QUOTE from Rufus King, Federalist candidate for president in 1816: "Monroe had the zealous support of nobody, and he was exempt from the hostility of everybody."
ELECTION #8, 1816. The CANDIDATES.
Madison decided he would abide by Washington's precedent and serve only two terms. Which meant there would be new candidates running for president in 1816. The obvious choice for the Republicans (or Democratic-Republicans) was James Monroe. Monroe had quite a political resume: he had been a member of the Continental Congress from 1783 to 1786; US Senator from 1790-1794; minister to France from 1794-1796; governor of Virginia from 1799-1802; minister to France and England from 1803 to 1807; secretary of state under Madison from 1811-1817; and at the same time serving as acting secretary of war under Madison from 1814-1815. He was a natural to be the Republican candidate for president.
The Federalists were a dying party by 1816. In a half-hearted gesture they nominated Rufus King, their perennial vice-presidential candidate as their candidate.
The CAMPAIGN in 1816.
There was no real campaign to speak of. Rufus King, even before the election was over said. "Federalists our age must be content with the past." (He was so right.) There were a few slams thrown by both sides but nothing like the 1800 campaign.
The WINNER was James Monroe.
There was still no popular voting for president in 1816 - it was only the electoral college that got to vote. It was a landslide for Monroe - he got 183 electoral votes and King got 34.
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