Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/339

ANDREW JACKSON 281 his mind to spend his remaining days in peace on his farm. Of personal ambition, as ordinarily understood, Jackson had much less than many other men. But he was, like most men, susceptible to flattery, and the discovery of his immense popu larity no doubt went far to persuade him that he might do credit to himself as president. On July 20, 1822, he was nominated for that office by the legislature of Tennessee. On February 22, 1824, he was nominated by a Federalist convention at Harrisburg, Pa., and on March 4 following by a Republican convention at the same place. The regular nominee of the congressional caucus was William H. Crawford, of Georgia. The other candidates were John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay. There was a general agreement upon Cal- houn for the vice-presidency. All the candidates belonged to the Republican party, which had kept the presidency since Jefferson s election in 1800. The Federalists were hopelessly discredited by their course in the war of 181 2 - 15. Of the four candi dates Adams and Clay were loose constructionists, while Crawford and Jackson were strict con structionists, and in this difference was fore shadowed a new division of parties. At the elec tion in November, 1824, there were 99 electoral votes for Jackson, 84 for Adams, 41 for Crawford, and 37 for Clay. As none of the candidates had a majority, it was