Evening star., 1924-06-22

l. ~O1oSA AL
| Therefore upon the House Of Repre-
| sentatves now 6evolves the duty of
| choosing President from among
these three men John c. Calhoun Of
! South Carolina declare duly elected
Vice President Of the United States"
The President of the Senate then
| returned the gave1 to Speaker Clay
and led all senators from the cham
Der.
TWENfY-FOUR ballot boxes were
brought into the room. In bal
| lot1ng for President the House must
vote by states, one vote for each
state, Speaker Clay explained Mem
| bers grouped themselves into state
delegations, each of which received
ballot box and balloted to determine
Tor whom its vote would be cast
Anxiously were New York's thirty
four representatives watched as they
ba1loted and as their senior member
counted their votes. Because New
York was in a position to name the
President
Adams had been promised votes of
Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Louisiana,
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
massachusetts,, Rhode Island Con-
nec1cut Maryland and Illinois
twelve states. just one less than the
majority needed to win the nresi-
dency. Half of New York's de1eea-
Tor jackson or Crawford. If that
states vote remained undivided on
the first ballot. no candidate would
receive majority, and on later
ballot, New York could cast its vote
for Adams and boast the honor of
President maker
AS soon as all groups had finished
oalloting among themselves, Speaker
Clay called for the vote for President
by states Every delegation leader
rose. Two officers of the House col
Iected the votes. Each spokesman
deposited his states vote in one box
and dropped a duplicate vote in =
second box
Twenty-four tellers were apnointad
by Speaker Clay. They came forward
and divided, twelve sitting around
each OF the tables upon which the
ballots had been placed. Daniel Web
ster was named foreman of one BODY
of tellers; John Randolph of Virginia
headed the other
The count was quick. Foreman Daniel
webster rose to report A Thousand
faces IN the galleries scrutinized his for
a clue. Three candidates, each in their
respective homes, wondered how muc,,
longer they must wait to learn +heir
fate
Mr.. Speaker: The teIlers Of the votes
at this table have proceeded TO count
the ballots contained in the box set be-
fore them" Webster began. THE resuIt
they find to be that there are:
For John Quincy Adams, thires,
votes
For Andrew jackson. seven votes
For William H Crawford. four
votes"
The grave silence which for fo,r
hours had prevailed was pierced, Ap-
piause burst from one gallery section
Kisses seethed from another. A sea ot
laughter, curses. chattering and com
motion drowned the report of Random,
the other foreman Of teilers-
Crack Crack! Crack! Crack,
dfckory gavel resounded upon narb,a
desk, and finally Speaker Clay reducea
the noise enough to order spectator.
from the galleries.
Galleries were cleared. Randolph
verified Websters report Representa-
tive Taylor Of New York moved that a
committee notify President Monroe and
President-elect Adams of the result OF
the ballot This motion was passed.
And the House adjourned, its members
tngling with the same excitement which
had overwhelmed gallery occupants
That night President Monroe's grand
levee was held. President-elect Adams
and Vice President-elect Calhoun attend
ed Defeated Candidate Andrew Jackson
was there. and looked uncommonly
well and was in good spirits
The next night Victors Adams and
Calhoun were guests of honor at the
military ball, where they were congratu-
lated by Marquis de Lafayette and his
son, delegation of Indian chiefs, men,
bers Of the diplomatic corps in Wash
ington, members Of Congress, members
Of the British Parliament and 400 off,
GERS Of the United States Army. Navy
and Marine Corps.
Unusual as was the transfer OF the
election from people to Congress, unex-
pacted as were charges against Clay
(whom Adams, did appoint Secretary of
State), the most surprising feature of
the 1924 contest was that the House of
Representatives chose a President by a
single ballot.