Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-07-07
For CLAY,
For CRAWFORD,

2l9

didate. Many OF the friends OF Mr.
Clay, Mr.. Crawford, and Gen. Jackson
voted for him, and many OF the friends o
each candidate hoped that he might even
tually vote for their favorile; and, being
unpledged, he was certainly at liberty tc
have done SO without complaint from
any of them. If the votes given to Mr.
Turney had been equally divided be.
tween Messrs. Jackson, Clay, and Craw-
ford, the result would then have been
For ADAMS, 1912
For JACKSON, l479
For CLAY, 1856
For CRAWFORD, 429
leaving Mr.. Adams still the highest can
didate on the list.
From this statement it will be seen,
that Gen. Jackson had not majority
of the vote given for electors; but on
the contrary was second en- the list. The
whole number of votes given vas 400,
and Of this number Gen. Jackson re-
ceived 1870, leaving in favor of the
other candidates 33So-more than dou-
bic the number received by the Gene
raj.
But as it is my desire, neither to be
misrepresented, nor misunderstood, |
propose to placetho subject in that shape
before you, which shall operate most
favorably to the purposes OF those who
are most anxious TO place upon me the
charge OF treachery. A 3ainst, what eve
ry one in the district, where Mr.. Turney
was voted for, knows 10 be the the fact,
/ will place to the credit of General
Jackson all the votes given to Mr.. Tur-
ney, and they will make the aggregate
number of his votes 1901. Then, add
together the votes given to the other can
didatcs, and they make the aggregate
number of 1908, giving majority a.
gainst Gen. Jackson of 9o7 votes.
With this statement before you, fell
low-ci,izens, | submit it to your candor,
to say whether the zuiU of majority of
those who voted for President, was
clearly erhressed IN favor Of Gen. Jack
son think that nothing but infatuated
enthusiasm can induce any man to say
it was; and if it shall be admitted that
there was no such expression OF the will
OF a majority in his favor, candor must
induce every man to allew, that | was
nor pledged to vote for him-and have,
therefore, been unfairly and unjustiy
charged with freachery to my consIitu-
ents, in voting against him. ! was even no,
only nor pledged to vote for him, but
was LETT without any other light TO direct
my course, than that which my own
judgment afforded. Although, by the
division of the state into electoral dis
trcls, unequal in their population, TWO
electors were chosen favorable to Gen.
Jackson, yet the voice of majority oil
the iteohle of the state had not been ex-
pressed in his behalf. Tho heohke then,
had united on no one-ihty had given
no clear indication of their preference;
aud, under the constitution, the duty,
therefore devolved on me, of making a
choice in their behalf. In saving they
had given no clear Indication OF their
preference, think | am justified by evil
dence within the reach of all. The
number OF votes in the state, al that time
as mas been shown by the result of the
Congressional election that had taken
place but three months before, was
1900, and no one Of the candidates for
President had received the one sixth
part of those votes. For me, then, to
assume as the clear opinion Of a ma jori-
ty OF the state, he opinion of less than
one sixth, would have been as great an
insult 10 the public understanding, as it
would have been miserable pretext
for doing in any case, that, which could
no, otherwise justify. Would instruc.
tons from one sixth Of the people, to me,
to do an act gainst the eiings and wish
es of the other five .sixths, be received
as legitimate justification OF the &C,
With one voice you will answer-No.
! repeat then, that was left 10 repose on
constitutional ground, and to act under
my constitutional responsibility. To
choose freely, was my right; to choose
honestly, was my duty. Tha, l did
choose freely, has not been denied; but,
as to the integrity Of the motives which
led to that choice, questions have been
raised by my opponents Some judg-
ing perhaps by their own dispositions;
and others, under the influence Of hon.
est pre- udices, artfuIIy infused into them
by designing men, have not hesiated to
ascribe to me, unworthy motives, with.
out evidence Of any sort to support their
accusation. feel tina. my reputation is
safe in the hands OF a community, who
have no motive to decide unjustly. II
the whole course Of my public lfe, we'll