Election of 1824Election of 1824

The “Corrupt Bargain”The “Corrupt Bargain”

Presidential CandidatesPresidential Candidates

John Quincy Adams, John Quincy Adams, MassachusettsMassachusetts

Henry Clay, KentuckyHenry Clay, Kentucky

William Crawford, William Crawford, GeorgiaGeorgia

Andrew Jackson, Andrew Jackson, TennesseeTennessee

All four professed to be All four professed to be RepublicansRepublicans

Distinction between the four Distinction between the four so “fuzzy” that John C. so “fuzzy” that John C.

Calhoun appeared as vice-Calhoun appeared as vice-presidential candidate on presidential candidate on BOTHBOTH Adams Adams ANDAND Jackson Jackson

tickets!tickets!

JacksonJackson

War heroWar hero

Strong personal appealStrong personal appeal

Campaigned against corruption and Campaigned against corruption and privilegeprivilege

1212thth Amendment Amendment

The person having the greatest Number of The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, votes for President, shall be the President, if if such number be a majority of the whole such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointednumber of Electors appointed; and ; and if no if no person have such majorityperson have such majority, then from the , then from the persons having the highest numbers not persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, as President, the House of Representatives the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President.President.

CandidateCandidatess

Electoral Electoral VoteVote

Popular Popular VoteVote

Popular Popular PercentagPercentag

ee

9999 153,544153,544 42.1642.16

8484 108,740108,740 31.8931.89

4141 46,61846,618 12.9512.95

3737 47,13647,136 12.9912.99

Deadlock = House of Deadlock = House of Representatives must choose Representatives must choose among top three candidatesamong top three candidates

Clay eliminated, yet as Clay eliminated, yet as Speaker of House he Speaker of House he

presided over the very presided over the very chamber that had pick the chamber that had pick the

winner.winner.

How awkward is that?How awkward is that?

Meanwhile….Crawford had Meanwhile….Crawford had a strokea stroke

Clay and JacksonClay and Jackson

BFFsBFFs

Clay worked behind the Clay worked behind the scenesscenes

1825 Decision Day1825 Decision Day

A few days later Clay A few days later Clay named Secretary of Statenamed Secretary of State

Jackson Supporters Cried Jackson Supporters Cried “Corrupt Bargain!”“Corrupt Bargain!”

Jackson called Clay the Jackson called Clay the “Judas of the West”“Judas of the West”

John Randolph of Virginia John Randolph of Virginia publicly assailed the publicly assailed the Adams/Clay alliance Adams/Clay alliance

“shines and stinks like “shines and stinks like rotten mackerel by rotten mackerel by

moonlight.”moonlight.”

Clay challenged Randolph Clay challenged Randolph to a duel!to a duel!

No positive evidence to No positive evidence to support the charges of support the charges of

corruption.corruption.