144 Indiana University 
This struggle between the friends of Clay and Webster in 
New York ended in the famous ‘Triangular Scheme” which 
will be explained later. At this early period, public opinion 
in New York seemed to lean toward Clay.^*^^ Early in 1838, 
the Kentucky legislature introduced resolutions recommend- 
ing Clay for the next president. In this. Clay thought they 
displayed “more zeal than discretion”.^®® 
A very strong, but very troublesome element acting with 
the Whig party was the “Conservative Democrats”. These 
men had left the Democratic party because of Van Buren’s 
Sub-Treasury Scheme. They were busy looking up presidential 
timber and were often elected by the Whigs to the highest 
offices. Mr. Rives was mentioned for the presidency^®® and 
Mr. Tallmadge for the vice-presidency. As a rule, however, 
“Conservatives” favored the candidacy of Clay.^®"^ This was 
quite annoying to the supporters of Harrison.^®® 
Next to Henry Clay, William Henry Harrison was the most 
promising man for the nomination for president on the Whig 
ticket. Harrison and his friends considered that he was still 
a candidate as a result of the nomination in the preceding 
campaign. Before Van Buren went into office, Harrison 
made the usual promise, that “if elected president of the 
United States, I would under no circumstances become a 
candidate for second term”.^®® 
The Whig state convention of Ohio met at Columbus July 
4, 1837, and recommended a Whig national convention to 
be held at Pittsburgh on the second Monday of June, 1838, 
for the purpose of nominating a president and vice-president. 
The convention expressed a preference for Harrison, but 
would support any other regular nominee.^^® Each state was 
to have as many delegates as it had senators and representa- 
tives. Nothing came of this suggestion. In March, 1838, the 
friends of Harrison in Pennsylvania met and appointed a 
committee to further his interests. In 1835, the Pennsylvania 
state committee that nominated Harrison had appointed a 
central committee. These two bodies united and formed 
the Republican central committee of Pennsylvania. It then 
10^ Tuckerman (ed.). The Diary of Philip Hone, I, 280. 
Colton, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, 424. 
National Intelligencer, November 14, 1838. 
If” Seward (ed.), William H. Setvard, an Autobiography, I, 348; The Globe, July 2, 
1839, from Nashville Union. 
^^^Ibid., I, 345. 
109 Niles’ Register, LIII, 401. 
110 The Globe, November 20, 1838. 
