The Election Is in the House: Was There a “Corrupt Bargain?” O’Brien U.S. History 1 PreAP/CP
Was There a “Corrupt Bargain?”
Deal or No Deal?
Evidence Packet:
Election of 1824
Situation: The United States Historical Society is in partnership with the national government and is considering omitting the
Presidency of John Q. Adams from the record books (or at the very least putting an asterisk* next to his name). For this activity your
group is going to play the role of a team of investigators hired to analyze several documents of evidence and decide individually –
whether or not there was a ―corrupt bargain‖ as Andrew Jackson claimed. You are going to answer a variety of analysis questions for
each document to help focus your reading. Upon completion, you are going to:
1.
Draft a bulleted list of the evidence you analyzed. You are to include the title, brief description (1-2 sentences), and it is to
be in chronological order. It can be completed in the format of a chart or spreadsheet.
2.
Create a 100+ word Official Report. In this report, you are going to offer your conclusion regarding whether or not a
―corrupt bargain‖ occurred (or the likelihood that it occurred), and whether or not the Presidency of Adams should be
expunged from the records, or have an asterisk.
You are to weigh the evidence, and carefully choose the exhibits which seem the most credible (believable, not emotionally driven)
and use them to help you arrive at a decision. Be sure to include (and cite) at least 3 pieces of key evidence. Take note of the types of
documents, if there is any reason to doubt the credibility of the document, and the time frame.
This will be due after the exam!!!!
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The Election Is in the House: Was There a “Corrupt Bargain?” O’Brien U.S. History 1 PreAP/CP
Exhibit 1
Andrew Jackson's reaction to the announcement of Clay's appointment:
"The people [have] been cheated. Corruptions and intrigues at Washington...defeated the will of the
people."
—Cited in the Society section of the essay Andrew Jackson: Champion of the Kingly Commons
"So you see, the Judas of the West [Clay] has closed the contract and will receive the thirty pieces of
silver…Was there ever witnessed such a bare faced corruption in any country before?"
—Andrew Jackson to William B. Lewis, February 14, 1825
"This, to my mind, is the most open, daring corruption that has ever shown itself under our
government, and if not checked by the people, will lead to open direct bribery… "
—Andrew Jackson to George Wilson, February 20, 1825
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The Election Is in the House: Was There a “Corrupt Bargain?” O’Brien U.S. History 1 PreAP/CP
Exhibit 2 - http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(hj01844
Henry Clay vigorously defended himself in Congress against the "corrupt bargain" allegations,
which were already circulating prior to the final vote in the House; his statement was entered in the
official record.
House Journal --THURSDAY, February 3, 1825.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1824-1825
The SPEAKER [Clay] rose, and … requested the indulgence of the House for a few moments, while he
asked its attention to a subject in which he felt himself deeply concerned.
A note had appeared this morning in the National Intelligencer [newspaper], [written by]… a member of
this House from Pennsylvania, (Mr. Kremer)… containing serious and injurious imputations [accusations]
against him, and which the author avowed his readiness [ability] to [prove]…
[Clay]he hoped that he should be allowed, respectfully, to solicit, in behalf of himself, an inquiry into the
truth of the charges to which he referred [written about him in the newspaper]…
The House…appeared to him…was the proper place to institute the inquiry, in order that, if guilty, here the
proper punishment might be applied, and if innocent, that here his character and conduct may be vindicated
[corrected, restored] .
He anxiously hoped, therefore, that the House would be pleased to direct an investigation to be made into
the truth of the charges…
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The Election Is in the House: Was There a “Corrupt Bargain?” O’Brien U.S. History 1 PreAP/CP
Exhibit 3
In The Life of Andrew Jackson (New York: Harper and Row, 1988), Robert Remini writes that:
The fateful decision came on January 9, 1825. A meeting was arranged between Adams and Clay for an
evening's conversation. "Mr. Clay came at six," Adams confided to his journal, "and spent the evening with
me in a long conversation." In the course of the conversation Clay asked the New Englander "to satisfy him
with regard to some principles of great public importance, but without any personal considerations for
himself." Nothing crude or vulgar, like declaring the terms of a political deal, passed their lips. No need.
Both men understood one another's purposes. Surely they both realized that in exchange for House support
Adams would designate Clay as his secretary of state.
*Note: This is a secondary source (a book written by Robert Remini) and as such expresses his
interpretation of what happened. The meeting did happen, and his references to Adams’ journal are true,
but the italicized words are the author’s interpretation – not fact!! In other words, Mr. Remini viewed the
evidence and his conclusion is in italics.
Exhibit 4
Diary Entries of John Quincy Adams (1-2 months prior to House Election)
Diary Entry 1
[Edward} Wyer [confidential informant] came … to …[my] and told me that he had it from good authority that Mr.
Clay was much disposed to support me, if he could at the same time be useful to himself... I had conversation at
dinner with Mr. Clay...
December 15, 1824
Diary Entry 2 [conversation with R. P. Letcher, member of the House of Representatives of Kentucky, Clay’s state]:
...The drift of all Letcher’s … [words] was much the same as Wyer had told me, that Clay would willingly support me if
he could … [also] serve himself, and the substance of his meaning was, that if Clay’s friends could know that he
would have a prominent share in the administration, that might induce him to vote for me...
December 17, 1824
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The Election Is in the House: Was There a “Corrupt Bargain?” O’Brien U.S. History 1 PreAP/CP
Exhibit 5
Letters from Henry Clay (2) to Francis P. Blair
Letter 1 - (January 29, 1825)
The friends of [Jackson] have turned upon me… [They] cannot comprehend how a man can be
honest. They cannot conceive that I … interrogated [asked] my conscience …what I ought to do.
That it …[convinced] me not to [support] a military chieftain [Jackson], merely because he has won a
great victory...
…I [wouldn’t] … have selected [Adams], if [I was able to choose] …from the whole mass of our
citizens for a President. But there is no danger in [choosing Adams] now… Not so of his competitor
[Jackson], of whom I cannot believe that killing two thousand five hundred Englishmen at New
Orleans qualifies for the various, difficult, and complicated duties of the … [presidency].
Letter 2 - (February 4, 1825)
I observe what you kindly tell me about the future Cabinet. My dear sir, I want no office. When
have I shown avidity (hunger) for office?
If Mr. Adams is elected, I know not who will be his Cabinet. I know not whether I shall be offered a
place in it or not. If there should be an offer, I shall decide upon it… according to my sense of
duty...
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