334. Choice of John Quincy Adams.—In February, 1825, the House, voting by states, chose Adams, for whom, as the best fitted of the candidates, Clay had used his influence. As Adams subsequently made Clay Secretary of State, a corrupt bargain between them was charged, but upon no real grounds. Some of Jackson’s friends claimed that, as he had received most votes, the House should have respected the popular will and chosen him; yet this was equivalent to maintaining that the Constitution, which had left the House of Representatives full liberty in the matter, had not been properly framed. But, although there was no good reason for the discontent expressed, it remained clear that the Era of Good Feeling was over, and that Adams would find little comfort in the high office he had attained.[[147]]
References.—General Works: same as for Chapter XIII.
Special Works: same as for Chapter XVI. (see also Chapter XV.), with the addition of: H. C. Lodge, Daniel Webster (“American Statesmen”); H. Von Holst, John C. Calhoun (“American Statesmen”); J. T. Morse, John Quincy Adams (“American Statesmen”); T. H. Benton, Thirty Years View (2 vols.). See also the writings of Monroe and Clay, and of the three statesmen named above, especially J. Q. Adams’s Diary, as well as A. S. Bolles’s, Financial History of the United States; F. W. Taussig’s, Tariff History of the United States.
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[139]
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Born, 1758; died, 1831. Left William and Mary College in 1776 to enter the
army; fought at Trenton, Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth; member
of the Virginia Assembly in 1782, and a chosen member of the Continental
Congress; opposed the ratification of the Constitution by Virginia in 1788;
United States senator, 1790–1794; envoy to France, 1794–1796; governor of
Virginia, 1799–1802; went a second time as envoy to France, 1802–1803; Minister
to London, 1803–1807; Secretary of State, 1811–1817; President, 1817–1825.
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[140]
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The United States in return agreed to assume claims against Spain held
by American citizens amounting to five million dollars.
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[141]
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Among other things, he caused two British subjects, who had stirred up
the Indians, to be hanged, and he got into quite a heated controversy with the
governor of Georgia. As a matter of fact, he grossly exceeded his instructions,
and Calhoun was technically right when he proposed the court-martial.
Monroe and Adams, however, knew that Jackson had acted in what he
believed to be his country’s interest, and they shielded him. It was many
years before Jackson learned who it was that had proposed to court-martial
him. When he found out, a breach with Calhoun followed, which had, as
we shall see, important political results.
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[142]
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Maine up to this time had been a district of Massachusetts.
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[143]
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Born in Virginia, 1777; died, 1852. Moved to Kentucky, 1797; in rapid
succession was member of the Kentucky legislature, the House of Representatives,
and the United States Senate; Speaker of the House, 1811–1814;
leader of the war party against Great Britain, and champion of internal improvements;
one of the envoys to Ghent, 1814; Speaker of House, 1815–1821,
also from 1823–1825; ardently advocated the tariff of 1824; Secretary of State,
1825—1829; senator from Kentucky, 1832–1842 and 1849–1852: candidate for
President, 1824, 1831, and 1844; was the great representative of the National
Whig party of his time, and the most powerful advocate of what was called
the American System of Protection.
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