Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-10-01

Washington, D. G., Sept. 19.-"Let
the People Rule cried the supporters Of
Andrew Jackson before John Quincy Ad-
ans had taken the oath as president in
1926, and the long three years cam
paisn which resulted in Jackson's- ele-
vation to the White House was on. jack
son had received a plurality of both pop
tllar and electoral vote, and probably
would have received a majority of both
if the people had been permitted to vote
for presidential electors. The slogan,
Let the people rule" was so potent
that of the six states which chose cleo
tors by their legislatures in 1924, all
but South Carolina had surrendered that
right to the popular suffrage before
1928. Jackson had been choice OF the
greater number of the people and the in
dignation against the manner IN which he
was prevented from taking the presi-
dency was intense. Out of it grew the
division Of political parties and the sys-
TEN Of political methods which obtains
to this day.
The campaign of 1896 was the first in
which there two parties openly bidding
for the votes Of the whole people. Both
Jackson and Adams still claimed to be
the true expouents Of the Democratic
Republican party of Jefferson. but the
line of demarcation was distinct and the
sAi'NA
adams" 1t was not until three or
four years later that the Adams people
adopted the name of National Republi-
cans" thereby driving the Jackson party
to the popular designation Democratic,
which il still holds, although the official
name Democratic Republican" was ad-
hered to until after the Civil war.
The election Of John Quincy Adams to
be president by the house of represent
atives. through virtue of votes delivered
to Adams by Henry Clay, and the fact
that Henry Clay Immediately became
secretary Of state il Adams cabinet
gave rise to the idea which was the prin-
cipal issue of the campaign of 1873. the
issue which gives it the name of the
bargain and corruption" campaign. An
drew Jackson accused Adams and Clay OF
entering into a corrupt bargain by wn!ch
the votes Of states controlled by Clay
were delivered to Adams in return for
the promise of a high cabinet position
Henry Clay denied this charge and prov
ed to the satisfaction Of a majority OF
historians that it had no foundation IN
fact.
An Ancient Scandal
Newspapers printed a 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. 1t was dispute growing out OF
this rumor which caused the Crawford
supporters to become embittered 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, 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 1925.
It was not until two years later that
General Jackson took up these rumors
Of a barter and sale and by giving them
the prestige Of his name caused them TO
become Oh issue in the campaign He
added to the charges the assertion that
friends of Clay had come to friends of
his with the proposition that Clay would
throw the election to Jackson if Jackson
would pledge himself not to make Adams
secretary of state. This portion of the
bargain ard corruption" charge was
never proved. but a large majority of
/ the people in the country firmly believed
| that 1t was true and it always weighed
against Mr.. Clays aspirations