即使國家遭逢經濟危機，范布倫仍然忠於湯瑪士傑佛遜與安德魯傑克森的政治哲學，認為聯邦政府應該只能掌握有限的權力，也拒絕傾聽那些認為聯邦政府應該透過國家新設銀行、藉以穩定並控制國家衰敗經濟者的言論。

他唯一願意作的事情是將聯邦基金從各州銀行移至獨立基金，但這舉動並未能發揮效果、解決經濟混亂的問題，因為上述問題和其他許多不同的因素，范布倫在1840年參與競選時，被徹底地擊潰。

Even with the nation in economic crisis, Van Buren stuck to the political philosophy of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson that the federal government should exercise only limited power. He refused to listen to those who said the federal government should try to stabilize and take control of the nation's failing economy through a new Bank of the United States.

The only thing he was willing to do was move federal funds from state banks to an independent treasury. This didn't stop the economic turmoil. For this and other reasons, when Van Buren ran for reelection in 1840, he was soundly defeated.

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