Current reporting has Democrat Suhas Subramanyam winning Virginia’s District 10 election to the U. S. House of Representatives by 51.9 percent of 207,138 votes cast.* In 1807 Buckland’s John Love, like Mr. Subramanyam, was a first-timer. He won election in Virginia’s 9th Congressional District, which included Fauquier and Culpeper Counties, with 60.5 percent of the 1312 votes cast. He was a Democratic Republican, the party of Thomas Jefferson, who was then in his second term as President. Two years later, Love won reelection, apparently without serious opposition, but lost his bid for a third term.
Then like today the economy, federal debt and foreign wars were major concerns. Three issues that dominated during Love’s four years in the House were retirement of the national debt left over from the Revolutionary War, renewal of the first Bank of the United States, and the increasing tensions with Great Britain that would erupt into the War of 1812.
During the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, both England and France exerted controls that interfered with American shipping and commerce. England was especially aggressive in blockading European ports, stopping and boarding American ships, and even impressing American sailors into its naval service. The 1806 Non-importation Act was in place when Love entered Congress. It banned importation of many British goods, applying economic pressure to encourage England to change course. Disappointing results led to its replacement by the 1807 Embargo Act, the Nonintercourse Act (1809) and other laws, which injured the American economy without the desired effect on British behavior. President James Madison signed the congressionally passed law declaring war with Great Britain on June 18, 1812.
At 20 years old, the first Bank of the United States came due for renewal in 1811. Love and his Democratic Republican colleagues opposed continuing the Federalist-created and controlled bank. Over the course of several debates the House repeatedly chose to postpone decision. Ultimately, Congress failed to extend the bank’s charter and thus allowed it to expire.**
*https://enr.elections.virginia.gov/results/public/Virginia/elections/2024NovemberGeneral, consulted 11/8/24.
**Helping Build America: The Love Family of Buckland, Virginia, pp. 61-63.