Willie Person Mangum
Encyclopedia
Willie Person Mangum was a U.S. Senator
from the state of North Carolina
between 1831 and 1836 and between 1840 and 1853. He was one of the founders and leading members of the Whig party, and was a candidate for President
on a Whig ticket in 1836.
Mangum was born in Durham County, North Carolina
(then part of Orange County). After graduating from the University of North Carolina
in 1815, he began a law practice and entered politics. He served in the United States House of Representatives
from 1823 to 1826, then, after an interlude as a superior court
judge
, was elected as a Democrat to the Senate in 1830.
Mangum's stay in the Democratic Party was short. He opposed President Andrew Jackson
on most of the major issues of the day, including the protective tariff, nullification
, and the Bank of the United States
. In 1834, Mangum openly declared himself to be a "Whig", and two years later, he resigned his Senate seat.
As part of a strategy to deny the Democrats the electoral votes to win the Presidency in the 1836 election, the Whigs put forward four presidential candidates: Daniel Webster
in New England
, William Henry Harrison
in the Border States, Hugh White
in the middle South, and Mangum in the South Atlantic states. The strategy failed, as Martin Van Buren
, the Democrat, won the election; but the legislature of South Carolina
(which chose their electors until 1865) gave Mangum its 11 electoral votes.
After a four-year absence, Mangum served two more terms in the Senate, where he was an important ally of Henry Clay
. After the resignation of Samuel Lewis Southard, he served as President pro tempore
from 1842 to 1845 during a Vice-Presidential vacancy. Upon becoming Acting Vice President
he also became next in succession
to the Presidency from May 23, 1842 to March 4, 1845. In 1852, he refused an offer to be Vice-President on the Whig national ticket.
Realizing that he had little chance of being re-elected, Mangum retired at the end of his second term as a Whig. After the breakup of the Whigs during the mid-1850s, he joined the nativist American Party in 1856. A stroke soon afterwards ended his political career.
Mangum married Charity Alston Cain in 1819. They had five children. Their only son died in 1861 at the Battle of 1st Bull Run.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from the state of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
between 1831 and 1836 and between 1840 and 1853. He was one of the founders and leading members of the Whig party, and was a candidate for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
on a Whig ticket in 1836.
Mangum was born in Durham County, North Carolina
Durham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile...
(then part of Orange County). After graduating from the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in 1815, he began a law practice and entered politics. He served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1823 to 1826, then, after an interlude as a superior court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, was elected as a Democrat to the Senate in 1830.
Mangum's stay in the Democratic Party was short. He opposed President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
on most of the major issues of the day, including the protective tariff, nullification
Nullification (U.S. Constitution)
Nullification is a legal theory that a State has the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law which that state has deemed unconstitutional...
, and the Bank of the United States
Second Bank of the United States
The Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, five years after the First Bank of the United States lost its own charter. The Second Bank of the United States was initially headquartered in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia, the same as the First Bank, and had branches throughout the...
. In 1834, Mangum openly declared himself to be a "Whig", and two years later, he resigned his Senate seat.
As part of a strategy to deny the Democrats the electoral votes to win the Presidency in the 1836 election, the Whigs put forward four presidential candidates: Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
in the Border States, Hugh White
Hugh Lawson White
Hugh Lawson White was a prominent American politician during the first third of the 19th century. He succeeded Andrew Jackson and served in the United States Senate, representing Tennessee, from 1825 until his resignation in 1840, and was a Whig candidate for President in 1836...
in the middle South, and Mangum in the South Atlantic states. The strategy failed, as Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
, the Democrat, won the election; but the legislature of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(which chose their electors until 1865) gave Mangum its 11 electoral votes.
After a four-year absence, Mangum served two more terms in the Senate, where he was an important ally of Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
. After the resignation of Samuel Lewis Southard, he served as President pro tempore
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
The President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. The United States Constitution states that the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and the highest-ranking official of the Senate despite not being a member of the body...
from 1842 to 1845 during a Vice-Presidential vacancy. Upon becoming Acting Vice President
Acting Vice President
Acting Vice President of the United States is an unofficial designation that has occasionally been used when the office of Vice President was vacant....
he also became next in succession
United States presidential line of succession
The United States presidential line of succession defines who may become or act as President of the United States upon the incapacity, death, resignation, or removal from office of a sitting president or a president-elect.- Current order :This is a list of the current presidential line of...
to the Presidency from May 23, 1842 to March 4, 1845. In 1852, he refused an offer to be Vice-President on the Whig national ticket.
Realizing that he had little chance of being re-elected, Mangum retired at the end of his second term as a Whig. After the breakup of the Whigs during the mid-1850s, he joined the nativist American Party in 1856. A stroke soon afterwards ended his political career.
Mangum married Charity Alston Cain in 1819. They had five children. Their only son died in 1861 at the Battle of 1st Bull Run.