1928 Election
AP American History October 21, 1997 The year of 1828 was a tumultuous year in American politics. It so happened that it was a presidential election year. The election of 1828 was different from any other presidential election up to that point. The election not only set a precedent, but was also one of the bitterest in American history. Out of all the elections up to that point, it had all the makings of a present-day campaign. The two modern aspects evident in the campaign were horrific mudslinging and the choice of presidential electors by a popular vote. The two men running for the office of president that year were the incumbent, John Adams, and the once-defeated Andrew Jackson. John Adams ran as a National Republican, later to be known as the Whigs. Adams had the support of the respectable Secretary of State, Henry Clay, but he did not have the support of his own Vice-President, John C. Calhoun. Calhoun was very powerful in the politics of that time period. He threw his support in favor Jackson because he could tell that Adams and the Republicans wanted Henry Clay to succeed Adams in the election of 1832. William H. Crawford, presidential hopeful in 1824, also gave his support to Jackson. However, the most important man to le
The Democrats countered with accusations of Adams pimping for the Czar of Russia while he was in Washington, recklessly spending money for a pool table, cues, and balls, being a monarchist, and being an aristocrat. But the even more effective propaganda was the "Coffin Handbill," which made Jackson out to be a murderer and a ruffian because he had executed six Tennessee militiamen for mutinying during the Indian wars. Once in office, Adams made Clay Secretary of State. When Adams had beaten Jackson for president four years before, the Jacksonians protested that there was a "corrupt bargain" between Clay and Adams. This campaign was not only one of the most savage elections up to that time, it is one of the nastiest in our country's history. Adams though made enemies of his allies by refusing to remove competent civil servants from their jobs in favor of his political friends. But instead it started a long line of dirty campaign tactics and character slander. It was called the Tariff of Abominations, especially in the South. Their campaigns should be looked upon as something to learn from, something not to emulate. That year was also the first year in which presidential electors were chosen by popular vote instead of congressional caucuses. Throughout Adams' administration and the campaign, the Jacksonians made the phrase "corrupt bargain" a rallying cry for their supporters. The claims of him being an adulterer hurt him the most because he was madly in love with his wife, Rachel. These facts are debatable, but one isn't, it was one of the most important presidential elections ever. Jackson was running as a Democratic Republican. nd his backing to Jackson was Martin Van Buren, because he could tell that Jackson was going places.
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