John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

9. VI. May the blessing of God rest upon the event of this day— The second Wednesday in February; when the Election of a President of the United States for the term of four years from the 4th. of March next was consummated. Of the votes in the electoral Colleges there were 99. for Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, 84 for John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, 41. for William Harris Crawford of Georgia, and 37 for Henry Clay of Kentucky. In all 261. This result having been announced on opening and counting the votes in joint meeting of the two Houses, the House of Representatives immediately proceeded to the vote by ballot from the three highest Candidates, when John Quincy Adams received the votes of 13, Andrew Jackson of 7. and William H. Crawford of 4. States— The election was thus completed, very unexpectedly by a single ballot— Alexander H. Everett gave me the first notice, both of the issue of the votes of the electoral colleges, as announced in the joint meeting, and of the final vote as declared. Wyer followed him a few minutes afterwards— Mr Bolton and Mr Thomas the Naval Architect succeeded; and B. W. Crowninshield, calling on his return from the House to his lodgings at my house, confirmed the reports— Congratulations from several of the Officers of the Department of State ensued—from D. Brent, G. Ironside, W. Slade, and Josias W. King— Those of my wife, children, and family were cordial, and affecting; and I received an affectionate note from Mr Rufus King of New-York, written in the Senate chamber after the event. On my return home James Strong M.H.R. from New-York, came with some solicitude of enquiry concerning the obstacles to the election of Ambrose Spencer, as Senator from that State in the place of Mr King. He asked if my friends considered Spencer as hostile to me. I said I believed they had considered him as favouring the election of Genl. Jackson. He asked if I did not consider Spencer pledged at least, if elected, not to come with purposes of hostility to the Administration— I said I did not— He said Spencer was an honest man; and if he gave such a pledge would be faithful to it. After dinner the Russian Minister Baron Tuyll called to congratulate me on the issue of the Election— I attended with Mrs Adams the Drawing Room at the President’s— It was crowded to overflowing— General Jackson was there, and we shook hands. He was altogether placid and courteous— I received numerous friendly salutations. D. Webster asked me when I could receive the Committee of the House to announce to me my Election. I appointed to-morrow Noon, at my own house— The Committee 77Committee consist of Webster; Vance of Ohio, and Archer of Virginia— I asked S. L. Southard the Secretary of the Navy to call on me to-morrow morning at ten O’Clock— Mr. Daniel Brent had called on me this morning, and said that Mr John Lee M.H.R. from Maryland had told him that he should at the first ballot, be obliged to vote for Jackson; but if the election should not be completed this day he would come and see me to-morrow Morning— He was disposed to give me his vote, but wished some explanation from me of certain passages of my Oration delivered on the 4th. of July 1821 which had been offensive to the Roman Catholics. I said I would very readily see and converse on this subject with Mr Lee; regretting that anything I had ever said in public should have hurt the religious feelings of any person. Dr. Watkins came likewise and expressed much confidence in the issue that took place. But urging me, if it should be otherwise, and I should attend the Drawing room this Evening, to carry a firm and confident countenance with me, and remarking that a bold outside was often a herald to success— There was fortunately no occasion for this little artifice. I enclosed Mr R. King’s Note with a Letter of three lines to my father, asking for his blessing and prayers on the event of this day; the most important day of my life, and which I would close as it began with supplications to the father of mercies, that its consequences may redound to his glory, and to the welfare of my Country. After I returned from the Drawing Room, a Band of Musicians came and serenaded me at my house— It was past midnight when I retired.