Section #1 - The Congressmen Who Built Then Broke The Union
Chapter 25: A controversial vote in the House ends the 1824 election
The 1824 election finds four Democrat-Republicans vying for the oval office and none able to garner the 131 Electoral Votes needed for a majority. The two top competitors are Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams:
Votes in the 1824 Popular Election
| Popular Votes | Andrew Jackson | JQ Adams |
|---|---|---|
| Number | 151,309 | 122,440 |
| % of total | 40.50% | 32.70% |
| Electoral Votes | ||
| Number | 99 | 84 |
| % of total | 38.10% | 32.3 |
Absent an Electoral majority, the decision rests with the 24 state delegations in the U.S. House, with each given a single vote and 13 required to win.
The campaign against Jackson is led by Henry Clay, serving his third term as Speaker. He says that Jackson’s qualifications amount to killing 2,500 Indians and opposing all of the needed internal improvements proposed in his “American System.”
Behind the scenes Clay rallies the votes for JQ Adams and he is elected on the first ballot.
| JQ Adams | Andrew Jackson | William Crawford |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 7 | 4 |
When Adams then selects Clay to become Secretary of State as his heir apparent, Jackson explodes, calling the election a “corrupt bargain” and swearing to revenge it.