Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-10-20

;no thirty sig votes in her electoral college, hau
given tysnty sir TO Mr.. Adams and but one 10
General Jackson Is il conceivable, that the
men who were clothed with the po"
or Of expressing the sentiments Of that great
State. could have been persuaded so far to for
pet the responsibility Of their representative
character, as to have gRen their vote, under
any circumstances, or after any number oil tri.
ais. TO one whom their constituents had rejected
in the overwhelming proportion OF thirty JIue TO
one2 He must be either grossly credulous, or
himself open 10 corruption, and therefore ready
TO suspect others, who could for moment be-
lieve that the delegation from New York could
have been induced TO swerve from her first vote.
II is we'll known tina, Ns,o Jersey, though her
vote on the FIRST ballot had been given 10 the
"military chieftain,"" would on a second ballot
have voted for Mr.. Adams. The people OF the
State had been trieked out OF the expression OF
their real sentiments in the formation OF their
electoral college; and the representatives erro'
neously fancied themselves, in their trsf vote,
bound 10 obey the will Of that college. But had
a second vote been necessary, they would have
followed the dictates Of their own judgment
and preference. -Four of the delegation were
decidedly in favour Of Mr.. Adams, and OF the
Other t,co, it was doubtful whether more than
one WOC 10 nave COHtiHueu u poit wv"
The electoral college of Deiatc0re had given
two votes to .Nr. Cyo,foyd, and one to Mr..
.adanY; but none 10 Gen. Jackson. Indeed at
the period We speak of, there were not do
zen individuals in the State, who would have
given their voices for the General; and The sole
REPRESENTATIVE, whatever may be the DISPOSE.
ton he has subsequently, evinced towards 1.-THE
Hero would at that time, as soon have voted
for he Prince Of darkness a, for him. The
same may hr said Of all the States which had,
in the first instance, voted for Mr.. Crawford,
between whose friends and those of Gen. JACK
son there then seemed to be barrier that no.
thing but miracle could have broken down,
This was not only he individual feeling of the
representatives. who evinced their devotion to
Mr.. Crawford by giving him their first vote;
but it was the concerted determination OF the
whole, after abandoning him, to throw their
weight into the scale with Mr.. Adams.
The State of Maryland, IS was shewn by the
official returns of the votes taken al her electo'
raj election, was in favor Of Mr.. adams. But
owing to the most unprincipled leagues form
ed against him, in some of the districts of the
State, and to the indiscreet division among hi,
friends in others, an electoral coll &c was form
ed which cheated the ma jority Of the people of
their undeniabe right to conrroul the voice Of
the State Several of the delegation too, had
imprude ntly pledged themselves to vote for
Gen. Jackson, on the first ballot, who would
otherwise have voted for Mr. Adams Con>
sidering this pledge however, as led, emed by
single vote. they would in every subsequent
one have exercised their own judgment and
preference by voting for Mr. Adams This
know to have been the determination of i,oo OF
the representatives who voted for Gen. Jack
son.
With regard to the State of Ohio, her dele
CATION were opposed to Gen. Jackson upon
principles whic" they could no have yielded,
without forgetting The duty they owrd to their
constituents. The vital interests of the State
were at wa, with the avowed OPTIONS Of the
greater portion of Gen. Jackson's friends; and
these opinions, it was believed, whatever might
have be- his own sentiments, would prevail
in the policy Of his Administrator. 10 sup
pose, therefore, that Ohio could have been in
duced in any event to vote for Gen. Jackson,
is to suppose tn. exlstenc- of corruption, not on
ly in MIR. Gay but in the whole delegation
from that State, which IL is known was COM
postd OF a. honorable men as were ever inlrust-
ed with the guardianship Of their country's
interests. Thy were such men as Gen. Jack
son himself, bold as he has shewn himself in
attributing disho mes, motives, would not have
dared 10 charge with corruption.
The representative Of Illinois was warm
personal as well as political friend of Mr.. Adj
ans TIE SINE motives which actuated him
on the frs, ballot, would have continued TO
govern has subsequent votes In conf rmation
OF his own choice, he knew that large ma
jority Of his constituents " ere opposed to the
election of Gen. Jackson, and that a greater
number of them had voted for Mr.. Adams,
than for either Of the other candidates. Is il
probable, then, that he could have been inf1u-
enced either by Mr., Clay or any body else, to
change the course at first make out tor him.
self!
From this statement every part OF which
may be substantiated by The clearesl evidence
1t appears, that so lar from its being proba.
bic that Gen. Jackson could have been elected
through the influence Of Mr.. Clay, either on
the first or second ballot, MIR. Adams would
have received the votes of fifteen States, at the
least, had it been necessary to resort to amos
ther trial. Look at the subject then as we
may, / repeat that it is scarcely within the
limits OF possibility, that Gen Jackson could
have been Ignorant, when he attributed his de-