Posted by
Dale on Saturday, September 13, 2008 6:52:31 PM
We think today's presidential elections dirty, but they are mild when compared to those of the past. As a matter of fact, the election of 1800 was so foul that the federalist newspapers claimed that the election of Thomas Jefferson would cause the "teaching of murder robbery, rape, adultery and incest", and the election lead to the death of Alexander Hamilton.
During this period the winner of the election became president and the second place man was the Vice President. The election ended in a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, each getting 63 electoral votes, defeating the incumbent John Adams. The election went to the House of Representative to decide.
It took 36 ballots and five days, before Federalist Alexander Hamilton arranged for Aaron Burr to lose by one vote. Hamilton and Burr became such bitter enemies, that Burr challenged and mortally wounded Hamilton in a duel on July 11, 1804. Vice President Aaron Burr was indicted for murder, and escaped to South Carolina.