The Presidential Election 1824

With the collapse of the Federalist party and the end of the Congressional Caucus nomination system, there were four main Democratic-Republican candidates running for president in 1824. They were: William H. Crawford (secretary to the treasury and the ‘official’ candidate to replace Monroe); Henry Clay (speaker of the House of Representatives); Andrew Jackson (military hero of the War of 1812); and John Quincy Adams (son of the second president and secretary of state for Monroe). Jackson won the most popular and Electoral College votes, but achieved no majority. The House of Representatives had to choose between the top two candidates – Jackson and Adams – under the rules of the Twelfth Amendment. It is believed that Henry Clay, speaker of the House with a dislike for Jackson, influenced Congress to elect Adams, despite Jackson’s popularity. Adams became president and when Clay was appointed as secretary of state, the election became famous for that ‘corrupt bargain’.