William Berkeley Lewis (1784 – November 12, 1866) was an influential friend and advisor toAndrew Jackson. He was born inLoudoun County, Virginia, and later moved nearNashville, Tennessee, in 1809. Major Lewis served asquartermaster under General Jackson. Later, in politics, he was a manager of Jackson and retained considerable influence until Jackson's second term asPresident of the United States. Jackson appointed Lewis as second auditor of the Treasury, a position he was able to retain until thePolk administration.
In 1812 Lewis was listed as assistant deputy quartermaster for Andrew Jackson's Tennessee volunteers.[1]
In 1822, Lewis andJohn Eaton attempted to nominate a candidate before the Tennessee legislature to opposeJohn Williams, who was openly against Jackson's candidacy for president in1824. After being unable to find a viable candidate, they nominated Jackson himself.[2] The strategy was successful, and Jackson won. The results took him by surprise, and although he did not wish to serve, he accepted the results of the election.[3]
Lewis played a crucial role in electioneering for Jackson during his campaigns for the presidency in 1824 and1828. Jackson lost in 1824 but won in 1828.[4] Afterwards, his first inaugural address was composed at Lewis's home inNashville,Tennessee by Jackson, Lewis, andHenry Lee IV.[5] During Jackson's presidency, Lewis resided with him in the White House and served as his advisor. According to Jackson biographerJames Parton, "He almost alone retained to the last the friendship of General Jackson, without agreeing with him in opinion upon subjects of controversy."[4] Lewis was seen as part of a group of unofficial advisors known as the "Kitchen Cabinet" who helped Jackson formulate policy.[6] Lewis was more a personal confederate of Jackson than a stakeholder in U.S. national politics as a whole.[7]
During theBank War, Lewis, in contrast to Jackson, took a position moderately in favor of theSecond Bank of the United States. Even so, in the fall of 1831, he warned its president,Nicholas Biddle, not to apply for recharter. He correctly predicted that Jackson would see the bill as a challenge to his leadership and veto it.[8] At the 1830 Jefferson Day Dinner at Jefferson Brown's Indian Queen Hotel, Jackson was to give a toast.[9] This took place in the midst of theNullification Crisis, andJohn C. Calhoun, Jackson's estranged vice president who supported nullification, would be in attendance. Jackson concluded, according to Lewis, "that the celebration was to be a nullification affair altogether." The following day, Jackson presented three possible toasts to Lewis. "I ran my eye over them and then handed him the one I liked best...He said he preferred that one himself for the reason that it was shorter and more expressive. He then put it into his pocket and threw the others into the fire." Jackson attended the dinner, and to the horror of many in attendance read out the toast: "Our Federal Union. It must be preserved." Calhoun then responded, in part, "The Union, next to our Liberty the dearest."[10]
In 1818 Lewis was involved a Chickasaw treaty side deal that became known as theSalt Lick Reservation controversy.[11] When recapitulating his knowledge of the salt lick arrangement,Jesse Benton wrote that Lewis was "notorious for his mean and sneaking qualities."[12]
Lewis married Margaret Lewis, daughter ofWilliam T. Lewis of Tennessee. John Eaton had first married Margaret's sister Myra. Margaret died after a year of marriage. Lewis later married Adelaide Stokes Chambers, daughter ofMontfort Stokes ofNorth Carolina.[13]
Lewis assisted James Parton in the publication of his three-volume biography of Jackson by sending him information, letters, and other documents.[14] He died at his home in Nashville.[15]
Among historians, Lewis' reputation as a figure of the Jacksonian era is modest at best.Louis R. Harlan described him as a self-important "kitchen Machiavelli" and "conspirator" whose combination of "pomposity and reticence" have left a clouded but generally unfavorable image in the historical record.[16] In 2018, historiansJeanne and David Heidler have described him as a "toady" and stated that even other members of the inner circle "chafed at his tattling, always served up sadly, and his unctuous manner, always perfectly adjusted to fit Jackson's moods."[17]
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