In the aftermath of the battle over the national bank , Jackson 's political opponents coalesced into the Whig Party . By taking a name rooted in American and British history , the Whigs implicitly criticized Jackson as a tyrannical executive . Although National Republicans like Clay and Webster formed the core of the Whig Party , Anti-Masonic leaders like William H. Seward and states ' rights Democrats like John Tyler also joined the new party . The Whig Party proved more durable than the National Republican Party and , along with the Democrats , the Whigs became one of the two major parties of the Second Party System , which would extend into the 1850s . By 1834 , Webster supporters such as Caleb Cushing , Rufus Choate , Abbott Lawrence , and Edward Everett had begun preparing for his candidacy in the 1836 presidential election . With Clay showing no indication of making another run , Webster hoped to become the main Whig candidate in the 1836 election , but General William Henry Harrison and Senator Hugh Lawson White retained strong support in the West and the South , respectively . Rather than uniting behind one presidential candidate , Whig leaders settled on a strategy of running multiple candidates in order to force a contingent election in the House of Representatives . Webster was nominated for president by the Massachusetts legislature , but Harrison won the backing of most Whigs outside of the South . Although Webster had a far greater reputation as a national figure than Harrison , many Whigs hoped that Harrison 's military record would allow him to replicate Jackson 's 1832 victory . Webster 's chances also suffered from his lingering association with the Federalist Party , his close relationship with elite politicians and businessmen , and his lack of appeal among the broad populace ; Remini writes that the American public " admired and revered him but did not love or trust him . " With little support outside of his home state , Webster attempted to withdraw his presidential candidacy , but , to his eventual regret , Massachusetts Whig leaders convinced him to stay in the race . Meanwhile , the 1835 Democratic National Convention nominated Van Buren , Jackson 's preferred successor , for president . In the 1836 election , Van Buren won a majority of the popular and electoral vote , Harrison finished a distant second , and White carried two Southern states . Webster won only the electoral votes of Massachusetts . Adding to his displeasure , Webster lost a major Supreme Court decision , '' Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge '' , shortly after the election
1835 Democratic National Convention
1835 Democratic National Convention
Daniel Webster