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On This Day: John Quincy Adams Elected President
February 09, 2009 06:00 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
On Feb. 9, 1825, the House of Representatives voted John Quincy Adams president of the United States. He had lost both the popular vote and the electoral college vote to Andrew Jackson.
The Election of 1824
A little more than four years earlier, James Monroe had easily won the presidential election, held during a period known as America's "Era of Good Feelings."
That period soon came to an end. The next election was fiercely contested, with war hero Gen. Andrew Jackson, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, Speaker of the House Henry Clay and William H. Crawford competing for the presidency.
Andrew Jackson emerged as the leader in both the popular vote and the electoral college, with Adams coming in second in both categories.
However, Jackson’s 99 electoral votes did not give him the majority he needed, and the election had to be decided in the House of Representatives in February 1825.
Having the least votes, House Speaker Henry Clay found himself excluded from the race. Supposedly, Clay persuaded the House to support Adams.
After Adams was inaugurated, he appointed Henry Clay as secretary of state. The appointment came to be known among Jackson supporters as the “corrupt bargain.” Clay denied that he had been bribed into throwing his weight behind Adams.
That period soon came to an end. The next election was fiercely contested, with war hero Gen. Andrew Jackson, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, Speaker of the House Henry Clay and William H. Crawford competing for the presidency.
Andrew Jackson emerged as the leader in both the popular vote and the electoral college, with Adams coming in second in both categories.
However, Jackson’s 99 electoral votes did not give him the majority he needed, and the election had to be decided in the House of Representatives in February 1825.
Having the least votes, House Speaker Henry Clay found himself excluded from the race. Supposedly, Clay persuaded the House to support Adams.
After Adams was inaugurated, he appointed Henry Clay as secretary of state. The appointment came to be known among Jackson supporters as the “corrupt bargain.” Clay denied that he had been bribed into throwing his weight behind Adams.
Key Player: John Quincy Adams (1767-1848)
John Quincy Adams, the son of the second U.S. President John Adams, led a life consumed by politics. Adams was elected to the Senate in 1802 and later became secretary of state under President Monroe. During his time in the Monroe administration, Adams convinced Spain to cede the Floridas to America and Britain to jointly occupy the Oregon Territory with the United States.
Adams also helped construct the Monroe Doctrine, which declared that the United States would no longer allow European powers to colonize the Americas. Adams became the sixth president in 1825, and sought to initiate programs for nationalization, including a more intricate federally funded system of roads and canals. After his defeat by Andrew Jackson in 1828, Adams was elected to the House of Representatives in 1830, where he remained a voice against slavery until his death in 1848.
Adams also helped construct the Monroe Doctrine, which declared that the United States would no longer allow European powers to colonize the Americas. Adams became the sixth president in 1825, and sought to initiate programs for nationalization, including a more intricate federally funded system of roads and canals. After his defeat by Andrew Jackson in 1828, Adams was elected to the House of Representatives in 1830, where he remained a voice against slavery until his death in 1848.
Source: White House
Related Topic: Adams' inauguration
In his 1825 inaugural address, President Adams stressed how America had truly begun to take on its own national character. He claimed that he would uphold the principles of the Constitution, even though many of the Founding Fathers who helped write the document were no longer living.
He also asked for the trust of the American people after the events that surrounded his election in the House of Representatives: “Fellow-citizens, you are acquainted with the peculiar circumstances of the recent election … Less possessed of your confidence in advance than any of my predecessors, I am deeply conscious of the prospect that I shall stand more and oftener in need of your indulgence.”
He also asked for the trust of the American people after the events that surrounded his election in the House of Representatives: “Fellow-citizens, you are acquainted with the peculiar circumstances of the recent election … Less possessed of your confidence in advance than any of my predecessors, I am deeply conscious of the prospect that I shall stand more and oftener in need of your indulgence.”
Historical Context: Disputed elections
The election of 1824 was one of a handful of events in American history when the presidential election process stalled. The 1800 election was also forced into the House when Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received the same number of electoral votes.
In 1888, Benjamin Harrison defeated Grover Cleveland by winning in the electoral college, even though he lost the popular vote.
A similar situation occurred in 2000, when George W. Bush beat Al Gore in the electoral vote but not in the popular vote. It was a highly controversial election that had to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
In 1888, Benjamin Harrison defeated Grover Cleveland by winning in the electoral college, even though he lost the popular vote.
A similar situation occurred in 2000, when George W. Bush beat Al Gore in the electoral vote but not in the popular vote. It was a highly controversial election that had to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
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