Marcy, William Learned (1786–1857)

US Democratic politician. He was a senator 1831–32, governor of New York 1833–38, secretary of war under James Polk 1845–49, and secretary of state under Franklin Pierce 1853–57.

Marcy was born in Southbridge, Massachusette, educated at Brown University, and practised law in Troy, New York. He came to the fore as a Democrat and became one of the Albany ‘regency’, which was reputed to decide the policy of the party in New York State. During his term as senator, in a speech 1832, he used the subsequently much-quoted phrase ‘to the victors belong the spoils of the enemy’.