The Democrats opposed them with Van Buren and Johnson again. The country had been passing through a financial crisis of extreme severity during the thirteenth presidential term, and this election, involving the decision of a financial policy, was very exciting.
Harrison was an Ohio farmer, and, the Democrats said, “lived in a log cabin and drank hard cider.” The Whigs took the hint, built log cabins to hold their campaign gatherings in, drank much hard cider, and sung stirring political songs.
| Harrison’s | popular vote was | 1,274,783 | —his electoral vote | 234 |
| Van Buren’s | ” | 1,128,702 | ” | 60 |
| Majority, | 46,081 | 174 | ||
Tyler’s vote as Vice-President was the same as Harrison’s.
Harrison died on the 4th of April, one month after his inauguration, and John Tyler succeeded to the Presidency. His term was made remarkable by his disagreement with the measures of Congress, on financial questions.
This was the first time a Vice-President had been called on to serve as a substitute for the President. There were 26 States taking part in this election.
The Fifteenth Election, 1844.
The slavery question entered into this election as a leading point. The Republic of Texas asked admission into the Union. As it would be certain to be a slave State, and many of the people objected to extending that institution while others favored it, the parties took it up; the Democrats favoring the admission, the Whigs opposing.
James K. Polk was the candidate for President, and Geo. M. Dallas for Vice-President, run by the Democrats.