General Jackson received a hint that it would be well to have healed the breach between himself and Crawford.  This it was supposed came from Forsyth, and it is further believed this was prompted by Van Buren.  It may or may not have been so:  Mr. Jackson’s acuteness rarely required hints from any one to stimulate or prompt to action its suggestions.  All Washington City was astounded, one Sunday morning, at seeing the carriage of Jackson pull up at the residence of Mr. Crawford; for their quarrel was known to every one, and it was heralded through the newspapers that a reconciliation had taken place between these great men.  The interview was a protracted one:  what occurred can only be known by subsequent developments in the political world.

Van Buren had supported Crawford to the last extremity, and was greatly respected by him.  His intense acuteness scented the prey afar off.  Mr. Calhoun had been elected by the electoral colleges Vice-President, and this position, it was thought, notwithstanding his devotion to Jackson, would identify him with the Administration.  He was young, talented, extremely popular, ambitious, and aspiring, and it was the opinion of all that he would urge his claims to the succession.

The indignation which burst from the Southern and Middle States, and from many of the Western, at Mr. Clay’s course, and the great unpopularity of the name of Adams, was an assurance that without great changes in public opinion Mr. Adams’ administration would be confined to one term.  Mr. Crawford was out of the question for all time, and it was apparent the contest was to be between Calhoun, Clay, and Jackson.

They had all belonged to the Jeffersonian school of politics—­had grown upon the nation’s confidence rapidly through their support of and conducting the war to its glorious termination.  But this party was now completely disrupted; and from its elements new parties were to be formed.  It only survived the dissolution of the Federal party a short time, and, for the want of opposition from without, discord and dissolution had followed.  The political world was completely chaotic—­new interests had arisen.  The war had forced New England to manufacturing; it had established the policy of home production, and home protection; the agricultural interest of the West was connected with the manufacturing interest of the North, and was to be her consumer; but the planting interest of the South was deemed antagonistic to them.  Her great staple, forming almost the sole basis of the foreign commerce of the country, demanded, if not free trade, an exceedingly liberal policy toward those abroad who were her purchasers.