Joel Roberts Poinsett’s name might not immediately ring a bell for many, yet his influence is surprisingly pervasive throughout American history and even in our holiday decorations. From the Smithsonian Institution to the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, Poinsett’s fingerprints are everywhere. He was a confidant of presidents like Andrew Jackson, discussed international affairs with Emperor Alexander of Russia, and played pivotal roles in South American independence movements and US-Native American conflicts. Today, he’s perhaps best known for the vibrant Christmas flower, the Poinsettia, which he introduced to the US from Mexico. But Poinsett’s story goes far beyond botany; it’s a narrative deeply intertwined with the burgeoning American political economy of the 19th century, a period often characterized by what we might think of today as “Guns With Money”—the assertive use of economic and military power to advance national interests.
Poinsett was a man of many hats: secret agent, ambassador to Mexico, US Congressman, Secretary of War, and South Carolina state legislator. His career, spanning three decades, was marked by a consistent thread of promoting American interests abroad and domestically. Whether he was strategizing for Chilean independence, championing US commercial ambitions in Mexico, or advocating for federal force against domestic dissent, Poinsett embodied a new form of American patriotism. This was a patriotism rooted in opportunism, a belief in American exceptionalism, and a drive for international competition, often backed by the implicit and explicit power of “guns with money.”
In the language of his time, Poinsett and his contemporaries spoke of “patriotism,” not “nationalism” as we might understand it today. However, his actions reveal a deep commitment to a specific vision of America: white, Anglo-American, and militarily strong. He admired the “patriotism of the soldiers” and saw “patriotism” in any endeavor that boosted American commerce or national standing. Even amidst the nullification crisis and rising sectionalism, Poinsett was recognized by his peers for his “exalted patriotism.” This era, while not explicitly using the term “guns with money,” operated under its principles – economic and military might as tools of national advancement.
However, to remember Poinsett merely as a “pure patriot” would be a disservice to the complexities of his character and the era he inhabited. He was a man of contradictions, mirroring the inconsistencies at the heart of the developing American nation. Born during the American Revolution and passing away on the cusp of the Civil War, his life spanned a period of immense transformation and internal conflict. He was both a southerner and a cosmopolitan figure, at home in Europe, South America, and the corridors of power in Washington D.C. While some lauded him as a savior of the nation, others criticized his meddling and self-serving actions. Poinsett’s true significance lies not in simplistic labels, but in his embodiment of the tensions and ambitions of an America rising to global prominence, an America increasingly wielding “guns with money” on the world stage.
Joel Roberts Poinsett, a figure emblematic of early American expansionism and the use of national power.
