Election of 1824

The U.S. Presidential election of 1824 proved the most important since 1800. This election year saw dynamic campaigns waged by multiple candidates. The importance of personality and sectional allegiance became central issues to the election, exacerbated by the Missouri Compromise, which had already revealed the power of sectional interests.

Candidates

Oil Portrait by John Quincy Adams.  Portrait by Gilbert Stuart, 1818

Andrew Jackson.  Portrait by D. M Carter

William Harris Crawford

Henry Clay

• John Quincy Adams—son of President John Adams, brilliant but lacked the ability to connect with the common people. The only candidate from New England.
• Andrew Jackson—from Tennessee, had a charismatic connection with the common people but lacked political experience.
• William Crawford—a planter from Georgia who emphasized states’ rights.
• Henry Clay—called the “great compromiser” because he spearheaded the Missouri Compromise. He promoted an extensive economic plan called the “American System.” Clay served as Speaker of the House, and he was a career politician. He lived in Kentucky. 

The American System

Clay promoted the “American System,” a program committed to improving the United States by:

• Promoting internal improvements
• Insuring protective tariffs on goods
• Creating a national university
• Financing scientific explorations
• Building an astronomical observatory
• Creating a Department of the Interior

The system became a political issue quickly. Candidates Clay and Adams both endorsed the system, but Jackson opposed it.  But none of the candidates wanted to alienate any section by taking an extreme position, plus the old party system had broken down.  The Federalists no longer existed as a national party and with no opposition, the Democratic-Republicans became less aggressive and more absorbed with internal disputes.  Because of this, the presidential election came down to personalities. 

Campaign

The candidates launched a nasty, vicious campaign, smearing their opponents with malicious gossip about the other candidates’ characters. Crawford was largely absent because he had a stroke that left him incapacitated. The other candidates accused Adams of being a “cold fish,” and they detested his English-born wife. Adams pointed out Clay’s drinking and gambling problems, and all of Jackson’s opponents painted him as a killer and a simpleton. Adams claimed that Jackson was a “barbarian . . . who can hardly spell his own name.”

Election

Jackson was the most popular candidate with the American people and won more electoral votes than anyone else (99) but not enough for a clear majority. Adams had come in second place with 84 votes. Since there was no clear majority, the election was thrown into the House of Representatives. Henry Clay served as Speaker of the House and had an enormous amount of influence. He knew that he had no chance of being elected president, so he secured enough votes to insure Adams the victory. Once president, Adams made Clay Secretary of State. Jackson called this arrangement a “corrupt bargain” and swore revenge.