| Book Review | The American Historical Review, 109.4

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| Book Review | The American Historical Review, 109.4 | The History Cooperative

Book Review

Canada and the United States

John M. Sacher. A Perfect War of Politics: Parties, Politicians, and Democracy in Louisiana, 1824–1861. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. 2003. Pp. xvi, 331. $39.95.
Politics in antebellum Louisiana has been a murky field for historians. Scholars have addressed various facets of the topic, but John M. Sacher is the first to present a thorough examination of state politics during the entire period. His work begins in the early days of political activity in Louisiana when national heritage played a greater role than party. State politics focused on contests that pitted Americans, descendants of French and Spanish colonists, and the so-called foreign French, French-speaking immigrants, against one another. On numerous occasions, politicians and voters crossed party lines to support candidates who shared their cultural heritage. Added to the mix in the years after statehood were the political fortunes of General Andrew Jackson, the man who saved Louisiana from the British during the War of 1812, and the rapid economic development that accompanied the state's growth. Another key ingredient in Louisiana's political system was a state constitution that severely restricted voting and officeholding. The result was a government that smacked of aristocracy and privilege.	1
The age of Jackson, however, began to influence Louisiana. Many turned to the Democrats who favored the policies of the state's savior. Others, including sugar planters in south Louisiana who benefited from federal tariffs and New Orleans merchants, preferred the governmental plans of Henry Clay and the Whigs, who advocated internal improvements, trade protection, banks, and financial advancement. Democrats sought to broaden the electorate, and the Whigs generally were content to maintain the current order. Although cultural issues still mattered, party was becoming more significant in state affairs. As in the nation, the two political camps were fairly evenly matched.	. . .

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