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THE CRAWFORD FACTION AND THE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION IN 1824: A CAMPAIGN DILEMMA
William G. Morgan Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma
The election of 1824 was a many-sided contest. Despite the absence of two major parties, partisanship was vigorous between the various ieading personalities and factions of the Democratic·Republicans. This article examines the strategy of the William H. Crawford group as it related to their choice of a vice-presidential candidate.
The election of 1824 was one of the more led ultimately to a change in their policy in confusing contests in America's political this area. history. There were 16 or 17 candidates In the fall of election year the Georgian's early in the race (I), but, this number was party arranged to drop Gallatin from the narrowed to 5 by the end of 1823. They ticket. The Crawford managers, however, were: Treasury Secretary William H. Craw were unable to decide on a more suitable ford, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, candidate for several months after the cau House Speaker Henry Clay, Secretary of cus and, when Gallatin offered to withdraw War John C. Calhoun, and General An in April, he was advised to stay in the con drew Jackson. All considered themselves test with the provision that it might be de members of the same Democratic-Republi sirable for him to retire later. By June, a can party. close Pennsylvania associate of Gallatin was Nominating procedures were unsettled. All optimistic, but hopes were soon to vanish. but the Crawford forces opposed the usual (3) congressional caucus for choosing candi During August, the Crawford party pro dates. Despite such rough waters, the Craw posed to Henry Clay and his close asso ford managers insisted on pressing the cau ciates a coalition in which the Kentuckian cus method. After several abortive attempts, would receive backing for the second office a sparsely attended congressional conclave in return for supporting Crawford for the met in February, 1824 to nominate the Trea top post. Though negotiators promised Clay sury Secretary for President by an over the vice-presidency now and New England's whelming margin. The Crawford strategists support for the first office in the future, one hoped to secure Pennsylvania for their can advisor, Josiah S. Johnston, strongly ~rged didate by running Albert Gallatin of that him not to accept the offer, because by state for Vice-President. Though unpopu taking support for the second place he lar with the Richmond Junto, Gallatin's would be withdrawing as a presidential can nomination in the caucus was engineered by didate. Some of the Crawford faction even a substantial margin. In March, however, turned to the "tears for what should have the Ha~sburg Convention gave clear signs been" approach, saying they wished the that thIS Pennsylvania tactic would fail; the Speaker had originally been nominated to state gathering nominated Andrew Jackson run with their chief, but that Gallatin would for President and John C. Calhoun for now withdraw to make such a course p0s V;ce-President. Calhoun decided to drop sible. Johnston urged the Crawford group to give Clay enough support for the Otlt of the presidential race to concentrate presidency to enable him to be a candidate Or the second office, thus providing another if the election were thrown into the House m.,rk against the Crawford faction's ap of Representatives. If they failed, "Harry pnach to the vice-presidency (2). These of the West" could then be the union ean· £artors, together with the smoldering discon didate (4, 5)_ te..t among some of the Crawford group, Clay replied that, even if desirable, it Froc. Okla. Acad. Sci. so: 181-183 (1970) 182
would be difficult to secure his election as it would hurt hurt Crawford or prevent a Vice-President because it would be nearly better vice-presidential candidate from be impossible to persuade his western friends ing ejected. He decided to leave the decision to switch their support to second place. If to the Virginia committee of correspond they would switch, there would be no way ence, and sent them a letter on October 2 for them to agree on a new presidential declaring the end of his candidacy. The candidate. Such circumstances ruled out any Crawford leaders in the Old Dominion ac coalition. If he were to receive any vice cepted GaUatin's offer to withdraw and gen presidential support in the eastern states, erally urged avoiding direct contact with it would have to be spontaneous and sep Harry of the \Vest; instcad they asked arate from the presidential question. If his the New York legislature to nominate friends wished to run him on their own and him on the Crawford ticket. They hoped he were elected, the post would be accepted, Clay would accept this action as decisive and provided, of course, he failed to win the first act accordingly. However, the proposed office. He would not seek the vice-presi nomination was never effected. Van Buren dency or coalesce with Crawford to gain it. now had a tenuous grip on the legislature, Clay thus rejected the Crawfordites' offer, as later proved by his failure to secure New made through Johnston, by rcEusing to with York for Crawford, and Clav's friends re draw from the presidential contest to con fused to cooperate in such a ·project. Over cmtrate on second place (6). ruling those who wanted no consultation Not easily discouraged, Crawford strate with Clay, the Little Magician decided to gists continued to press their coalition plan attempt one last trick to get Harry of the lIpon the Clay group, hoping they would West to accept the coalition offer. Through finally acquiesce when they saw the Geor Lowrie, Abner Lacock of Pennsylvania was gian's support for Vice-President shifted to deputized to make a direct pilgrimage to the Kentuckian. But Clav believed that Cal Clav on behalf of the New York Merlin. houn would win thc s~ond spot if only There was sufficient talk about the pro the eastern vote were transferred bv such a posed Clay-Crawford coalition to launch a coalition. Furthermore, much western senti false ntlllOr to the effect that Clay was with ment had turned to Nathan Sanford as drawing from the presidential contest to Clay's running mate. Although it was pos accept backing for the second office (8). sible that Adams' men and the Crawford Having decided to retire, Canatin thought forces would support Harry of the West the notice should be published soon. There for the second office. enabling him to beat fore, about October 8, Lowrie wrote to Cal~oun, such a combination was extremely Richmond and Albany. authorizing the pub unhkely. Clay remained unwilling to form lication of the candidate's statement of with a coalition ~ith the Crawford party to pur drawal. The information was soon printed in sue an unbkcly chance for the second of various papers, and some Crawford journals fice. By mid-September, Johnston thought began to talk openly of supporting Clay for !he Crawford party would run the Kentuck Vice-President, without his specific eonsent Jan C\'co without a coalition (7). and in the absence of any significant nom· Martin Van Buren of New York the ination. Indeed, a numbe~ of the Crawford Crawford group's northern leader, had de party in Washington decided to support cided that the Pennsylvanian should drop Clay for Vice-President. but the Treasurv out of the race. Walter Lowrie broke the Secretary's tacticians were unenthuiastlc news to Gallatin in September. Since the about the Kentuckian. In fact. Joseph Gaks Van Buren element, as wen as various Craw and William W. Seaton of the National 1,\ ford leaden in Virginia. were urging the teUigencer favored leaving Crawford wit't· substitution of Clay on the ticket, Lowrie out a specific running mate. Gales and, :I ,. advised his friend to withdraw. Callatin re parently, the Georgian himself. preferr 1 plied he would not withdraw just to avoid Nathan Sanford over Clay. The Kentucki 1 Clefeat. but would gladly do so if by staying gave a clear negative to Van Buren's ern •. 183 sary, thus ending a one-sided flirtation, and 3. R. M. Saunders to Bartlett Yancey, March 30, tbe rejected suitors dropped plans to sponsor 182", Walter Clark Manuscripts, N. Carolina Dept. Arch. HUt; Walter Lowrie to Albert this political marriage by proxy. Though Gallatin, Apnl 19. June 16, 1824, Albert no uniform course was adopted, there were Gallatin Papers. New York Hist. Soc. suggestions that Van Buren should be the ... Johnston to Clay, August 19, 25, 182", in new vice-presidential candidate. This course J. F. HOPKINS and M. W. M. HUC.EAVU was implemented in Georgia, doubtless with (eds.), The Papers of Henry Clay, lexing ton. Ky.• 1959, v. Ill, pp. 815·818; Martin Crawford's approval. The Crawford forces Van Buren to Benjamin Ruggles (draft), never endorsed a universal policy on tbe August 26, 18H, Martin Van Buren Papers, question of a running mate, and tbe scat Library of Congress. tered electoral votes later demonstrated tbis 5. Clay to Johnston, September 3, 182", in HOPKINS and HAIlCIlEAVES eds., The Papers lack of agreement. Some of tbe Calhoun of Henry Clay, v. Ill, pp. 826-827. troops had attempted to forestall any move 6. Johnston to Clay, September +, 11, 26, 1824, ment toward Clay, but such effort proved and Clay to Johnston, September 10, 1824, unnecessary. Of Crawford's 41 electors, all in HOPKINS AND HUCIlEAVES (eds.) , The Papers of Henry Clay, v. Ill, pp. 829, 8H but two vice-presidential tallies went for 8H, 837-838. candidates otber than Clay. Only the Dela 7. Lowrie to Gallatin, Sept. 25, Oct. +, 182..; ware Crawford electors named the Ken Gallatin to Lowrie, Oct. 2, 1824, Albert tuckian for the second office, while tbe rest Gallatin Papers, New York Hist. Soc.; Galla· were split among Van Buren, Jackson, tin to Van Buren, Oct. 2, 18H; Lowrie to Van Buren, Sept. 24, 18H; P. N. Nicholas Natbaniel Macon, and Calhoun (9). Thus, to Van Buren, Oct. 19, 18H; Van Buren the attempt of the Crawford tacticians to to Samuel Smith, Nov. 17, 18H, Samuel use the second place on the ticket to attract Smith Papers, Library of Congress; Niles' major support for the first proved abortive. Weekly Register, Oct. 23. 182", p. 113. Robert V. Remini, Martin Van Buren and In this respect, their handling of the vice the Making of the Democratic Party, New presidential dilemma was but a microcosm York, 1959, pp. 67-69. of their total campaign effort. 8. Gallatin to Lowrie, Oct. 7, 18204; Lowrie to Gallatin, Oct. 8, 1824, Albert Gallatin Papers, New York Hist. Soc. Richmond En· qUlrer. Oct. 19, 1824, p. 3; Oct. 29, 182+, REFERENCES AND NOTES p. 2. Samuel L. Southard to Francis T. Brooke, Nov. IS, 1824, Samuel L. Southard 1. Niles' Weekly Register, Apnl 27, 1822, pp. Papers, Library of Congress. A. Dickens to 129-130. Bartlett Yancey, Nov. 21, 25, 18H, Bartlett 2. W. G. MOIlCAN, Tenn. Hist. Quart. 24: 253 Yancey Papers, Univ. N. Carolina; H. 254 (1965); H. AMMON, Va. Mag. Hist. AMMON, The Richmond Junto, pp. "15 Biograph. 61: 415-417 (1953). ·U7.