzk6MToxNDoxMzcuMTY1LjE2Mi4xOA&amp;p_action=doc&amp;s_lastnonissuequeryname=16&amp;d_viewref=search&amp;p_queryname=16&amp;p_docnum=1&amp;p_docref=v2:10C1C906F583E7C8@EANX-10C5897193B6FF40@2390052-10C58971E4E38EC8@1-10C58973A114D770@Faculty+Feuds<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref8\">[8]<\/a> http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/pictures\/item\/2003656276\/; http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/pictures\/item\/2008661425\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref9\">[9]<\/a> http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/pictures\/item\/2008661433\/; http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/pictures\/item\/2008661443\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dan DiVietri Election of 1844: Pro Henry Clay In my campaign video for the election of 1844, I decided to focus on the strengths of Henry Clay as a distinguished statesman.\u00a0 The \u201cdark horse\u201d Polk could not match Clay\u2019s experience, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/1844\/henry-clay-the-star-of-the-west\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":459,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26631],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-26631"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/459"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=290"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":332,"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions\/332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.williams.edu\/hist359\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}