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Provided for the transfer of East and West Florida to the United States and
the establishment of a border between Spanish and US territory running from the
Gulf of Mexico to the Rocky Mountains and along the forty-second parallel to the
Pacific ocean. Historians regard the treaty as a brilliant act of diplomacy, and
Adams himself called its conclusion the most important event of my life. Many
historians give credit to Adams for his contributions to the Monroe Doctrine.
Adams also was the mind behind the Monroe Doctrine, which warned that the United
States would oppose any European interference in the internal affairs of an
American nation or further European colonization of territory in the Western
Hemisphere. There was no doubt that Adams was a deserving candidate for the
presidential election of 1824. He had held high diplomatic positions and
displayed both aptitude and ability. He wanted to be President, but although
Adams was the most distinguished member of the Monroe Cabinet, his successes
were somewhat neutralized by his lack of friends and organizational backing” He
had also earned himself a reputation of being stubborn and unflexable. He had no
problems speaking out against issues he felt were unjust. He also spoke out
against his own political party. The son of a leading Federalist Party, Adams
proved to be anything but a slavish devotee to that political cause. When he
thought the party was in the wrong, he stood ready to oppose it. In fact, as he
told his father, if he thought the country was in the wrong, he could not bring
himself to solicit God's approval for its course. The final break from the
Federalist Party came after Adams choice to support President Jefferson's
Embargo act of 1807. Adams, however, angered his fellow Federalists by insisting
on considering each issue independently, rather than voting with the party. When
he supported President Jefferson's Embargo act in 1807, the Massachusetts
legislature elected his successor six months before his term expired. He later
resigned in protest and returned to teach at Harvard. Despite his break with the
Federalist Party, he remained active in politics. He was appointed Minister to
Russia and later appointed as Secretary of State under President Monroe.
President Monroe, like the Presidents before him served two consecutive terms.
In 1824 he was ready to retire. The Presidential candidates were William
Crawford of Georgia, Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. Henry Clay of Kentucky and
John Quincy Adams, Then Crawford was stricken, and his nomination by a small
congressional caucuses was merely a gesture of respect and friendship. The four
candidate race split the electoral votes. Although no one received majority
needed to win the election, Jackson had received the most votes. The
four-candidate race split the electoral vote, and n one received the majority
required to be elected.
Jackson led Adams 99 to 84 votes, with Crawford and Clay
receiving 41 and 37 votes, respectively. The stalemate drew the election into
the House of Representatives. There Henry Clay, a powerful member of the House,
gave his support to Adams, who emerged victorious despite having received less
than one-third of the popular vote. Although Jackson and his supporters were
furious, there was nothing they could do. John Quincy Adams was elected as
president. His presidency and the election were immediate judged corrupt. This
was due to the fact that Adams made Clay his Secretary of State. What was
earlier a murmur became a roar when Adams proffered, and Clay accepted the
position of secretary of state in Adams' cabinet. In a rage at the outcome of
the House's election Jackson said of Clay that the Judas of the West has closed
the contract and will receive the thirty pieces of silver, and in Clays home
state he charged that the people had been cheated. Their will defeated by
corruption's and intrigues at Washington. This scandal seemed to taint Adams
presidency and reputation. Neither Adams nor Clay could ever recover from it.
After that, nothing went right for Adams. The Jackson men in his cabinet were
openly disloyal Any idea or policy Adams proposed was immediately opposed. Yet
Adams' schemes were derided or ignored.
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