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William Learned Marcy (December 12, 1786 – July 4, 1857) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge who served as U.S. Senator, Governor of New York, U.S. Secretary of War and U.S. Secretary of State. In the latter office, he negotiated the Gadsden Purchase, the last major acquisition of land in the contiguous United States.
William L. Marcy was a U.S. politician, governor, and Cabinet member, remembered primarily for his remark: “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” From 1823 to 1829 Marcy was comptroller of New York state and a leading member of the “Albany Regency,” a group of powerful Democrats.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn about the life and career of William L. Marcy, who served as secretary of war from 1845 to 1849 under President James K. Polk. Find out his achievements, controversies, and legacy in this essay by the Miller Center.
Learn about the life and career of William Learned Marcy, who served as Secretary of State under Franklin Pierce from 1853 to 1857. He negotiated treaties with Mexico, Cuba, and Britain, and oversaw the Ostend Manifesto controversy.
William Learned Marcy (1786-1857) was an American politician and public figure who served as U.S. Secretary of War under President James K. Polk and U.S. Secretary of State under President Franklin Pierce.
- 1821-1857
- William L. Marcy Collection
- 42 letters (SC)
Learn about the life and career of William Learned Marcy, the thirteenth governor of New York from 1833 to 1839. He served in the U.S. Senate, the cabinet of two presidents, and the Mexican Claims Commission.
The towering legacy of American statesman William Learned Marcy is found in the name of the state's highest peak, 5,344-foot Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains.
