The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-08
MEN WHO FAILED
orgINIsCENCBs OF CITIZENS WHO
AsPIRBD TO TIE PRESIDENCY.

With Wrecked Am bittonS-EnurloW
yUsed's Hand in 1924, When No
Choice Was Made.
F,,op1 the Louisville Courier-Journol.
In his old age when Thurlow Weed lived
a delichtful life In New York city, he was
vary fond of narrating to his friends some
snecdotes of which his fifty years. expert
rca as a politician furnished him great
fnnd Moreover, his anecdotes were usually
~ die kind which illustrate point in poll
.ics. and he was frequently able to group
number together SO that they would serve
a. demonstration Of law OF American
11IItics as it had been developed under his
eye.
One evening Mr.. Weed was entertaining
anne friends with political reminiscenoe.
If was not long after the disputed election
If 1876. and quite naturally the CONVERSE
tion turned upon the accidents OF politics so
far as they made or unmade presidential
\ candidates and Mr.. Weed told most in
terestinr story of the politics which resulted
in the election of John Quincy Adams. He
had been saying that the pathway to the
White house was strewn with wrecked am
4 bitions. the result Of disaster due to acci-
dant or mistake which at the moment of
Il occurrence seemed trivial.
The people voted in 1924 for electors COM
mitted to the selection either of John
Ouiucy Adams, William II. Crawford, An
drew jackson or Henry Clay. The strongest
candidates we're believed to be Crawford
and jackson. Clay was then young man,
perhaps the youngest who had ever been
voted for for the presidency. Adams repre-
sented what was left of the old Federal
party, and he had some support among
democrats who were opposed to Crawford
or jackson.
There is no doubt, or was no doubt, in
Thurlow Weeds mind at that time that
majority of the citizens of New York state
were in favor of the election of Mr.. Craw-
ford. The legislature, however, then chose
the electors, and while majority Of that
body seemed likely to favor Crawford, yet
4 division of sentiment was such that Weed,
who was then young man learning his
H first lessons in politics, and some others be-
lieved that fusion ticket " ould be offered
which would be carried by the legislature.
Crawfords friends were many of them
wealthy New Workers, and they were de-
termned to give him the electoral vote.
Having told so much of the preliminary
history of that canvass, MIR. Weed, with a
gentle smile, added: Sand now 1 am
going to tell you what my first experiences
Of the accidents or chances or politics
weren
ssnger on an Erie canalboat on his way to
Albany. On the same boat was member
Of the legislature, elected as an Adams man.
Somewhere on the trip a man boarded the
canalboat whom Mr.. Weed recognized as a
person employed to secure legislation, or
what is nowadays known as u lobbyist.
And this lobbyist was soon in close oonver-
satlon with the Adams legislator, who did
not know Mr. Weed.
AS a result of their conference two letters
we're written and mailed from the canal
boat, and Mr.. Weed was sharp enough to
see TO whom they were addressed. They
were mailed to two other members also
chosen by Adams men. Then Mr.. Weeds
suspicious were aroused, and he determined
to play the detective. He followed the
lobbyist aud the member not only to
Albany, but from Albany to New York
city Swallowed them until they reached a
hotel, where they met a wealthy manu-
q facturer who was also a strong Crawford
g man, and Mr.. Weed, in a manner, which
Il be did not care to reveal, was soon in DOS
n session OF facts showing him that down.
\ right attempt at bribery was being made
by this man and that a large sum of money
at least for that day, had been raised to
corrupt enough Adams members to secure
the election OF q solid body Of electors who
would vote for Crawford.
OF course the friends Of Adams were put
to their wits end TO prevent this, and Mr.
Weed suggested the weY in which IL could
be done With Gen. Spencer. then very
influential politician, and one other, Mr..
Weed faced some of the members upon
whom bribery was attempted, accused them
aud declared that if they voted for Craw-
ford they would bs publicly charged in the
leg stature with bribery. Gen. Spencer,
also added that he would himself give them
tickets Endorsed with his name upon the
back so that it could be discovered whether
they we're faithful or had betrayed their
Il constituents.
On Sunday preceding the election in the
legislature Mr. Weed locked himself in a
little printing office, put on an apron, rolled
up his sleeves, set up and printed the fusion
tIcKet, majority of the names upon it be-
Ing those OF Adams electors, but there were
some for Crawford and for jackson, as it
was not possible TO elect solid Adams cleo
toral ticket.
These ballots were secretly distributed.
When the joint session of the legislature
met and the voting began the president of
Uue senate saw that printed ballot, some-
thing unprecedented, was deposited, and.
forgetting himself, he turned to the menu
@S'4 ana Id: "A printed ballot is being
voted" and one Of the senators, jumping to
MS teet, shouted: "Treachery, by ="
and it seemed for a few moments
as though there would be a riot
in the chamber. The Crawford
men understood that the printed ballots
would reveal that those who voted it had
oeen true to their pledge, and the attempt
" suOorn members had thereby miscarried.
ieI, as there was no law against q printed
ballot, those offered were necessarily re-
cslYeu. and as result fusion ticket was
etec1ea. This gave a majority Of the electo-
tal Votes TO Adams, thus making it possible
Fl " present his name to the House of Repre-
sentatlves in Washington, where, as there
uau oeen no choice in the electoral college
s sne election was carried. Had it not been
Lu thls action Mr.. Crawford would have
aeosIVed the electoral vote of New York,
I TSa would undoubtedly have been chosen
but for the chance coincidence which
Dought the lobbyist and myself upon the
5 Same canalboat." Mr.. Weed said, "un-
oOITIIeaIy this scheme would have carried
anl mr.. Crawford would have been elected
Dut II Mr.. Weed won this battle. chance
18TH Lin, his victory cost him a defeat
nIoH gave him infinite sorrow and caused
so great party such despair as had never be-
tid oeen witnessed in O presidential cleo
I'm on, MI. Adams was elected by the
s 1onse Fresiders, and by the aid of those
GaI whose first choice had been Henry
LAY. Upon assuming the Office he APP
POluteQ Mr.. CLAY Secretaru of State ara