The son of Alexander Hamilton--His intimacy with Jackson--Phrases first attack on National Bank--The inspiration of Jackson’s hostility--The Mason incident--Biddle’s flippant reply to Ingham--Kendall’s editorial in “New York Courier and Enquirer”--Biddle’s alarm--His attempts to conciliate--His contradictory advice and information--The strange attitude of Major Lewis--Clay plans to drag Bank into politics for selfish purposes--Treachery of Livingston and McLane--Clay urges immediate application for recharter--His inconsistency--Jackson prefers to postpone Bank issue--Reasons--McLane’s embarrassing report--Clay presses the Bank to act--Biddle sends agent to Washington to investigate--Cadwalader’s conferences--Sees selfish political aims of Clay and Webster--His conversion to Whig plan--An historical conference--Biddle blackmailed into action by threats of Clay and Webster--Application presented--The House investigates the Bank--Results--Political effects--Biddle takes charge of fight in Congress--Recharter Bill passes--Biddle and Clay expect veto--Plan to make Bank the campaign issue--Effect on Jackson--Authorship of Veto Message--Van Buren’s midnight conference at White House--The Veto as a campaign document--Opinion of Biddle--Of Clay’s organ--Of the “Globe”--Both parties pleased--Senate debate on the Veto--Webster’s speech--Arrays Bank against Jackson in appeal to the people--Hugh Lawson White accepts the issue--Clay’s unworthy performance--Benton’s reply--Clay and Benton exchange the “lie”--The issue goes to the people. IX. THE DRAMATIC BATTLE OF 1832 227 New campaign methods of 1832--Class consciousness aroused by both parties--The intensive use of the press--Biddle subsidizes newspapers and bribes editors--Kendall’s campaign textbook--Clay’s intrigues--Negotiates with the Nullifiers--Calhoun’s strange plan considered--Coalition of Bank, Whigs, and Nullifiers--Blair makes the most of it--Ties the Whigs to Nullification movement--Jackson defies the Nullifiers--Clay intrigues with Anti-Masons--His letters--Nomination of Wirt--Latter’s political relations with Clay--The trick planned for New York--Seward’s testimony--Jacksonians ignore the Anti-Masons--The Bank the issue--Clay’s campaign plans--Bank’s corruption of the press--Bank resorts to intimidation and coercion--Attempts to frighten the timid--Circulation of stories as to Jackson’s health--Blair meets them--Stories of Jackson’s bloodthirstiness revived--The anti-Jackson cartoons--Kitchen Cabinet arouses and organizes the masses--Use of the press--Intensive organization--Monster meetings of Democrats--A Jackson parade in New York--Hickory poles--Glee clubs--Songs--Demonstration for Jackson at Lexington--Personalities--Cholera plays a part--The presidential candidates--Jackson’s confidence--Jacksonians “on the turf”--Notable Jackson victory--Ominous action of South Carolina. X. THE POLITICS OF NULLIFICATION 252