Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1924-08-28
Adams Chosen in House
Amid Great Excitement
Halls of Congress Rang With Mingled
Cheers and Kisses as Speaker
Called Adjournment
Written Specially for The Leader
By EDWARD P. HOWARD


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 person
ally They had spent many jovial
time over hot today and stacks of
poker chips Peculiarly it was a poker
game that caused the bitterness be-
tween Adams and Clay. On one occa-
sion Clay was holding a poker party
in a hotel. Adams occupied the ad-
poining room. The Clay party grew
boisterous and kept Adams awake I'm
til the small hours of the morning, tor
which Clay was then and afterwards
denounced by Adams as a good-for-
nothing roustabout
Clay remained with Crawford for
an hour. At the end of that time he
was quite convinced that he was too
i'll, too shattered to warrant support
for the Presidency. Had not Clay
seen the condition of Crawford, the
latter probably would have become
President of the United States, physl-
callv wretched and mentally weaken
ed as he was. With Crawford ellmin-
ated-for he was to all intents and
purposes eliminated after the Clay m
terview, the Jackson men had high
hopes. believing Clay would not dare
endorse an Eastern man. The Jackson
men. however, suspected strong DIS
like of Jackson by Clay and the prrac-
teal politicians jumped into the tray
with more than conscience. Mass
meetings were called and resolutions
ouietlv passed demanding the election
Of Jackson. Then came resolutions de-
nouncing Clay for his reported sup
port of Adams. Pamphlets letters
protest poured into Washington like
rain. Clay. shrewd politician, however
saw thru this backfire warfare and 1&-
nored it.
Then the Jackson men resorted TO
the methods of the blackma1ler and
the intilnidator. The first thing they
did was TO send out a report that LAY
had made deal with Adams, selling
his strength in return fora promise, OF
the office of Secretary of State. Clay
denounced the author of the story as
bastard and a liar" but the story
would not down He demanded con-
gressional investigation, but the injury
co11ld not be overcome. The lie travel,
led on wings, while the truth craWleq
after it like a snail. r
This situation revived the hopes OF
the followers of Crawford They telt
under the circumstances, that Lay
could not possibly go to Adams anu
thew were certain he would not go ~
Jackson. Moreover to the bitter ena'
Van Buren, was in the ring tor CfaW,
ford. AS the day of election, nearea
there were fears of riots, theats OF
b1oodshed. even talk of revolution. NO
one knew what was in the mind OF
CLAW. Washington had population OF
10000. Every hotel and boarding mouse
in the city was bullying with people
The custom was to nominate cam
didates for election thru caucus, ne
election was then decided by roll cali
~ the House of Representatives;
Each state delegation was instructed
NV its constituents to vote Tor the man
selected by majority of the people
of that ditrict. Thus the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES took on the appear
ance Of a present-day political con
vention and the man selecteu ny 'NN
majority became President. .,o.
AS there was only one party. "Hen
these five candidates ran, nonlild1 nI
was the equivalent to- election. Du'
the meagerly attended caucus noI!lilla
tion of Crawford upset the poh.ieal
annie cart and threw the election INTO
the House with every man having
free hand and an uncertain vote.
The hour of the roll call came. Clay,
commanding. pale, mounted the
Sneater,s rostrum. Maine, New
Htamnshire. Vermont, Rhode Island
md Connecticutt stood solidly for
Adams. Massachusetts, provided one
bolter who voted for Jackson. Inc
New Englander won Illinois by one
v,ote South Carolina, Alabama, Mis-
sissinpi. Tennessee and Indiana went
so1idlv to Jackson. Delaware and
Georgia stood like rock for Craw-
ford or course, the big struggle was
for New York. Van Buren, was Tor
Crawford, but the decision OF LAY
his winning the state. ne
vote stood Adams Is, Crawford II,
Jackson 2. The state went to ADAMS
Claws western supporters then Went
to Adams who took Missouri, Ohio,
and Kentucky. This swing gave Adams
IS states, Jackson seven and Craw,
ford four. The contest was decided
bv the west. When the result was an
nounced the halls rang with misses
coupled with the applause OF the
Adams supporters. The uproar IN the
oa1Icri.~ threatened to end in riot.
But in the midst of the uproar' Clay
majestic and calm, raised the gavel,
and let it fall with one bang. Clear
the galleries. he said. 1--WE stand ad-
iourned."