Monographs,
No. 2, p. 79.] It was dangerous for the south to marshal its forces
on an issue which might alienate the support of Pennsylvania. Much
more safely could the enemies of the president press the charge that
the favorite of the people had been deprived of his rights by a
corrupt political intrigue. Consequently, a flood of proposed
amendments to the Constitution poured upon both branches of Congress
day after day, demanding the abolition of the choice of president by
the House of Representatives and the exclusion of members of
Congress from appointment to executive office during their term of
service. [Footnote: Ames, Amendments to the Const., in Am. Hist.
Assoc., Report 1896, II., 21, 106, 339, 343.]
These measures were championed by McDuffie, Benton, and other
friends of Calhoun and Jackson. Although they were undoubtedly
called out in part by a sincere desire to effect a change in a
system which was regarded as dangerous, they also served admirably
the purpose of popular agitation.
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