most
brilliant victory of the War of 1812? Did not he and his unerring
riflemen from the backwoods of Tennessee and Kentucky spread
consternation, death, and defeat among the red-coated veterans of
Waterloo? No wonder that the anniversary of that glorious battle is
still celebrated in every part of the country, and no wonder, too, that
the American people demanded that the hero of all these achievements
should be rewarded with the highest office in the gift of his
countrymen.

JACKSON NOMINATED.

Jackson, having "placed himself in the hands of his friends," threw
himself into the struggle with all the unquenchable ardor of his nature.
On July 22, 1822, the Legislature of Tennessee was first in the field by
placing him in nomination. On the 22d of February, 1824, a Federalist
convention at Harrisburg, Pa., nominated him, and on the 4th of March
following a Republican convention did the same. It would seem that he
was now fairly before the country, but the regular Democratic nominee,
that is, the one named by the congressional caucus, was William H.
Crawford, of Georgia. The remaining candidates were John Quincy Adams
and Henry Clay, and all of them belonged to the Republican party, which
had retained the presidency since 1800. Adams and Clay were what was
termed _loose_ constructionists, while Jackson and Crawford were
_strict_ constructionists.

"OLD HICKORY" DEFEATED.

The canvass was a somewhat jumbled one, in which each candidate had his
ardent partisans and supporters. The contest was carried out with vigor
and the usual abuse, personalities, and vituperation until the polls
were closed. Then when the returns came to be made up it was found that
Jackson had received 99 electoral votes, Adams 84, Crawford 41, and Clay
37. "Old Hickory" was well ahead, but his strength was not sufficient to
make him President, even though on the popular vote he led Adams by more
than 50,000. Consequently the election went to the House of
Representatives, where the supporters of Clay combined with those of
Adams and made him President. Thus came the singular result that the man
who had the largest popular and electoral vote was defeated.

It was a keen disappointment to Jackson and his friends. The great
Senator Benton, of Missouri, one of the warmest supporters of "Old
Hickory," angrily declared that the House was deliberately defying the
will of the people by placing a minority candidate in the chair. The
senator's positio