Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-04
Choice Of Candidates for the Chief
Magistraoy.
DIPLOMATIC EXPERIENCE A REQUISITE
Beginning With Andrew Jackson
Soldiers Became Popular.
THE PAST GAM PAIG Ms

| country Tor suitable candidates Tor the or
fees of President and Vice President. This
was when the presidential electors were
chosen by the legislatures of the states,
| and 1t would seem that on but few occa-
sions did the choice of presidential candi-
dates extend beyond those engaged in the
| affairs Of state, either as Secretary of State
or as foreign ministers. Indeed, from the
days of Washington to 1924. when the cleo
| tors were chosen by the people, there was
| an unwritten law that some experience in
diplomatic matters in the State Department
at home or abroad was required, and there
| was fair proportion of this class down to
| 1850.
In 1880 and '93 Washington was unani-
| mously elected, and with him John Adams.
| who had seen much diplomatic service, as
| Vice President. John Jay who had been
| in public service minister. was one Of
| the candidates at the first election. and
Thomas Jefferson who had represented
this country at the French court and
| then at the head of the State De-
| partment. was a candidate at the sec
| ond election. At the third election Mr.
Adams was chosen for the first place and
Mr. Jefferson for the second. and among
the aspirants were Thomas Pinkney, who
| had been minister to Great Britain. and
Oliver Ellsworth, minister to France. The
fourth term was filled by Mr. Jefferson and
Aaron Burr, and c. c. Pinckney. former
minister to France. was a candidate. Mr..
Jefferson was reelected, with George Cin-
ton as Vice President. Rufus King. for
Next, James Madison, who had followed
Mr.. Jefferson as Secretary of State. and
George Clinton were elected Mr. King
elected, De witt Clinton of New York be-
ing voted for. Elbridge Gerry. who was
secretary of legation in Belgium. was
chosen Vice President. being elected over
Jared Ingersoll. James Monroe. who had
been minister to France and Great Britain
and Secretary of State under Mr. Madison.
and D. D. Tompkins. who had been gov
ernor of New York. followed. being elected
over Rufus King and John Eager Howard,
the hero of Cowpens. Messrs. Monroe and
Tompkins were reelected in 1921. John
Quincy Adams and Richard Stockton were
their opponents.
No Choice by Electors.
In the contest of 1925 there was no choice
by the electors between John Quincy
Adams, Secretary of State under Mr. Mon
roe; Andrew Jackson. the hero OF New Or
leans; w. H Crawford. Secretary Of the
Treasury under Mr.. Monroe, and Henry
Clay, who. as minister, to Client, negotiated
the treaty of peace with Great Britain in
1914. The election went into the House
and was there decided in favor Of Mr..
Adams. John c. Calhoun. Secretary Of War
under. Monroe, was elected Vice President
over Nathan Sanford and Nathan Macon.
Mr.. Clay became Mr.. Adams Secretary of
State.
In the contest resulting In the election of
Jackson, with Mr.. Calhoun as Vice Presi-
dent the opponents were Mr.. Adams and
Benjamin Rush, the latter Secretary of the
Treasury under Mr.. Adams. General jack
son was reelected, with his Secretary of
State, Martin Van Buren,. who had been
American minister at the court of st.
James, as Vice President. Henry Clay and
John Sergeant the latter minister to Pan
anna under Mr.. Adams, formed the oppos-
ing ticket. John Floyd of Georgia, who
served IN the war of 1872; VIM. Writ, the
eminent jurist: VIM. Wilkins of Pennsylva-
MIA, former minister to Russia, were the
candidates.
Martin Van Buren, and Col. r. M. John
son, hero of the Indian wars, We're next
elected. Gen. w. H. Harrison of the war
Of 1912 and Indian war fame. once minister
to Colombia; Hugh L. White who had
served as senator and a Spanish claims
commissioner; Daniel Webster, long a SEN
ator, and Willis p Mangum of North Caro-
lima were candidates for the first place. and
Francis Granger Of New York, VIM. Smith
of South Carolina and John Tyler of Viz
ginia for the second place.
Next Harrison and Tyler were elected
over Van Buren, and Johnson. L. w. Taze
we'll of Virginia, long a senator and chair
man of the foreign relations committee,
and ]. G. Birney were candidates for the
second place
In 1915 James X. Polk of Tennessee and
George NJ Dallas of Pennsylvania were
elected over Clay and Freelinghuysen. Mr.
Dallas had been ambassador 10 RUSSIA
Zachary Taylor of Louisiana, hero OF
the Mexican war. and Lewis Cass of Mich
igan, who served in the war OF ISL as
minister to France and as Secretary of War
under Jackson, were the principal candi-
dates in 1S4S, with Willard Fillmore of New
York and Gen. W. o. Butler of Kentucky,
a soldier Of the war OF 1872 and OF the Mex
lean war; for the second places Mr. Van
Buren, was also candidate. Inc 1ayior
ticket was successful.
Pierce and King.
Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire, who
had served in Mexico, and Gen. Winfield
Scott. who. as commanding general, con-
d,,cted the campaign resulting in the cap
ture of Mexico, were the principals In the
next contest with w. R. King. once secre-
tary of the legation to Great Brltaln and
w Graham who had been Secretary OF
the Navy under the previous adm I9s,a
ca ndidate. Pierce and King were eiected.
In the next contest were James Buchanan,
Secretary of State under Mr. foih anu
minister to England and Russia, and John
G Breckinridge who had seen service IN
Mexico, were successful over John Z: Ere
mont of California. the explorer, ana w. y.
DAYTON who afterward went as minister 70
France; and Willard Fillmore and A. J:
Donelson, the latter Of whom had served
as minister to Russia and Germany
The contest which resulted in the electlon
of Lincoln and Hamlin was one in which
there were four tickets. the unsuccessful
candidates being Breckenridge and Lane,
Bell and Everett and Douglas and Johnson
Mr. Lincoln had been a captain In the Black
Hawk war Mr.. Lane had Won brigad1er
generals commission in Mexico. Mr.. Bell
had been Harrison's war minister and Mr..
Everett had been. in the 4Os. minister to
Great Britain and commissioner to China.
IT will be seen that before the war of
the rebellion the field Of presidential timber
was not SO extensive as since that time;
that. in the early days there was some
thing like promotion from the State De-
nartment. and that diplomatic experience
vas conducive to success After Washing
ton who had no opposition. the old
worthless. civil and military. were remem-
bered when electoral colleges were formed
esnecially those who had seen diplomatic
service Indeed, until the war of 1872 had
brought Jackson into prominence 1t was to
the ranks of those who had engaged in af
fairs abroad, or who had served in the De-
nartment of State, the country looked for
their candidates. and 1t was not till 1925.
when the electors were chosen by the direct
vote of the people. that the spell was
broken.
Soldier Candidates.
After Jackson soldier candidates were
quite as numerous as were the diplomatic,
Harrison, Scott. johnson, Butler. Taylor,
Pierce and others appearing before the cleo
toral college from time to time. Though the