The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-29
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HAsRIN, Director.
washington, D. C.
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS.
3. The Jackson Clay Race of 1882

3. Inc JackSOn-Olay Race OF 1882.
Washington, D. c., Sept. 26.-"Old
Hickory against Harry of the west !;
national conventions against national
conventions; the ''pee-puP' against
the money power; the outs against
the ms, and all with the federal Of
fees at stake as sure prizes for the
winner, made the campaign of 1892
the fiercest of American history up to
that time. For Andrew Jackson had
hardly arrived in the White House on
March 4, 1929, before he had fired
a whole raft of Adams office-holders
and had replaced them with loyal
JacksoniteS.
ITO the victors belong the spoils,"
said he, promulgating the doctrine of
rotation in office and instituting the
political methods of reWarding parti-
san activity with a public job. It's
Jackson did not have the committee
form of party organization which
backs up an administration today he
did have Martin Van Buren, in his
councils, and Van Buren, was as wise
in practical politics as was Napoleon
in strategy.
This campaign of 1882 was the first
in which national nominating conven-
tons figured. The anti-Masons held
the first, and nominated William Writ
who had been attorney general of the
United States under Monroe and
maker of Pennsylvania for vice presi-
dent The National Republicans al
ready called the "Whigs" in ordinary
conversation, Nominated Henry Clay
of Kentucky, for president. and John
Sergeant of Pennsylvania. for vice
president The Democrats held a con-
vention, but did not nominate a can
didate for president as Jackson was
the unanimous choice of the party
Martin Van Buren, was named for vice
president and the famous twe-thirds
rule. which afterward proved Van
Buren's undoing, was adopted. The
state of South Carolina still chose it's
electors by the legislature, as it did
until after the Civil war. and it had a
party all of its own, with John Floyd
of Virginia, for president and Henry
Lee of Massachusetts, for vice presi-
dent.
stormy Session.
Jackson's administration had been
the stormiest ever known and the con-
sentative statesmen of the old school
were in despair. He had quarreled
with the vice president, John c. Call
noun by preferring Van Buren, as a
chief counsellor. He had broken up
his own cabinet and had precipitated
the most violent social war of Wash
ington's history by insisting upon the
acceptance of Mrs. Eaton, wife of his
secretary of war, by the official cir
out all the old officehelders and had
given their places to his friends. He
had violated every precedent of presi-
Dental behavior. and had trans
greSsed every tradition of statecraft.
His greatest fight had been against
the Bank of the United States. When
he first became president he had some
correspondence with the bank, insist
ing that the national government had
some right to say who should be
chosen officers of the hank. To this
claim, Nicholas Biddle, head of the
bank, set UP an absolute denial. Then
reports came in from all over the
country that the various branches of
the bank were discriminating against
Jackson men in business relations, and
that the bank was building up a ma
chine to overthrow Jackson. This
federal bank had been chartered in
1916 for period of twenty years. and
it must obtain a new lease of life from
the government during the administra-
ton Of that president to be elected in
1928.
Henry Clay, hating Jackson with all
his soul, and firm in the belief that
the people would not re-eIeet such an
uncouth monster to the high office of
president. decided to force the fight
ing. It was by his advice that the bill
to recharter the bank was introduced
and passed by congress during jack
sons first term. Thomas H. Benton,
senator from Missouri, was fighting
against the recharter in the senate.
declaring for a gold currency and
gaining his sobriquet of "Old Bullion
But the bank had friends in congress
and the bill extending its charter was
passed.
Swatting the Money Devil.
Jackson promptly vetoed it. That
veto was given in July, 1928. when
the presidential campaign was already
well in progress. In these advanced
and enlightened days the president al
ways sees to it that congress has ad-
journed before the nominations are
made, so as to prevent big questions
coming up. But Jackson didn't care.
He said he had swatted the money
Devir' and he had. The campaign
was on, and so far as Jackson men
were concerned, there was but one
issue=the duty of saving Jackson
from overthrow by the Money
Monster.
Clay, the idol of his followers, was
confident that he could win on the
bank question. He was sure that the
people would not consent to a ruth
less overturning of the financial sys-
tenn of the country. Therefore he
made loyalty to the bank the test of
party fealty. But there was a settled
conviction that Jackson was right and
| the bank was wrong. The old "cer-
fuPlAOl anu bdE6dlH CRY OF HOUR
ago was heard again, but most of the
old issues were buried in the new.
The anti-Masons were strong in the
| North, or had been in state elections,
and Calhoun was leading the anti
jackson fight In his own state. where
| the doctrine of notification was al
ready being preached. The end of the
| bank question and the crisis in the
notification business were to come in
| Jackson's second administration, but
! of course, that was not known. The
fact that Clay, a Mason, was conniving
with the anti-Masons. and that Clay.
the author Of the American System
of protection and the tariff of abomi-
| nations was in collision with Calhoun,
! the chief nullifier, added to Jack
sons strength. THE Triple Unholy
Alliance of Clayisn, Notification and
Anti Masonry was the way the Jack
| son orators described the opposition.
The Day of Campaign Songs.
On the 0thar Sida aff :