Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/340

282 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS left for the house of representatives to choose a president from the three highest names on the list, in accordance with the twelfth amendment to the constitution. As Clay was thus rendered ineligible, there was naturally some scheming among the friends of the other candidates to secure his power ful co-operation. Clay and his friends quite naturally supported the other loose-constructionist candidate, Adams, with the result that 13 states voted for Adams, 7 for Jackson, and 4 for Craw ford. Adams thus became president, and Jack son s friends, in their disappointment, hungered for a "grievance" upon which they might vent their displeasure, and which might serve as a "rallying cry" for the next campaign. Benton, who was now one of Jackson s foremost supporters, went so far as to maintain that, because Jackson had a greater number of electoral votes than any other candidate, the house was virtually "defying the will of the people" in choosing any name but his. To this it was easily answered that in any case our electoral college, which was one of the most de liberately framed devices of the constitution, gives but a very indirect and partial expression of the "will of the people"; and furthermore, if Benton s argument was sound, why should the constitution have provided for an election by congress, instead of allowing a simple plurality in the college to de cide the election? The extravagance of Benton s