Evening star., 1960-11-06
A Disputed Election
I urned on Gome

try to win later. Crawford was
to receive the votes Of four States,
and the Representatives Of those
States were courted for their Sec
ond-ballot votes.
Adams claimed the votes Of IL
States on the first ballot. This
included Missouri, whose single
Representative was John r. Scott.
A Personnel Problem
Scott had a personal problem.
His brother, Andrew Scott, was a
judge Of the Superior Court Of
Arkansas Territory. Some time
before the 1924 campaign Judge
Scott and a colleague on the
bench. Judge Joseph Selden, had
taken part in a social game Of
whist at the Port of Arkansas
home Of one Of the ladies in the
game. In the course of a hand
Judge Scott's partner had re-
marked to Judge Selden, I'VE have
the tricks and the honors on you"
Judge Selden looked at his hand
and replied abruptly, That is not
SO, madam"
The lady took this as an insult
and put her handkerchief to her
face to hide her modification.
Judge Scott asked Judge Selden to
apologize. Judge Selden refused,
compounding the offense by say
ing of Judge SCOTS partner, "She
has stated what is not true"
Judge Scott seized a candlestick
and hurled it at his brother judge.
Others prevented further trouble
at the time and Judge Selden later
sent the lady an apology through
Judge Scott. There the incident
would have rested had not busy
bodies been at work. They har-
rowed up the difference and so
succeeded in reviving the quarrel
that Judge Scott sent Judge
Selden challenge. They met. It
was pistols at 10 PAGES. Judge
Selden was killed.
representative Scott. naturally
anxious about the future career
on the Federal bench of his duel
ing brother. had the responsibility
of casting MisSouri's vote for a
President. His States electoral
votes had gone to Clay, who had
polled the most of the popular
votes. with jackson second and
Adams third. Now that Clay was
out of it. it was expected Missouri's
vote would go to jackson.
In the period of political jockey
ing before the election in the
House. Scott called on Secretary
Adams. Adams certainly was not
one to bargain brazenly for votes.
But he was not going to antago-
nlze man who was to cast one Of
the "a votes in the election in the
House. Scott is believed to have
left Adams with the distinct feel
ing that the candidate was SYM
pathetic toward the Scott brothers
and their problem.
missouri FOR AdumS
Scott cast Missouri's vote for
Adams on February 8.
New York presented its own
drama. OF its II representatives
counted against Adams, and pre-
sumably influenced by New York
Senator Martin Van Buren,, two
were for Jackson and IS for Craw-
ford. If all these II should vote
for jackson on the second ballot
it was possible that some OF the II
Adams supporters would go along
with them and thereby break the
tie.
One Of the anti-Adams II was
Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer,, a
wealthy landowner Of Albany.
Age had fuzzed his thinking and
he was prone to accept the course
recommended by the last person
who had talked to him. He lived
at the same boarding house
where Van Buren and other
Crawford supporters stayed and
they expected he would vote with
them for their candidate. At
breakfast February 8 he assured
his companions he would certainly
not vote for Adams.
When he reached the Capitol
that morning Speaker Clay was
waiting and cut Van Rensselaer,
out of the crowd and led him to
the speakers Office. Waiting there
was Daniel Webster, who expected
to be minister to Britain if Adams
were elected. The elderly General
was subjected to the pressure that
could be exerted only by the two
most powerful persuaders of the
time. He was given what we
would call today a brainwashing.
He was told that only his vote
for Adams could save the Nation
from chaos. Later he confided
in Van Buren, what happened
next, and Van Buren, wrote about
it.
Because of his ordeal in the
Speakers room Van Rensselaer,
was thoroughly confused and dis
turbed when the time came for
New York to vote. He needed
help. He sought it from the
Almighty. bending his head in
prayer. His prayer finished, he
opened his eyes. There on the
floor before him was slip of
paper and it bore the name of
Adams. 1t has been referred to
as a discarded ballot, but one
cannot dismiss the suspicion that
it was placed there by an alert
Adams supporter. To Gen. Van
Rensselaer, it was the answer to
his plea for divine guidance. He
picked it up and put it in the
ballot box. That gave Adams 18
votes in the New York delegation
and the States vote.
The result, therefore, was 13
States, majority for Adams.
Jackson received the votes Of
seven States and Crawford Of
four. There was no occasion for
a Second hal1ot