This
evidence did not convince the Jacksonians; but it could hardly have
been expected to do so, and nowadays it looks to be unimpeachable. It
is certain that the friends of Clay approached the Adams managers with
a view to a working agreement involving the Secretaryship of State;
but it is equally clear that the Jackson and Crawford men solicited
Clay's support "by even more unblushing offers of political reward
than those alleged against Adams." Finally it is known that Adams gave
some explicit preelection pledges, and that by doing so he drew some
votes; but on the subject of an alliance with Clay he is not known to
have gone further than to say to a delegation of Clay supporters that
if elected by western votes he would naturally look to the West for
much of the support which his Administration would need. At noon, on
the 9th of February, the Senate and House met in joint session to
witness the count of the electoral vote. Spectators packed the
galleries and overflowed into every available space. The first acts
were of a purely formal nature.
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