THE PERSONAL RULE OF JOHN ADAMS The narrow majority by which John Adams was elected did not accurately reflect the existing state of party strength.

The electoral college system, by its nature, was apt to distort the situation.

Originally the electors voted for two persons without designating their preference for President.

There was no inconvenience on that account while Washington was a candidate, since he was the first choice of all the electors; but in 1796, with Washington out of the field, both parties were in the dilemma that, if they voted solidly for two candidates, the vote of the electoral college would not determine who should be President.

To avert this situation, the adherents of a presidential candidate would have to scatter votes meant to have only vice-presidential significance.