Election of 1824
“The Corrupt Bargain”
Candidate #1
John Quincy Adams
• Democratic - Republican
• New Englander - Massachusetts
• Secretary of State – distinguished,
successful, natural stepping-stone to the
Presidency (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe)
• Nominated by most State legislatures in
New England
Candidate #2
John C. Calhoun
• Democratic - Republican
• South Carolina – Current Secretary of War
• Dropped out, but won support for being
Vice President from South and West
Candidate #3
Andrew Jackson
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Democratic – Republican
Tennessee – Current Senator
Indian Hunter – Creek, Seminole
Admirably called “King Caucus”
Battle of New Orleans
Man of the people/Universal suffrage
Candidate #4
Henry Clay
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Democratic – Republican
Kentucky
Served as Speaker of the House
Internal Improvements
American System
Candidate #5
William Crawford
• Democratic – Republican
• Georgia –Current Secretary of Treasury
• Won Caucus Nomination – only 1/3 of
Republicans were present
• Common folk distrust „Caucus”
• Negatively called “King Caucus”
• Suffered a Stroke
Outcome
Candidate
Party
Home State
Popular Vote
Count
# and %
Electoral
Votes
Andrew
Jackson
Dem/Rep
Tennessee
151,271 / 41.3
99
John Quincy
Adams
Dem/Rep
Massachusetts
113,122 / 30.9
84
William
Crawford
Dem/Rep
Georgia
40,856 / 11.2
41
Henry Clay
Dem/Rep
Kentucky
47,531 / 13.0
37
Un
Pledged
Electors
6,616 / 1.8
0
Other
6,437 / 1.8
0
Total
365,833
261
Need to Win
131
Map of Electoral Vote Count
1825 Re-Count of Electoral Votes
based on 12th Amendment
The Corrupt Bargain
• Nobody receives enough Electoral Votes
• Jackson is ahead in popular vote
• Adams, Jackson, and Crawford go to
House of Reps – invoke 12th Amendment
• Clay swings vote in favor of Adams
• WHY?
Corrupt Bargain Continued
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American System is more linked to East
Crawford is an invalid after stroke
Jackson is inexperienced
Clay wants Secretary of State (Why?)
Corrupt Bargain Continued Again
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Jacksonians feel cheated
1st election where campaigning took place
Mudslinging
Caucus is changed from “select few” to common
man
• Van Buren and Friends block all Adams
legislation
• National republicans attack Jackson‟s reputation
by going after his wife
• All this sets stage for Election of 1828
“I
cannot believe that killing 2,500
Englishmen at New Orleans
qualifies a man for the various
difficult and complicated duties of
the Chief Magistracy”
Henry Clay 1824