The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-30

could be induced to attend the meeting at ALL and
they had put shsT IN us Of
no consequence whatever. There were four candi-
dates-all claiming 70 be republicans-ol whom
Crawford was third In the race. HIS defeat put an
! end to the Congressional nominating caucus ior,
ever. Then, for a short period, recourse was mad
representing the people, and less likely to be under
! the control Of cliques and rings But this system,
soon became obnoxious TO the same charges OF
''ring" influence. Then it that the last depar-
| ture In the nominating business was made.
| THE NATIONAL CONVENTION OF 1881.
As the Presidential election OF 1852 approached
there were three parties In the neld-the democrats
under Jackson, the national republicans under
Initiative in the new method, issuing a call for
national nominating convention to assemble in the
| 1881. One hundred and eleven delegates attended,
representing ten States who nominated Writ, OF
vania, for Vice President. So little bearing did this
aas The nave pan tine pending -, tts
State OF Vermont, but their example in selecting
candidates was thought to be excellent that both
OF the other parties Immediately followed It. The
| national republicans met in December OF 1881 and
nominated Clay and Sergeant, and the democrats
in the following May. The antMasons and ma
democrats did not The Convention OF the latter,
which renominated Jackson for President and Sc
| lected Van Buren, for Vice President, was notable
for the adoption of the twohrds rule which AFTER
wards proved the source OF so much trouble in
PRODUCTION was the attempt Of certain democrats to
defeat Van Buren's nomination for the Vice Presl-
dency. In this they JAILED at the time, but twelve
| years afterwards, In 1874, they had better luck.
| SHARP PRACTICE IN 1888.
| BY the next Presidential election the antl-Masons
and national, or Clay, republicans had coalesced
under the name OF wings, leaving but two parties
in the field. The wings held no national conven-
ton, but in lieu thereof, their Convention for the
the sd day OF February, 1885, recommended ma
tiona ticket, consisting OF General Harrison for
President and Francis Granger, Of New York, for
Vice President, nominations in which the wings in
oil the other States concurred, except In Massa-
ana IN Ohio Where they the
Of Judge John Mclean. The democrats held ma
tonal convention, and nominated Van Buren, and
Richard NJ. Johnson, swhO were elected, although,
owing to local disatfecton, the States OF Tonnes
see and Alabama gave their votes to Hugh L. White,
OF the former State, who had In both Of them re-
ceived legislative caucus nominations.
a. FIRST ~, NATIONAL powwo oN OF THE WIGS.
first national s With view e the eeo
tion in 1s4o in the city Of Harrisburg. All OF the
States were represented, except South Carolina,
ballotngs were had, ana considerable bad blood
was excited. Clay confidently expected the nom-
ination, and was most grievously disappointed at
the result quite losing his temper and fndulgng in
some very harsh and even proiane expressions It IS
wishes. His defeat was brought about by the use
of General Scott's name to draw off some OF Cay's
strength. No platform . was adopted by this Con-
s'ns objects fl psey were
were then trying to recect Van BUREN, the ntss
rity Of public servants the safety Of the public mo-
ocrats renomnated Van Buren, and Johnson at
Baltimore on the 9Th day Of May, ls4o by acclama-
ana at e Time aapsea long PLATFORM
| OLD HICKoRY's PRoTEGE BARGAlNED FOR.
In 1874 the wings nominated Clay by exclamation,
Gay of may Nay met i That ysaa vsn b as
ana would ha7e aGb eeH sae but o
| his suspected unsoundness on the Texas ques-
tcH His Southern opponents with the help
him with the two-thlrds rule. The New York dele
cation, finding the nomination Of their man impos-
OF compromise, and he was nominated. Polk was
Protege Of Ola Hickory. who had always been Van
that, at the time Of his nomination, he was fully
committed to the Van Buren, interest: But another
was Drought to bear him John
| was Van Burens old and persistent enemy. Gather
Ing together some OF Tyers oiice-holders they met
In convention and nominated their chief for reelcc
ton as democrat Then he said to Polk, who
was frightened by the movement, that II he would
pledge himself to favor his (Calhoun's) Texas an
nexation scheme, and snub Van Buren, in case OF
his election, Tyler should be got out OF the way.
Polk was elected, Texas annexed, and when Van
Buren, asked that Azariah 9. Flagg should be given
place in the Cabinet, Polk responded by taking
William L. Marcy, with whom Van Buren,
had bitterly qnarrelled intp his administration.
took sweet revenge the South and its Northern
man Friday General Lewis Cass) at the next Presi-
dental election by organizing the barnburner
BUFFALO FREE SOIL CONVENTION
OF August 8, 1885, and the nomination of Van Buren,
| and Adams. The democrats that year nominated
Cass without difficulty, but the wings had an anx-
ions time OF it. They met in Philadelphia on the 18th
finally nominating General Taylor and Millard Fill
more, to the intense disgust OF Webster and other
old wings. Their ticket, however, with the help Of
Van Buren,, was elected; although, owing to the
death Of Taylor, little good did It do them. The
democrats on the 5th of June and the wings on
the 10th. The democrats were so divided be-
r 1ns OF whom the two
| William L. Marcy; that they finally had to throw
them all over and hunt up candidate that nobody
| had anything against, because nobody had ever
Pierce. the wings pitched Fillmore over and
| venge, helped to defeat That was the last ma
tional convention ever held by the wings. The
with one boot to the North and the other to the
South, became sharp as to split this organization
In two, and 1t went hopelessly to pieces.
| THE sQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY OF 1866.
Before the Presidential election In 1855 mass
convention OF the opponents Of slavery extension
had assembled in the city of Pittsburg-Wa Washing
tons Birthday Of that year being the time
appropriately seected-by which an address, pre-
down tie basis Of new party organization was
issued and conYention to make Presldentia
| vi VIC Aten Vi Suho iuhoWmks .WHCn oiue SouNCu
ton met 1t put the track the California sPath
1nder who, however failed to find the road to the
White House. The democrats met in Cincinnati
| and nominated Buchanan and Breckinrldge on q
| .squatter sovereignty platform, and the Know
Nothings brought out Fillmore and Donelson, more
! diversion In favor OF the democrats than any
| thing else.
| THE ELECTION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
| In 1860, Know Nothngism having disappeared
both OF the other parties had trouble in their
yentions. The republicans expected to nominate
william II. Seward, but Horace Greeley, having
shortly before dissolved the renowned political firm
Of Seward, Weed and Greeley" with the assist
ance of the Blairs, who were then all furious re-
| pubcans, SO far succeeded in complicatng matters
| that a new man had to be taken In the person OF
| Abraham Lincoln. But the democrats had still
greater fluctuations. Having met in Charleston,
/ they split irreparaby in two The trouble was that
the South, having found the doctrine of squatter
sovereignty to be Trojan horse that was bring.