The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-22

the administration. And there is nothing in
the evidence on either side-nothing in the
arguments Of counsel upon either side-nothng
in the cbargeof Judge 0akley-and nothing in
the verdict u the jury in the Fry case -invol-
wing final Judgment upon these Baltimore
conventions.
Still entertaining the idea, therefore, not
withs anding the verdict in the Fry case, that
these national conventions for the nomination
Of party candidates for the Presidency are but
national conspiracies ofjuggling spoilsmen, we
propose herein to enlarge little upon this i'm
portant subject, and to establish from the re-
cord the validity of our opinions. To this end
we shall briefly recapitulate the modus oper-
andi Of Presidential nominations from the
beginning of the government down to the pre-
sent day.
George Washington was nominated and
elected, and reelected by public acclarna-
ton. Even third term was offered him,
which, from wise considerations OF patriotism
and sound policy he declined. After Washing
ton, to the time Of Madison, we may say, the
lTE-luCUtlUI Cuiluiudto VI bOtA POI WIS w 10
brought forward not by any formal party eau
Gus. but by private agreement among the lead
ing members of Congress, acting upon the
States Thus john Adams was advanced from
the Vice Presidential Office and from this pre-
cedent, aspiring statesmen began TO consider the
Vice President as the regular candidate nextin
order for the Presidency. Thus MIR. Jefferson,
Vice President under Mr.. Adams, was elected
to succeed him, though not by the people His
electoral vote and that for Aaron Burr being
equal the election was carried up to the House
Of Representatives, where Jefferson after a
protracted struggle, was successful; and then,
according to the usage Of that day, Burr was
declared Vice President. By common consent
Of The republican party, Mr.. Jefferson was their
candidate for second term, and by an over
whelming popular and electoral vote was re-
elected.
In the nomination Of Mr.. Madison the repub-
lican party took their candidate from the State
Department thus instituting new arrange
ment for the succession. He was also brought
forward bya Congressional caucus which was the
first regular caucus nomination for President
But this precedent in regard both to the State
Department and the caucus was followed up
in the case Of Mr.. Monroe. With the expi-
ration of his second term we touch upon new
epoch in our political history.
From the administration of the elder Adams
to the close Of that OF Monroe we have the rise
the decline, the fall, and the total humiliation
Of the old federal party. It fourished but
briefly under Adams, it was terribly cut up by
Jefferson, declined rapidly and ANONYMOUSLY
on the war question under Madison's admins
tration, and was absolutely extinguished under
Monroe. The era OF Monroe was called the
EZRA of good feeling" from the merging Of the
old embttered party divisions into the great
republican party Of the country. There were
no federalists. no republicans in party sense,
for men Of all parties claimed to be republicans.
Thus, with this new epoch Of 1824-the old
party lines being abolshed-a new and mixed
system Of Presidential nominations was inau-
gurated. The line of succession from the State
Department was invaded, and the Congressional
caucus, in attempting nomination, was broken
up in the conflict among the rival aspirants
The field was thus thrown open to al, and
Adams, Clay. Crawford, Calhoun, aud Gen.
Jackson, we're respectively brought forward by
their friends in different quarters Tor the cam
paign. 4 scrub race was the inevitable result
Jackson, Adams, and Crawford, being the three
highest in the electoral vote.were carried up to
the House OF Representatives. Adams was
there elected, Mr.. Calhoun having been trium-
phantly chosen Vice President by the people.
But with this election CT Mr. Adams, and his
appointment Of Mr.. Clay as Secretary of State,
reorganization OF parties commenced. 1t
was charged that the coalition electing Adams
was a corrupt bargain and sale"-thnt the
compensation to Mr. Clay was the post next in
order ia the line of succession; and this Pres-
that formidable and victorious opposition Of the
defeated candidates Of IA upon Gen. Jackson
and John C. Calhoun in 1928
Tn the denomination Of Gen. Jackson, in 1882
we have the first adoption Of these national
party conventions. Mr.. Calhoun, as President
Of the Senate, had, by his casting vote, recalled
Martin Van Buren, from the mission to Eng
land; but Van Buren's services to Gen. Jackson
were not thus to be set aside. A leading OBJ
ject therefore, Of this national convention Of
'32, was to GUST Mr.. Calhoun and place Van
Buren, next in the line Of succession. And
the thing was done. A packed Baltimore con-
vention Of May. 1885, nominated Van Buren,
for the Presidency; and, under shelter of Gen.
Jackson's popularity and support, he was
elected, beating the combined vote of the scrub
candidates Of the wing party. The game was
repeated disastrously in 1870 but in 1874
the Baltimore national convention betrayed
the paltry trickery Of the system Van
Buren had a decided majority Of the de-
legates but was overslaughed under the
two-third rule Then, as the only mode
Of compromising the jealousies Of Van
Buren, men, Cass men. Buchanan men, and