Adams told them that if the votes of the West elected him president, he would put a westerner in his cabinet. But he would not promise that the westerner would be Clay, or that the cabinet job would be secretary of state.
Clay had still not said publicly which candidate he supported. But late in January, a Philadelphia newspaper published an unsigned letter. The letter charged that Clay and Adams had made a secret agreement.
Clay, the letter said, would give his support to Adams. In exchange, Adams would name Clay as his secretary of state.
Clay was furious. He not only denied the charge, but offered to fight a duel with the letter-writer. But whoever wrote the letter to the newspaper refused to say anything. Clay was sure Jackson's supporters were responsible.
Snow was falling in Washington on the morning of February 9, the day that Congress would elect the president. At noon, members of Congress walked into the House of Representatives.
Each state had one vote for president. Adams was sure he would get the votes of 12 states. Crawford had the votes of four and Jackson seven. New York was the question. Seventeen of the New York congressmen were for Adams, and seventeen were against him. Adams needed just one of these votes to get the vote of New York and become president.
One of those New Yorkers opposed to Adams was a rich old man who represented the Albany area, Stephen Van Rensselaer. Although Van Rensselaer had supported Crawford or Jackson, he really was not sure now whom to support.
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2013-11-25
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