For the first time in eight years the country witnessed a real presidential contest.  The campaign, none the less, was one in which the candidates themselves took but little active part.  The days of “swinging around the circle” had not yet dawned in our national politics, nor had even those of the “front-porch” campaign.  Adams made no effort either to be nominated or to be elected, retaining throughout the contest that austere reserve in public manner which contrasted so singularly with his amiability and good humor in private life.  Jackson remained quietly at the Hermitage, replying to correspondents and acknowledging expressions of support, but leaving to his managers the work of winning the voters.  Clay, whose oratorical gifts would have made him an invincible twentieth century campaigner, contented himself with a few interviews and speeches.  The candidate who normally would have taken most active personal part in the campaign was Crawford.  But in August, 1823—­six months before the caucus nomination—­he was stricken with paralysis and rendered speechless, almost blind, and practically helpless.  For months he hovered between life and death in a “mansion” on the outskirts of Washington, while his friends labored to conceal the seriousness of his condition and to keep his canvass going.  Gradually he rallied; but his powerful frame was shattered, and even when the caucus discharged its appointed task of nominating him, the politicians were cold-heartedly speculating upon who would receive the “old republican” support if he should die.  He recovered and lived ten years; but his chances of the presidency were much diminished by his ill fortune.  “He had fallen with his face toward the goal, with his eyes and his heart fixed upon it.”

As the canvass progressed, Jackson steadily gained.  His election to the United States Senate, in the autumn of 1823, over a stanch supporter of Crawford showed that his own State was acting in good faith when it proposed him for the higher position.  Clever propaganda turned Pennsylvania “Jackson mad”; whereupon Calhoun, with an eye to the future, sought an alliance with his competitor.  The upshot was that a convention held at Harrisburg in March, 1824, nominated Jackson almost unanimously and named Calhoun for the vice presidency.  Hostility to the caucus became also a great asset.  Tariff, internal improvements, and foreign policy were discussed in the campaign, but the real issue was the manner of selecting the President.  Should he continue to be chosen by a combination of Congressmen, or should the people take matters into their own hands?  Impatience with the caucus system showed itself in numerous nominations of Clay, Adams, and Jackson by sundry state conventions, legislatures, and other more or less official bodies.  The supporters of Jackson, in particular, made “down with the caucus” their rallying cry and found it tremendously effective.  In the earlier stages of the campaign the politicians, aside from Lewis and his coworkers, were unwilling to believe that Jackson could be elected.  Later, however, they were forced to acknowledge his strength, and at the end the fight was really between Jackson and the field, rather than between Crawford and the field as had been anticipated.