Before the National DR Caucus
Opposition to President Madison was rampant in the DR party during his first term. The party had already divided in NY between the old Clinton faction and the pro-Virginia faction and in the south and west, where the Quids represented the chief opposition to the DRs. In 1811, the DR party divided in NJ as well.
DeWitt Clinton, nephew of VP George Clinton, was mentioned as a candidate for President as early as 2/4/1812, when the New York City newspaper the Columbian reported it as a false rumor. At the time, he was serving as both Mayor of New York City and Lt. Governor of New York State. The Philadelphia newspaper named The Tickler reported on 2/19/1812 that a U.S. Senator spoke off the record that Madison wanted to take V
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Before the National DR Caucus
Opposition to President Madison was rampant in the DR party during his first term. The party had already divided in NY between the old Clinton faction and the pro-Virginia faction and in the south and west, where the Quids represented the chief opposition to the DRs. In 1811, the DR party divided in NJ as well.
DeWitt Clinton, nephew of VP George Clinton, was mentioned as a candidate for President as early as 2/4/1812, when the New York City newspaper the Columbian reported it as a false rumor. At the time, he was serving as both Mayor of New York City and Lt. Governor of New York State. The Philadelphia newspaper named The Tickler reported on 2/19/1812 that a U.S. Senator spoke off the record that Madison wanted to take VP George Clinton off the DR ticket for 1812 and replace him, and that DeWitt Clinton and Henry Clay were organizing an inter-party revolt.
As New York newspapers began to endorse DeWitt Clinton for the presidency at the upcoming DR Caucus, party leaders outside of the state feared that the state caucus would nominate him. They convinced Gov. Tompkins to dissolve the legislature and thus prevent it from making a nomination (Alexandria VA Daily Gazette, 4/17/1812). VP George Clinton died on 4/20/1812, just a few days later, after which additional newspapers endorsed Clinton as a means of keeping a New York candidate on the national DR ticket.
Democratic Republican leaders around the nation examined their options in the four weeks between the death of George Clinton and the scheduled meeting of the national Caucus. The early front-runner was Elbridge Gerry, Governor of Massachusetts. The Baltimore Sun stated that DeWitt Clinton should be given the post (which would take him out of the presidential contest) [NYC Columbian, 5/1/1812].
National DR Caucus
When the Caucus met, James Madison was re-nominated without opposition. Members of Congress nominated John Langdon for VP over Gerry in a surprise move. Langdon declined to serve, and the Caucus was called back into session on 6/8/1812. At this second session, Gerry was nominated for VP.
An Independent Candidacy
In the meantime, New York State held its local elections. Supporters of Clinton ran against supporters of Madison in many districts, with the result that the Federalist Party gained control of the legislature (New York City newspaper Public Advertiser, 6/5/1812). Both factions of the DRP blamed the other, but in general Gov. Tompkins was blamed for his action dissolving the earlier legislature. Eighty-seven of 94 "Democratick" members of the legislature met in Albany on 5/28/1812 to discuss their situation, and during their meeting they unanimously nominated DeWitt Clinton for President (Rhode Island American, 6/1/1812).
DeWitt Clinton accepted the nomination within days (reported in the Worcester MA National Aegis on 6/17/1812). By that time, the Madison-Gerry ticket was formed, and DRP leaders across the nation were wondering if DWC really wanted to pursue this bid. Bushrod Washington, a Virginia Federalist, was mentioned as early as 7/10/1812 as a nominee for VP (mentioned on that date's issue of the NYC Columbian). Six state legislatures were in session during the summer, and the DRP state caucuses in all six supported Madison (New York City Public Advertiser, 8/24/1812).
In the three months preceding the election, Clinton supporters held meetings around the nation to organize slates of Presidential Electors. Many Federalist leaders supported Clinton, though they were not able to convince the Federalist national Caucus to endorse him. Realizing the importance of Pennsylvania to the final result, a Clinton convention met in Lancaster PA on 9/16/1812 and nominated Jared Ingersoll PA for VP (NYC Columbian, 9/21/1812). Opposition to the Madison administration came from three primary sources: voters who had generally supported England in its struggles with France; voters who believed that the War of 1812 was an expensive mistake; and commercial interests, whose livelihood were endangered by the war.
Popular Vote of 1812
Electoral Vote of 1812
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1 (100.00%)