Andrew Jackson: Expansion of Democracy

Election of 1824  Tradition called for a congressional caucus (private party meeting) to be held at the end of a session to nominate the party’s presidential candidate.  Tradition also held that the Secretary of State was considered to be the stepping stone to the presidency.

 Massachusetts nominated John Quincy Adams (Secretary of State)  Kentucky nominated Henry Clay  Tennessee nominated Andrew Jackson  South Carolina nominated John C. Calhoun  Georgia nominated William Crawford (Calhoun soon dropped out of the race to Become the VP candidate favored by both Adams and Jackson)

Personalities, rather than issues, dominated the race The press attacked Adams as a “slovenly dressed” (untidy) little man Clay was portrayed as a drunken gambler Crawford was ridiculed as the candidate of the “King Caucus” Jackson was accused of having murdered six young soldiers on trumped-up charges of mutiny in 1813.

To the surprise of many, Jackson and Adams bolted ahead of the others. When all the ballots were counted, Jackson won more popular and electoral votes than any other candidate.

Adams came in second, supported mostly by votes from New England and New York. Clay and Crawford received the least number of votes.

1824 Presidential Election Results (24 States in the Union) Candidate PartyPopular Votes (% of total) Electoral Votes John Q. Adams Democratic- Republican 108,740 (30.5%) 84 Andrew Jackson Democratic- Republican 153,544 (43.1%) 99 William H. Crawford Democratic- Republican 46, 618 (13.2%) 41 Henry Clay Democratic- Republican 47, 136 (13.1%) 37

Since no candidate had a majority of the electoral college, the election was sent to the House of Representatives. Only the top three candidates could be considered – so Clay’s name was dropped.

After some political dealings, Clay gave his support to Adams. Each state had one vote. On the first vote – 13 states voted for Adams, 7 for Jackson, and 4 for Crawford. Several western states that had supported Clay – voted for Adams.

Adams was elected President

Three days later President Adams named Clay his secretary of state. Jackson and backers were certain that Adams had bought Clay off and accused Adams and Clay of having struck a corrupt bargain that robbed the people of their choice for president

Jackson resigned from the Senate and moved back to Tennessee, vowing to return to Washington in four years as president. The Tennessee legislature nominated Jackson for president in October 1825.

Election of 1828 Jackson was convinced he was the rightful president, and Adams supporters were upset at the thought of a frontiersman in the White House.

The election of 1828 brought a change to presidential politics. For the first time, the West flexed its new political muscle, offering the possibility that someone might be president who was not from Virginia or New England elite.

Jackson received 140,000 popular votes more than Adams and had more than twice the number of electoral votes. Except for New England where Adams won every state but Maine, Adams won only two other states – New Jersey and Delaware. Jackson won all the rest – all of the South and West and even Pennsylvania.

1828 Presidential Election Results (24 States in the Union) Candidate Party Popular Votes (% of total) Electoral Votes Andrew Jackson Democratic647,286 (56%) 178 John Quincy Adams National Republican 508,064 (44%) 83

Changes in Elections  By 1824, most state property qualifications for voting had been eliminated.  The use of printed ballots was started  By 1832, every state but South Carolina had taken away their state legislature’s power to select presidential electors and given it to the voters.

Jackson’s beliefs  Supported states’ rights  Removal, by force if necessary, of all Native Americans to regions west of the Mississippi River  Balanced budget and elimination of the national debt  Low protective tariffs

Jackson’s beliefs  Opposed the Second Bank of the United States (believed banks only served the wealthy)  Opposed the expansion of the federal government by federal funding of internal improvements  No trust in government, believed it often favored the rich and powerful

Jackson’s Inauguration 20,000 ordinary working people showed up at White House for reception. Saved White House from further destruction by moving liquor outside.