Evening star., 1924-06-22

cHI nominee may nuIli1S the people
vote and thrust the election into the
House. In 1924 four nominees did
this What followed is related by
Debates in Congress" and period
icals Of a century ago.
The 1924 candidates were:
John Quincy Adams of Massachu-
setts, Secretary of State.
Henry Clay of Kentucky, Speaker
of the House of Representatives.
William II. Crawford of Georgia,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Gen. Andrew jackson Of Tennes-
see. hero of the war OF 1912.
Each nominee received the votes
of his own section and practically no
more, so no one polled a majority of
all electoral votes. In such an
emergency the House must choose a
President from the three persons who
received most votes, the Constitution
provides. Adams, Crawford and
JACKSON. therefore, remained in the
contest: Clay was eliminated.
JACKSON hurried to the National
C,So'tai, where his two rivals already
We're campaigning to win a majority
in the House.
Observing that Crawford was aided
by President Monroe in his confer
erces with Representatives and that
Adams lavishly was entertaining po-
li3cai ringleaders. "Old Hickory
Jackson decided to bring the fight for
the presidency out into the open. On
the floor of the House Jacksonians
declared that the duty of the House
of Representatives to its constituents
demanded Jacksons election.
He had received more of the peo-
pies votes than any other nominee,
even if his total was not a majority,
they pointed out.
Spokesman of Adams and Crawford
replied that the Constitution allows
Representatives TO follow their own
inc.tnations in balloting for a Chief
Executive.
HOLD HICKORY'S" friends next at
tackled Speaker Clay, Clay,
whose constituents were urging
Jackson's election, was accused of
selling all the votes he controlled to
Adams for Adams promise to make
him Secretary of State. This charge
was made in the following open let
ter to the Philadelphia Columbian
Observer:
Washington, Jan. 25, 1925.
To the Editor: I take up my pen
to inform you of one of the most dis
graceful transactions that ever COW
cred with infamy the Republican
ranks.
For some time past, friends of Clay
have limited that they. like the Swiss
would fight for those who pay best
Overtures were said to have been
made by the friends of Adams to the
friends of Clay, offering him the ap-
pointment of Secretary of State for
his aid to elect Adams. And friends
of Clay gave this information to
friends of Jackson, and limited that if
friends of Jackson would offer the
same price they would close with
them. But none of the friends of
Jackson would descend to such mean
barter and sale.
TT is now ascertained to a GER
tainty that Henry Clay has trans
ferred his interest to John Quincy
Adams. AS a consideration for the
abandonment of duty to his constitu-
ents, it is said, and believed, should
this unholy coalition prevail. Clay
is to be appointed Secretary of State"
The accuser's name was withheld,
but the editor declared the letter to
he from a member of the House of
Clay retaliated quickly. His de-
fense published in the Washington,
D. c., National Intelligencer, stated
that he believed the letter a forgery,
but "if it be genuine 1 pronounce the
member of Congress, whoever he may
be, base and infamous calumniator,
a bastard and a liar; and if he dare
unveiI himself, and avow his name,
will hold I'm responsible, as I here
admit myself to be, to all the laws
which govern and regulate the con-
duct Of men of honor"
Speaker Clay was challenging a fell
low congressman to a duel! Blood !
and steel now were to play a part in
a presidential campaign, which usu-
ally drew only words. This news
wildfred the nation. Before Clay's
accuser had made himself known,
New York newspapers published this
rumor:
"A report has just reached town
that Henry Clay has fallen in a duel
fought with Darlington, the repre-
sentative from Chester county, Pa,
who, it is said. acknowledged him
self to be the author of the letter to
which Mr.. Clay took exception. We
hope it may be only a report, for the |
honor of our nation as we'll as for
Mr.. Clay"
The rumor was far in advance of |
yet, and, instead of Darlington, Rep |
resentative George Kremer of Penn
sylvania professed authorship of the |
letter. Substitution of Kremer for
Darlington as Clays opponent in the |
duel increased hearsay, because |
Kremer was regarded as the best |
marksman in Congress.
x X x
L1UT Henry Clay still had trump |
- card. Did he ask Kremer to
choose his weapon? No. He asked for
q congressional investigation of the |
ee,ire affair.
ridicule rained upon Clay as he re-
treated from the field of honor. A bit |
O. verse from the Washington, D. c., |
Gazette illustrates the public's re-
ecrfon: