Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-09-04
Adams Chosen in House
Amid Great Excitement
RANG WITH MINGLED CHEERS
AND Kisses AS SPEAKER
CALLED ADJOURNMENT
By Edward Percy Howard

W0Su f1GuIy CIdy SlCppCu liOlu AAo
carriage to interview the stricken can
didate for the Presidency, Crawford,
the contest had reached that pass
where he came to look upon the
Georgian with considerable favor.
Clay unquestionably held the balance
of power. He liked Crawford personal
| ly. They had spent many jovial time
over hot toddy and stacks of poker
game that caused the bitterness be-
tween Adams and Clay. On one ocas-
sion Clay was holding a poker party
in hotel Adams occupied the adj
joining room. The Clay party grew
boisterous and kept Adams awake un-
for which Clay was then and after
wards denounced by Adams as good
Efor-nothing roustabout
Clay remained with Crawford for
an hour At the end of that time he
was quite convinced that he was too
| ILL., too shattered to warrant support
! for the presidency. Had not Clay seen
the condition Of Crawford, the latter
probably would have become Presi-
dent of the United States, physically
Wretched and mentally weakened as
he was. With Crawford eliminated
for he was to all intents and purposes
eliminated after the Clay interview,
the Jackson men had high hopes, be-
lieving Clay would not dare endorse
an Eastern man. The Jackson men,
however, suspected a strong dislike
of Jackson by Clay and the practical
politicians jumped into the fray with
more than conscience. Mass meetings
were called and resolutions quietly
passed demanding the election of
Jackson. Then came resolutions de-
nouncing Clay for his reported sup
port of Adams. Pamphlets, letters,
protests poured into Washington like
rain. Clay, shrewd politician, however
saw through this backfire warfare and
| ignored it
Then the Jackson men resorted to
| the methods of the blackmailer and
| the intimidator The first thing they
| did was to send out a report that
| Clay had made deal with Adams,
promise of the office of Secretary of
State. Clay denounced the author of
| the story as a bastard and a liar, "
| but the story would not down. He de
manded congressional investigation,
| but the injury could not be overcome
The lie travelled on wings, while the
truth crawled after it like snail
This situation revived the hopes of
the followers of Crawford. They felt
under the circumstances, that Clay
could not possibly go to Adams and
they we're certain he would not go to
/ Jackson. Moreover to the bitter end,
/ Van Buren, was in the ring for Craw-
/ there were fears Of riots, threats of
bloodshed, even talk of revolution. No
/ one knew what was in the mind of
/ Clay Washington had population of
10000. Every hotel and boarding
house in the city was bullying with
people.
i The custom was to nominate candi-
dates for election through caucus. The
election was then decided by roll call
of the House of Representatives Each
i state delegation was instructed by it's
constituents to vote for the man select
ed by a majority of the people of that
district. Thus the House of Represen
tatives took on the appearance of a
present-day political convention and
the man selected by the majority be
came President.
AS there was only one party when
these five candidates ran, a nomina
ton was the equivalent to election
But the meagerly attended caucus
nomination of Crawford upset the
political apple cart and threw the
i election into the House with every
man having free hand and an uncer.
tain vote.
The hour of the roll call came Clay
commanding, pale mounted the Speak
er's rostrum. Maine, New Hampshire
! Vermont, Rhode Island and Connect.
cut stood sodid1y for Adams Massa
chusetts provided one bolter who
voted for Jackson. The New Englan
der won Illinois by one vote. South
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Ten
nessee and Indiana went solidly tt