The Jackson Federalists were members of the Federalist Party who affiliated themselves with the Jacksonian movement in the mid-to-late 1820s.
The collapse of the Federalist Party in the early 1800s created a vacuum in American politics. Many former Federalists sought to remain relevant and found a new home in the emerging Democratic Party under Andrew Jackson. By the late 1820s, many former Federalists began to embrace Jackson's vision of American nationalism and territorial expansion, which resonated with their interests in commerce and industry. Some Federalists, particularly those who were more pragmatic, began to see the limitations of their elitist views in a rapidly changing society. Jackson's populist rhetoric offered a way to connect with the growing middle and lower classes. During the early 1820s, former Federalists joined forces with Democratic-Republicans to form the "Amalgamator Party" in Pennsylvania, and Federalist congressman James Buchanan switched parties after opposing a nativist Federalist bill and detecting that the Pennsylvania public preferred Andrew Jackson to Henry Clay.
The Jacksonian emphasis on the "common man" appealed to former Federalists who, while still holding some elitist views, recognized the need to engage with a broader electorate. Jackson’s promotion of agrarian democracy and opposition to monopolistic practices aligned with Federalist interests in fostering a more competitive economy, even if it was in a different ideological framework. Many former Federalists found Jackson's advocacy for states' rights appealing, as it aligned with their preference for local governance over federal control.
Many former Federalists were involved in trade and commerce. They were drawn to Jacksonian policies that promoted competition and economic opportunity, albeit with a more populist twist. Some lawyers and former politicians found Jackson’s appeal to the common man attractive, allowing them to align with a broader constituency. While traditionally Federalist, many landowners and farmers supported Jackson’s agrarian policies, seeing them as beneficial for their interests. Although the Federalist Party was strongest in the Northeast, many former Federalists in urban centers like New York City and Boston began to support Jackson as they recognized the need to engage with a wider electorate. Regions like Pennsylvania and New Jersey saw a mix of former Federalists who shifted due to economic interests in agriculture and trade. Some former Federalists from the South and West were attracted to Jackson’s populism and his appeal to agrarian values, especially as they sought to expand their land and influence. Delaware was a particular hotbed of Jacksonian Federalism. Federalist leader James A. Bayard's two sons, grandson, and great-grandson would all be elected to the US Senate as Democrats.
Former Federalists brought with them a wealth of knowledge about governance, economics, and diplomacy, which helped shape the Democratic Party’s policies. They contributed to the development of economic policies that favored infrastructure and internal improvements, which were essential for the growth of both agrarian and industrial sectors. Their legacy influenced the party's stance on issues such as education and civic responsibility, promoting a vision that included both agrarian and urban interests.
During the 18th United States Congress (1823-1825), 7 Jackson Federalists were elected to Congress, their number including Francis Baylies of Massachusetts, James Buchanan, Samuel Edwards, William Cox Ellis, Joseph Hemphill, and Isaac Wayne of Pennsylvania, and John Lee of Maryland. Other notable ex-Federalists involved in the Jacksonian movement included Archibald McNeill and Willis Alston of North Carolina, Cornelius P. Comegys, Louis McLane, Martin Waltham Bates, and Henry M. Ridgely of Delaware, Egbert Ten Eyck, Herman Knickerbocker, John Holmes Prentiss, Thomas J. Oakley, and Harmanus Bleecker of New York, Thomas G. McCullough of Pennsylvania, and Roger Taney, Virgil Maxcy, and George Peter of Maryland.