Many Republicans who supported Madison were stunned by the fallout between Republican Party Chairman Charles and Madison; they hadn't yet reacted and didn't know who to support.
At this point, hearing Madison's suggestion to postpone the vote, they immediately stood up and responded, stating that they indeed needed to consider it carefully before making a formal decision.
"Anyway, the congressional vote is still a few days away. We'll think about it more and decide tomorrow!"
In reality, they weren't considering whether to hold an early election; they were entirely focused on whether to support Charles or Madison.
Charles and most Republicans also didn't want to force this small group of Republicans to split from their side, so in the end, they made a slight concession on this issue.
They stated that deciding at a meeting tomorrow was acceptable, but there would be no more debate; instead, they would directly vote on whether to hold an early general election, and then discuss the Presidential candidates.
Regarding the Presidential candidate race, many already had an idea in mind, essentially Charles and Madison.
The key here was that if this vote decided to hold an early election, then the Presidential candidate would almost certainly be Charles, the party chairman who advocated for early elections.
However, if it was decided not to hold an early election, it would be difficult to say who would be chosen as the candidate a few months later.
It was precisely this situation—where the enemy might not lose, but he would lose everything if he failed once—that forced Madison to visit dozens of Republican Party Big sir' homes in a single night, requesting their support.
As for the exact outcome, no one, including Madison himself, was clear.
He was just busy requesting, promising, and then moving on to the next household.
He couldn't specifically judge whether those who agreed were sincere or if their words were just pretexts; he was simply busy continuously searching for the next supporter, for each additional one increased his chances of winning.
So, by the next day, a visibly fatigued Madison had a look of confusion on his face.
He wasn't sure how much he had accomplished during his busy night.
In fact, even before he began his night's activities, he already had a premonition of failure the next day.
It all stemmed from his direct instruction to friendly representatives in the House of Representatives to oppose an early general election, without consulting the Republican Party leadership.
If he had managed to win over more elder statesmen, such as Morris and Wilson, the founders of the party, things wouldn't be this way now.
Because he hadn't accounted for the immense influence of the Republican Party Chairman, his earlier aggressive approach had already drawn the animosity of Charles and many elder statesmen, who viewed it as an infringement on their power.
Therefore, the other side did not openly oppose him but instead made arrangements in secret, and now they had suddenly launched an attack.
It was truly difficult for him to respond effectively in such a short time.
While Madison was anxiously campaigning for votes, Charles was not resting either, but was enthusiastically meeting with Republican Party members who came to visit him.
These Republicans were basically those who originally opposed an early general election but did not necessarily truly support Madison.
Now, seeing that Charles and Madison had completely different stances, they immediately rushed to Charles to understand his detailed position, and also to show their stance, proving that they did not favor Madison.
Like Madison, they all realized that after recognizing Charles' authority, their journey would be dim without the support of the Republican Party.
Additionally, some, out of concern for the Republican Party, were very worried about the falling out between Charles and Madison, and specifically came to inquire about Charles' intentions, to see if there was any possibility of mediation.
Regardless, these were all people who actively sought out Charles, unlike Madison, who went out to find people himself.
This back and forth made the superiority and inferiority of their positions very clear.
For those Republicans who re-pledged their allegiance, Charles showed no intention of reprimanding or rejecting them.
He very happily and sincerely accepted their assurances and reconfirmed that their power and interests would not be harmed by this matter.
However, for those Republicans who harbored intentions of mediation, Charles' demeanor was comparatively stiff.
The starting point of these people was naturally good, but at present, there was simply no room for mediation between him and Madison in the short term.
Even if there are no permanent enemies in politics, there are absolutely irreconcilable short-term conflicts.
His relationship with Madison was irreconcilable at the moment.
To their requests, Charles' only answer was:
"Gentlemen, you can suggest he resign and withdraw from the next Presidential election, and then I can still preserve his power within the Republican Party and continue to help him campaign for other offices."
To Charles' reply, these party members, who more or less understood Madison's character, could only sigh helplessly, believing that the possibility of it being agreed to was small.
The facts were also very clear; Madison didn't even consider it for a moment and rejected Charles' proposal conveyed by the messenger, which left those well-meaning Republicans feeling very helpless.
Helplessness notwithstanding, the Republican Party convention on the second day still convened on time.
This time there were no outsiders present, and one by one, the elder members of the Republican Party slowly entered and took their seats at the front.
Those ordinary party members with voting rights had already found scattered seats for themselves.
No one suggested further discussion; instead, Chairman Charles immediately stood up and announced:
"Gentlemen, today's convention begins, so, let's proceed directly to the vote!"
Immediately, an empty ballot box was brought out, and each Republican Party member with voting rights was distributed a ballot.
Everything proceeded in a silent atmosphere; no one was noisy or questioned anything.
Madison, the interim President who had toiled all night, sat at the front, looking utterly exhausted.
He took the ballot and immediately voted against an early general election.
Ballots were cast into the box one by one, then taken out and counted one by one; the process was transparent and open, without any concealment.
The election results, however, did not change due to Madison's efforts throughout the night.
When the outcome, 170 votes to just over 20, was announced, Madison immediately slumped onto the table.
It was unclear whether he was too exhausted and wanted to rest, or if he was too disappointed to face anyone.
The atmosphere in the hall became somewhat quiet for a moment.
After all, Madison was the interim President, and if this vote had been a narrow defeat, his Presidential dignity would still be intact.
But now, he had lost by an absolute margin, and both Madison himself and the other Republicans felt a bit embarrassed.
He was, after all, the Republican Party's President!
Some of them even felt a bit of regret, thinking they should have helped Madison by voting to support him, so he wouldn't lose so badly.
Charles himself hadn't expected this result.
In the past, Madison's staunch supporters numbered more than just these twenty-odd individuals, but now the result was this; could it be that when voting, many of his original staunch supporters ultimately didn't vote for him?
Undoubtedly, under such circumstances, Madison no longer had much face to continue sitting in the Presidential office.
The only option left was to resign.
Two Presidents resigning consecutively within a mere month was not only unprecedented in America's history, but also something that had rarely occurred in most surrounding countries.
However, for Charles, there was another possibility: if the leaders of various government departments were unwilling to succeed to the presidency, he, as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, might even have to step in.
Although Madison's performance caused a slight disruption, he was, after all, a heroic figure.
After someone approached him to inquire, he immediately sat up straight.
His face was ashen, and he looked around, immediately nodding to those who looked at him with concern.
Then he gestured to Charles, indicating that he was fine and that the meeting could continue.
The rest of the meeting was merely a formality.
Since everyone had clearly chosen to follow Charles, there could be no other option.
Monroe's proposal to elect "Charles Godfreyng" as the Republican Party's Presidential candidate was quickly passed unanimously and without dissent.
Those who originally supported Madison, now seeing Charles' supporters holding an absolute majority, no longer had any intention of trying to salvage the situation.
They were all professional politicians and knew how to choose at this moment.
So, finally, amidst applause, Charles secured the Republican Party Presidential candidate status he desired, continuously bowing and doffing his hat, thanking those around him for their support.
Then came the issue of the Vice President candidate.
To the surprise of the Republicans, Charles proposed on the spot that Monroe serve as his running mate.
Two Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates, both only in their thirties, was absolutely astonishing, but since the first election vote had already gone to Charles, the second naturally wouldn't oppose his proposal.
The proposal was passed again.
The Republican Party, with Charles at its helm, and a Presidential candidate supported by the Republican Party, had been almost synonymous with victory since America's founding.
The choices made at this Republican Party convention indicated that Charles and his allies would embark on a new journey!
It can be expected that this will also be a victorious journey!
The cheers from the Republican Party meeting were heard by half of Philadelphia.
But to everyone's surprise, the next day, before they could inquire about the outcome of the conference, they heard a shocking piece of news: interim President Mr. Madison had submitted his resignation to Congress that very morning.
In fact, this news had already begun to circulate among the high-ranking officials the previous afternoon. The Democratic Party and Federalist Party, upon hearing the news, were very surprised. They initially sent people to investigate, wanting to know if there was a conspiracy or something else involved. But by evening, they received definitive information, understood what had happened at the Republican Party conference, and immediately comprehended why Mr. Madison chose to resign.
They understood, but they couldn't easily make a decision: should they or should they not accept Mr. Madison's resignation?
For them, Mr. Madison, as an opponent, was certainly much easier to deal with than Charles. But even if they didn't agree, what could they do? The Republican Party members held a majority in Congress, and approving an interim President's resignation certainly didn't require a three-quarters absolute majority.
If they opposed it, the only possible benefit they could gain was Mr. Madison's friendship, but they might offend the Republican Party.
Faced with such an unequal trade, the Federalist Party and the Democratic Party made different choices.
"This is a good opportunity! We should seize it. If we can bring Mr. Madison into our Federalist Party, then our day of resurgence will be tomorrow!" Adams announced excitedly.
"Go, immediately go and see Mr. Madison. Tell him that we fully support his stance. For the sake of this country, now is the time for those of us with common ideals to unite and work together. He should not resign!"
Regarding Adams' incitement and decision, not a single Federalist below him objected; they all unanimously said, "Right!"
These people were either deeply entrenched Federalist beneficiaries, Adams' staunch confidants, or a portion of individuals without their own opinions. Only they were willing to faithfully follow behind Adams, cheering him on. But as the situation evolved, the voice of the Federalist Party grew weaker, which was an undeniable fact.
To this day, many discerning people have already realized that the Federalist Party cannot compete with the Republican Party in the North. After several splits, a large number of Federalist members joined the Republican Party. Even Washington, the spiritual godfather of the Federalist Party, temporarily ceased his activities within the Federalist Party and became a leisurely government consultant.
But Adams was oblivious; he still fantasized about making a comeback. This Mr. Madison incident gave him hope. Even if he couldn't defeat the Republican Party this way, he was prepared to pull a group of people back from the Republican Party to get revenge on Charles.
In stark contrast to the Federalist Party, the Democratic Party's attitude towards the Mr. Madison incident was highly debated. Some advocated for taking this opportunity to win over Mr. Madison; others believed it wasn't worth offending the flourishing Republican Party for an outdated figure, and that supporting the Republican Party in Congress would gain more benefits for the Democratic Party; and even more people felt that this was an internal struggle within the Republican Party, and the Democratic Party only needed to sit back and watch the show, as getting involved might backfire.
As the leader of the Democratic Party, Jefferson, after synthesizing the opinions of various factions, finally decided that the entire party would abstain from voting on Mr. Madison's resignation, neither opposing nor agreeing.
"Perhaps we should ignite a fire within, but if this fire isn't lit well, it will burn us. So, let us watch them fight. As for the succession of the new interim President, we can consider proposing new bills. The real goal, however, should be placed on the next Presidential election."
Although there were many dissenting opinions within the Democratic Party regarding Jefferson's decision, after it was officially made, no one truly strongly insisted on their own views.
This is the difference between the Democratic Party and the Federalist Party, and also the difference between a vibrant political party and a declining one. The Democratic Party always handles matters through equal consultation, but once a consensus is reached, it moves towards full agreement. The Federalist Party, on the other hand, is entirely decided by Adams alone. Although his personal ability is strong and his decisions receive the support of most members, it doesn't change the fact that he can only represent the interests of a portion of the people. Once someone objects due to differing interests, the only outcome they face is expulsion from the Federalist Party.
Charles and the high-ranking officials of the Republican Party did not particularly concern themselves with the different attitudes of these two opposition parties. Whether Congress approved Mr. Madison's resignation could be entirely decided by the Republican Party; it wasn't worth scrutinizing. For them, the most important thing now was to prepare for the next Presidential election.
Even Mr. Madison, who had already submitted his resignation, directly ignored the Federalist Party's olive branch.
The political strongman had lost his composure at the Republican Party convention that day, but once he straightened his back, he regained his confidence. Although he had no intention of pledging allegiance to Charles, he would never, under any circumstances, risk being despised by other Republicans by cooperating with the Federalist Party.
Adams, however, was not discouraged. Besides personally meeting Mr. Madison to express his sincere invitation, he also presented many topics related to benefits.
To this, Mr. Madison could only smile:
"Mr. Adams, you are also a founding father of the nation, a meritorious official of the revolution, and you have certainly experienced no fewer political events than I have. Can you not see that even if I were willing to join your Federalist Party now, it would be of no benefit to you, and would instead invite the fiercest retaliation from the Republican Party?"
"Hahaha! Then let the Republican Party's retaliation all fall upon our Federalist Party! I believe that only through such a trial by fire can the Federalist Party be reborn, just like this nation!" Adams was very confident.
Mr. Madison also understood Adams' talent well. Perhaps a head-on struggle with the Republican Party might indeed allow Adams, the second most important figure in the Continental Congress, to lead the Federalist Party out of its predicament.
Unfortunately, he did not want to experience the lowest point and then be reborn like the Federalist Party.
So he still politely refused:
"Alas! What a pity! It's a pity that Your Excellency Adams is not a Republican Party member, and it's a pity that the Federalist Party did not stand directly with me at the very beginning!"
Indeed, if there were a figure like Adams in the Republican Party, if Adams had stood on Mr. Madison's side, it would be hard to say who would have won that vote yesterday. And if the Federalist Party had supported Mr. Madison in Congress from the start, it's also hard to say whether the vote in Congress that day would have even proceeded.
Facts do not have "ifs," so Mr. Madison could only face reality.
Two days later, both houses of Congress met again and voted to accept Mr. Madison's resignation.
The Federalist Party's opposition in Congress was regarded by both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party as an almost politically farcical act. Conversely, the Democratic Party's abstention was seen by the Republican Party as a sign of respect for them, entrusting the ultimate decision of whether Mr. Madison should resign to the Republican Party, to be decided internally by the Republican Party.
All procedures proceeded peacefully, and the Federalist Party's joke did not cause much disturbance to the vote.
However, after the resignation was officially approved, there was some controversy regarding the selection of the new interim President.
According to the current US Constitution, it only stipulated that if the President is unable to perform his duties, the Vice President would succeed him, but it did not specify the subsequent succession. The true Presidential line of succession in the United States would not be established until the Truman era. Therefore, who should succeed the President became another matter of controversy.
Each party, for different purposes, proposed its own succession bill.
The Federalist Party's proposal was simple: to have Washington or Adams serve.
The reason for Washington to succeed the President was plausible; he was the former Vice President and thus had some status and experience in that regard. However, the reason for proposing Adams was very far-fetched, merely referring to him as one of the leaders of the Continental Congress.
Everyone knew that such a proposal was unlikely to pass, but they still debated it item by item, eventually silencing the Federalist Party.
The Democratic Party's proposal was also interesting: it requested that the Presidential succession be arranged in order of government ministers. Although Jefferson was not mentioned here, Washington and Jefferson were both senior advisors during the Franklin administration, with a rank equivalent to Secretary of State. Their advisory positions had not been revoked by Mr. Madison. If succession followed the order of government ministers, could they both serve?
This proposal caused a great deal of controversy, because the Federalist Party believed that Washington's chances of becoming President would also be very high, so they fully supported it. Moreover, succession by ministerial order was the most consistent with common human psychology, so other opposing voices were not strong. Only those who staunchly defended the interests of the Republican Party firmly expressed their opposition.
However, to the great helplessness of the Democratic Party and Jefferson, they encountered the powerful Republican Party, and they encountered Charles.
Charles, who had long understood this aspect of history, did not directly oppose the Democratic Party's proposal for the order of succession. Instead, he proposed establishing a new succession law, specifically ranking the order of succession based on the positions within that year's government and Congress.