The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-22
MANY SLIPS
IN POLITICS Il.
How Lick Rather Than General
ship Has Often Counted in
Presidential Contests.
BY CHANCE OR ACCIDENT.
Curious Combinations Of Cir
cumstanccs That Have Placed
Men In the White House.
Bv Rufus Rockwell Wilson,

By Rufus Rockwell Wilson,
Author Of washington, the Capital city"
Accidents favoring circumstances and
unlocked for events have done more 70
seat n majority OF our Presidents and to
bar abler aspirants than all calcnlaple
Influences and qualities. Hardly one OF
the great leaders OF either OF the great
parties has been elected slnce the earlier
days OF the Republio. Jackson. the elder
Harrison and Grant excepted. none OF
the generally popular men has succeeded.
md OF these Harrison's was the popu-
larity Of an idea. and Grants OF mill
tary hero. Tho history OF nominating
and Of elections shows. In
fact. that man who has won only
moderate degree OF fame and then waited
for some happy turn OF fortune has had
by far the best chance OF SUCCESS.
The first election of Jefferson was due
10 an unlocked for combination OF events
Under the Constitution. as 1t then was
the man who received the largest number
OF electoral votes became President. and
tho man who received the next largest
number. Vide President. But Burr and
JEFFERSON received an equal number OF
electoral votes and there being no choice
thrown into the House OF Representa-
rtives. The House was not able to make
choice for seven days. and would not have
elected Jefferson at all had not an unex-
peotoi influence been brought to bear
upon the contest. ibis was the authority
and ability OF Alexander Hamilton. me
leader OF tho Federalists. who. regarding
Burr as the greater OF two evils, In
terposed at tho eleventh hour in behalf
OF JEFF erson. Even then Hamilton accom-
plished his purpose in an Indirect way;
tho Federal Representative from YER
mont and the two from Maryland voted
blank ballots, 80 that in the final ballot
It appeared that ten states,a majority OF
those voting, had given Jefferson their
ballots. It has been aptly said that JET
ferson's clectoI through the efforts OF
Hamilton. whc perspnified ali that he OPP
posed In political r't"ry. lis one OF the
strangest tales that history has to tell"
Burr Justly charged his defeat to Hamii-
ton, and in due time tho latter answered
with his HE for his part In the election.
"A less tragic sequel OF the contest was
the passage by Congress- OF Constitu-
tlonal amendment providing that the elec-
tors shall designate their ballots as for
President and vice-President. n change
making Impossible repetition OF tho
trouble OF 1901
Clay's First Losing Fight.
1T was predetermined that Madison
should succeed Jefferson. and that the
former should. In turn. make way for
Monroe: but John Quincy Adams was In !
some respects an accidental President.
The approach OF the election In 1924
found four candidates before the people
Adams. Jackson. Crawford and Clay. |
Jackson had a majority OF the populor |
vote. but not OF the electoral college, and
thus the election again went to the !
House. with choice TO be made from the
three candidates-Jackson. Adams and |
Crawford-who had received the most |
electoral votes. That Clay was barred |
from the contest IL the House was due |
to what seemed at the moment trlning |
matter. The State Legislature at that ,
time selected the presidential electors for
tho States. BY what Clays friends term
cd downright dishonesty the Louisiana
Legislature seized an opportunity during I
the absence OF Clay's supporters from
that body to vote for the presidential !;
electors These electors divided their |
votes between Jackson and Adams, but |
had the election taken place when Clay's |
friends were present the Louisiana cleo
tors would have been Clay men. and their |
votes In the electoral college would have |
made Clas's electoral vote greater than
that OF Crawford, Clay. then. instead OF ,
before the House. and his popularity In
that body, OF which he was speaker.
would have secured his election. AS 1t
was, his preference determined the re-
suit. Under ordinary circumstances he
undoubtedly would have supported Craw-
ford. but the latter had recently suffered |
n shock OF paralysis. so severe as to |
shatter his health. and Clay was thus
forced, as he expressed 1t, to make a
choice of evils-Jackson or Adams.
Without delay he announced to his
friends that he had decided TO support
Adams. who. backed by his own and tho
followers OF Clay, was elected on the first
ballot.
How Calhoun Missed the Prize.
Death alone could have prevented
Jackson's two elections to the presidency,
played more decisive part In the choice
own deep scheming brain. When jack
son took Office in 1929. John c, Calhoun.
then beginning his second term as Vice
President, stood foremost among the
supporters OF the new President. In fact.
when jackson was elected 1t was under
stood that he should serve a single term.
and that Calhoun should become his sue
oessor. This plan. however, went early
away. Crawford had not ceased to re-
sent his defeat In 1924. for which, with
or Without due reason he held Calhoun
chiefly responsible From the comfor-
table retirement afforded him by seat
on the Georgia bench. Crawford wrote
to one OF Jackson's friends. declaring
that In Nfonroe's Cabinet. OF which ne
and Calhoun had been members, the lat
ter had proposed that Jacksons conducl