Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-06

there were g members ana two prox- !
lee present. II nominated Crawford
and 0allatin, who were the last pres |
idential nominees ever to receive q
nomination at the hands of q caucus.
This system had sprung up In 1900
and continued until 1894. virginia and
q few other states backed up caucus
rule and appealed to-the country tol
stand by It. But other states were
equally earnest In their protests that
1t was undemocratic and ought to be-
discontinued. In Pennsylvania 1t was
suggested that there ought to be
national delegate convention to choose
the candidates, but the expense OF
travel then was 10 great that the sug-
gestion could not be acted upon.
Early in the campaign South Caro-
lima nominated William Lowndes.
This caused John c. Calhoun's friends
to get busy and the state switched
over to him. Later Ohio nominated
Dewitt Clinton, and this caused such
ridicule that another meeting was
called to consider a motion to rescind
the action. This meeting was held In
a Cincinnati church. and the. crush
was so great the participants had to
retire to an open field for the house
to divide. Clinton withdrew FROM the
running, and John G. Calhoun
switched over to be vice presidential
candidate on both the Adams and the
Jackson tickets. Gallatin also with
drew, under pressure.
Crawford Was Stricken.
Before the fight Crawford was
stricken by paralysis and retired to "a
mansion house in the country" which
stood at Fourteenth street and Massa-
chusetts avenue. five minutes from
the White House. where he could not
see even his intimate friends. His
signature to public documents had to
be affixed with facsimile stamp by
his daughter.
In Massachusetts an "unpledged
electoral ticket was chosen. In Ohio
the Columbus Gazette announced a
Clay ticket, which the Jacksonites
dubbed the We ticket. In New York
the people were clamoring for the
right to choose the electors, but IL
members OF the state senate prevented
the passage of law giving them that
right Their names were printed on
great big posters in glazing letters,
and surrounded with big black borders.
These were posted in saloons, tack ed
on trees, hung in store windows and
generally circulated. Only one OF the
II offered for reelection, and the
overwhelming defeat he met showed
the temper of the people. The legisla =
ture, after a long wrangle. chose 20
Adams electors, seven Clay electors,
and four for Crawford. Three Of the
Clay electors deserted MIN, else he
and Crawford would have tied for
third place in the electoral colleges
| In North Carolina there was fusion
ticket known as the Peoples ticket
Each voter was to write on his bal
| lot whether he preferred Adams or
| Jackson, and the electors were to be
apportioned between them in the ra-
| ito of their strength, but the agree
| ment was afterward repudiated and
Jackson got the entire vote Adams
!, would have been entitled to third OF
| North Carolina's vote on the strength
of the agreement.
There were innumerable party polls
during the progress of the campaign
Wherever three was a crowd-on
steamboat, at court day meeting, az
gatherings of the militia-polls were
made to discover the drift of public
sentiment. Campaign badges for the
| first time became popular. Great num-
bers Of fancy vests with the pictures
of Adams, Jackson, Clay and Craw.
| ford, were ordered from France, ant
the voter could show whom he was
supporting by the picture on his vest
La Faystte's Visit.
La Fayette visited the country dur
ing the campaign and the interest o.
the people toward the end Of the fgh
shifted from politics to the celebration
OF the great visitors return. But whel
the returns did come in 1t was foun'
that no candidate had a majority II
the electoral colleges, and that tn
house would have to elect.
Clay, who was speaker. had rul
fourth, so the choice was to fall Of
Adams, jackson or Crawford. 1t wa
charged that Clay had made a bar
gain with Adams whereby he shout
become secretary Of state in return TO
; throwing his strength to Adams. Cla
declared that the man who made tn
charge was "a base and infamous cal
. uminator, a bastard, and a liar, WHIT
IL he would make himself known
would be held responsible to all tn
laws that govern men of honor" Rep
resentative Kremer of Pennsylvania
. whose claim to fame was leopar
skin overcoat and an eccentric man
/. ner replied that he was the autho
! of the charge and would prove i
Henry Clay thought better Of his i'm
piled threat to take the matter to tn
; duelling ground at Bladensburg, an
instead asked the house to investigat
the matter and expel him IL 1t foun
Die charge true. When the hous
asked Kremer for his proof he backe
down. Jackson himself afterward re
peated the charge.
When the house voted, Adams wo
on the first ballot. He declared to tn
committee which notified him Of h
election that II tin constitution ha
provided a method whereby he coul
do it, he would have resigned and RI
u | bio ooeo IN tho ronnlo