Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-22
Presidential Campaigns
II Ths Jackson Adams Rsos osis0.
BY Frederic J. Hsslxh

paim which resulted in JAckson's ele-
vation 10 the White House VA on.
jackson had received plurality of both
popular and electoral vote, and probably
would have received a majority Of both
II the people had becn permitted 70 vote
for presidential electors. The slogan
''lct the people rule" was 70 potent that
of the six states which chose electors by
their legislatures in 1924, all but South
Carolina had surrendered that right To
the popular suffrage before 1928. jackson
had been the choice OF the greater number
Of the people and the indignation against
the manner in which he WAS prevented
from taking the Presidency was intense.
Out Of it grew the division Of political
parties and the system of political methods
which obtains to this day.
The campaign Of 1928 Was the first
IN which there were two parties openly
bidding for the votes Of the whole people.
Both Jackson and Adams still claimed 10
be the true exponents Of the Democratic
Republican party Of jefferson, but the line
OF denarcation WAS distinct and the part
les were known as jackson" and
Adams" 10 was not until three or four
years later that the Adams people adopted
the name Of "Nations RerubTicsns."
thereby driving the Jackson party 10 the
popular designation Democratic" which
il still holds, although the official name
"Democratic-Republican" was adhered
to until after the Civil War.
The election Of John Quincy Adams 10
be President by the House of Represcnta-
tives, through virtue Of votes delivered 20
Adams by Henry Clay, and the fact that
Henry Clay Immediately became Sec
retary Of State in Adams' cabinet gaye
rise To the idea which was the principal
issue OF the campaign of 1923, the issue
which gives it the name of the bargain
and corruption" campaign. Andrew
Jackson accused Adams and Clay of
entering into corrupt bargain by which
the votes of states controlled by Clay
were delivered TO Adams in return for
the promise Of high Cabinet portion.
Henry Clay denied this charge and proved
10 the satisfaction of majority Of his
torlans that 10 had no foundation in fact.
AN ANCIENT SCANDAL.
Newspapers printed week before the
election IN the House Of Representatives
published reports Of deal between
Adams and Clay which would make
Adams President and Clay Secretary Of
State. 10 was a dispute growing out Of
this r1rnor which caused the Crawford
supporters To become ernbittered against
Clay before the Presidency was decided.
When Adams was chosen, the supporters
of Crawford Immediately charged Clay
with the sale of the Presidency. The New
York Evening Post, a fair sample Of the
Crawford press, declared that Clay's
action was a most indecent and daring
outrage ON public morals" All Of this
was IN February, 1926
1t was not until two years later that
General 5ackso.. took up these rlImors Of
barter and sale, and by giving them the
prestige of he name, caused them 20 be-
come an issue IN the campaign He added
to the charges the assertion that friends
of Clay had come 70 friends OF his with
the proposition that Clay would throw
the election 10 Jackson if Jackson would
pledge himself not 70 make Adams Sec
retary of State. This portion Of the
bargain and corruption" charge was
never proved, but a large majority of the
people IN the country firmly believed
that it was true and it always weighed
against Mr.. Clay's aspirations
Clay issued a pamphlet in 1920 urging
the people to vote for Adams and denying
the charges made by Jackson and his
followers. In that pamphlet he proved by
the Marquis de Lafayette, by Senators,
barkeepers and every sort and condition
OF man that he had always said that he
was against Jackson and that he would
rather see either Adams or Crawford
elected than to see Jackson In the White
House. Is Fayette declared that Gays
fear of Jackson was the fear of 8 military
the fear of SD unschooled man
at the helm OF the ship OF state, and the
like.
THE HERO STUFF.
Jaekson's great popularity as q war
hero gave him the plurality of the votes
IN 1924. -Four years later he WAS still the
Hero, and he had the added strength of
the popular belief that he had been cheat
ed out of the Presidency. Adsm had little
sincere following outside of New England.
he was a miserahly poor politician, and
even Clay could not do anything 70 rally
the popular vote to his standard But
the Adams appeal was made altogether to
the conservative element in the country
Jackson was declared TO be man of
blood and carnage" Against ms victory
over the British at New Orleans was set
the fact that he suspended the writ Of
habeaS corpus IN that same city. Jack
son's summary execution of six militiamen
was the excuse Of flooding the country with
circulars and cartoons, showing the muir
lerer Jackson gloating over the six coffns
of the innocent victims OF his thirst for
blood
On the other side, al the old charges
against Adams were brought up in adj
lition 10 the corrupt bargain" issue.
lie was accused of being an ariStocrat and
If seeking TO perpetuate his family in the
,ffice of President; his Unitarian religious
peliefs We're attacked as being infidelism,
md his loyalty during the War OF 1912 was
again questioned. And all this IN spite
Il the fact that Adams was one Of the best
md pureSt men who has ever occupied
he White House, the most scholarly of
'ur Presidents and true patriot.
CANDIDATES NOT NOMINATED.
The question of nomination of candi- |
iates did not enter into this campaign |
soth jackson and Adams were nominated |
~ various state legislatures, but as a |
natter of fact the two tickets, jackson l
md Calhoun, and Adams and Rush, were /
iominated by common consent.
jackson and Calhoun In his campaign |
gere the first regular Tanmany Hall 1
for President and Vice-Presi- /
ent. OF course the Hall had taken great
interest in national politics from the be-
inning of Washington's second adminls- !
ration, but this was Its first regular"