Teach
01-28-2017, 08:45 AM
“Corrupt Bargain!” a man shouted out. Others in the crowd picked up the chant: “Corrupt Bargain!” “Corrupt Bargain!” “Corrupt Bargain!”
It was late-February, 1825. Philadelphia, PA. Supporters of “Old Hickory,” “The Hero of New Orleans,” Andrew Jackson, were holding a rally. The meeting was being held to give those in attendance the chance to air their displeasure over the outcome of the Election of 1824. Supporters of Andrew Jackson believed that “shady politics” had cheated their candidate out of becoming President of the United States.
As we look back, that Election of 1824 is sometimes called “The Favorite Son” Election featured candidates from various parts of the country. The four major candidates were: Andrew Jackson, Tennessee; John Quincy Adams, Massachusetts; Henry Clay, Kentucky, and William Crawford, Georgia. All four candidates were part of what was then called the Democratic-Republican Party.
After the ballots were counted, Andrew Jackson had received the most votes, a plurality, but not a majority. Jackson garnered 99 electoral votes (he also had a plurality in the popular-vote count) out of 261 electoral votes that were cast. Then came John Quincy Adams with 84 votes, William Crawford had 41 votes and Henry Clay brought up the rear with 37 electoral votes.
As no one candidate received a majority of the Electoral College votes, the Constitution (Amendment XII) dictated that there by a run-off election from the top three candidates with the U.S. House of Representatives deciding the outcome. Thus, Henry Clay, “The Great Compromiser,” was the 4th man out.
So, it was now up to The House to decide who our next president would be. Each state – there were 24 states in The Union at that time – would have one vote. That vote for the president would be determined by how a majority of the representatives from each state in the House voted. For example, in Kentucky, Henry Clay’s home state, Adams received eight votes to Jackson’s four. Thus, Adams would get that one vote that the state of Kentucky would cast for the presidency. In the end, Adams, the son of our second President, received 13 votes, Jackson 7, and Crawford 4. John Adams became the 6th President of the United States.
After the outcome had been decided, but before the inauguration, then held in early March, supporters of Jackson began claiming “corrupt bargain”. The reason for their claim, though unsubstantiated, was that Clay used his influence as “The Candidate of the West” to get the then western states, like his home state of Kentucky, to vote for Adams in return for being appointed secretary of State (In those days, the position of Secretary of State was a “stepping stone” to the presidency; John Quincy Adams had served in that capacity before being elected president).
As we fast-forward to the present, we all know that Donald J. Trump received a majority of the electoral votes that were cast by the Electoral College and that he was duly elected and sworn in as our 45th President of the United States.
Yet, there are some, mostly Clinton supporters, who, in private conversations and through Internet postings, allege: “Corrupt Bargain”.
That’s brings us to our current FBI Director, James Comey. Comey, appointed by Barack Obama to head the FBI, is in his 4th year of a ten-year term (FBI directors serve at the pleasure of the president, yet they are rarely removed out of respect for the independence of that office).
Well, less than two weeks before the election, Comey revealed to Congress that a probe – originally dismissed in October for not having found incriminating information in a batch of Hillary Clinton’s emails – was back on.
When Comey announced that the probe of Secretary Clinton’s emails was to be resumed, Democrats excoriated the FBI Director for violating long-standing Justice Department policies about taking overt steps in an investigation so close to the day when voters would go to the polls. Although Comey “walked back” his allegations just before the election, the damage had been done.
Only a month earlier, the then candidate-Trump implied that Comey was corrupt for saying publicly that the bureau had not found anything incriminating.
As in the election of 1824, nothing had been clearly defined or deliniated as for the reason the action was taken. Yet, the fact that it took place so close to Election Day is puzzling. There are those who are calling for a review. Something Comey says he welcomes. And yes, it will be James Comey, as FBI Director, who will likely be taking a leading role in the investigation on alleged Russian hacking.
It should be noted that President Trump, in his efforts “to drain the swamp,” has sacked several high-level State Department employees. Yet, President Trump recently confirmed that James Comey will stay on as FBI Director. In fact, Trump recently greeted Comey warmly at a White House reception, shaking the FBI director’s hand, patting him on the back and remarking, “He’s become more famous than me.”
As a postscript, Andrew Jackson and his supporters gained a measure of revenge by defeating Adams in the 1828 presidential election.
It was late-February, 1825. Philadelphia, PA. Supporters of “Old Hickory,” “The Hero of New Orleans,” Andrew Jackson, were holding a rally. The meeting was being held to give those in attendance the chance to air their displeasure over the outcome of the Election of 1824. Supporters of Andrew Jackson believed that “shady politics” had cheated their candidate out of becoming President of the United States.
As we look back, that Election of 1824 is sometimes called “The Favorite Son” Election featured candidates from various parts of the country. The four major candidates were: Andrew Jackson, Tennessee; John Quincy Adams, Massachusetts; Henry Clay, Kentucky, and William Crawford, Georgia. All four candidates were part of what was then called the Democratic-Republican Party.
After the ballots were counted, Andrew Jackson had received the most votes, a plurality, but not a majority. Jackson garnered 99 electoral votes (he also had a plurality in the popular-vote count) out of 261 electoral votes that were cast. Then came John Quincy Adams with 84 votes, William Crawford had 41 votes and Henry Clay brought up the rear with 37 electoral votes.
As no one candidate received a majority of the Electoral College votes, the Constitution (Amendment XII) dictated that there by a run-off election from the top three candidates with the U.S. House of Representatives deciding the outcome. Thus, Henry Clay, “The Great Compromiser,” was the 4th man out.
So, it was now up to The House to decide who our next president would be. Each state – there were 24 states in The Union at that time – would have one vote. That vote for the president would be determined by how a majority of the representatives from each state in the House voted. For example, in Kentucky, Henry Clay’s home state, Adams received eight votes to Jackson’s four. Thus, Adams would get that one vote that the state of Kentucky would cast for the presidency. In the end, Adams, the son of our second President, received 13 votes, Jackson 7, and Crawford 4. John Adams became the 6th President of the United States.
After the outcome had been decided, but before the inauguration, then held in early March, supporters of Jackson began claiming “corrupt bargain”. The reason for their claim, though unsubstantiated, was that Clay used his influence as “The Candidate of the West” to get the then western states, like his home state of Kentucky, to vote for Adams in return for being appointed secretary of State (In those days, the position of Secretary of State was a “stepping stone” to the presidency; John Quincy Adams had served in that capacity before being elected president).
As we fast-forward to the present, we all know that Donald J. Trump received a majority of the electoral votes that were cast by the Electoral College and that he was duly elected and sworn in as our 45th President of the United States.
Yet, there are some, mostly Clinton supporters, who, in private conversations and through Internet postings, allege: “Corrupt Bargain”.
That’s brings us to our current FBI Director, James Comey. Comey, appointed by Barack Obama to head the FBI, is in his 4th year of a ten-year term (FBI directors serve at the pleasure of the president, yet they are rarely removed out of respect for the independence of that office).
Well, less than two weeks before the election, Comey revealed to Congress that a probe – originally dismissed in October for not having found incriminating information in a batch of Hillary Clinton’s emails – was back on.
When Comey announced that the probe of Secretary Clinton’s emails was to be resumed, Democrats excoriated the FBI Director for violating long-standing Justice Department policies about taking overt steps in an investigation so close to the day when voters would go to the polls. Although Comey “walked back” his allegations just before the election, the damage had been done.
Only a month earlier, the then candidate-Trump implied that Comey was corrupt for saying publicly that the bureau had not found anything incriminating.
As in the election of 1824, nothing had been clearly defined or deliniated as for the reason the action was taken. Yet, the fact that it took place so close to Election Day is puzzling. There are those who are calling for a review. Something Comey says he welcomes. And yes, it will be James Comey, as FBI Director, who will likely be taking a leading role in the investigation on alleged Russian hacking.
It should be noted that President Trump, in his efforts “to drain the swamp,” has sacked several high-level State Department employees. Yet, President Trump recently confirmed that James Comey will stay on as FBI Director. In fact, Trump recently greeted Comey warmly at a White House reception, shaking the FBI director’s hand, patting him on the back and remarking, “He’s become more famous than me.”
As a postscript, Andrew Jackson and his supporters gained a measure of revenge by defeating Adams in the 1828 presidential election.