Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-02-24
History of our National conven

tfOns.
From the New York Tribune.l :
1t may surprise many to be told that
national nominating conventions are oi
modern origin. The founders of our
republic, the men who made and ratified
the Federal constitution, contrivod ti
get on without them. A PennsyIyanii
Dutchman is said 70 have excused his
inability to answer question as to his
course at the pending election, by stating
that the man who tells us how to vote
has not been around this fall. Our
fathers appear to have been left in that
benighted condition throughout the
twenty years which Immediately fol-
lowed the formation of our more per
feet Union" Considering their lack OF
our larger and more abundant newspa-
pers, our overland and underwater tele-
graphs, and our admirable provisions
for providing them with ready-made
candidates, they got on surprisingly
we'll, however; the Presidents they thus
elected having been George Washington,
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
|. At length the dominant party, then
known as Republican, devised the expe-
dent of a,cauclls of its members of con-
gress to designate candidates for the
highest Federal Offices As werecollect,
the first of these assembled to designate
a vice president only-George Clinton,
to run with President Jefferson in 1904,
vice Aaron Burr, fallen from grace The
thin end of the wedge having thus been
inserted, candidates for president also
were afterward presented-the caucus
dutifully naming for the higher office
whomsoever the outgoing president had
chosen as his secretary Of State,
In 1924, there was new departure.
William II. Crawford, Of Georgia, then
secretary Of the treasury, who had just
missed a nomination eight years pre-
viously in place of James Monroe Ia man
of quite inferior capacity, was now pre-
sented by the caucus for president, with
Albert Gallatin, of Pennsylvania, for
vice president. vaas arsf
The masses revolted. So long as the
Federal party had remained embodied,
they had supported-not without occa-
sional grumbling-the Republican eau
Gus candidates; now that the Federalists
had dropped out of the arena, they saw
no reason for being restricted to the
caucus programme. Pennsylvania, Ken
lucky, Tennessee and several other
States which had hitherto swallowed the
caucus nominees without grimace, now
gave them no countenance whatever.
Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, John c..
Calhoun and John Quincy Adams-the
two former Republican members of Con-
gress; the two latter Republican mem
bers of President Monroes cabinet-be
came candidates for President in
defiance of the caucus. Mr. Cal
houn finally withdrew, and received
the votes of nearly all the anti-caucus
men for vice president, whereby 9 he
was overwhelmingly elected. The
others ran the race through; General
Jackson receiving the electoral votes Of
most of the Southern and Western
States; Mr.. Adams those of all the
Eastern States Mr.. Clay beiug sup
ported by Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri,
and few Of the New York electors;
Mr.. Crawford having the votes of Vir-
ginia two Of the three votes Of Della
ware IAN inveterately Federal State),
Georgia, and acfew of the New York
votes. This sent the election to the
house Of representatives, wherein Jack
son, Adams and Crawford (the three
highest in the electoral colleges) were
the only constitutional candidates. Mr..
Clay and his supporters here cast their
votes for Mr.. Adams and elected him
he having the votes of thirteen States,
while seven voted for jackson and four
for Crawford. 10
That result gave death-blow to eau
cuses of members of congress to nomi-
nate candidates to be supported by the
people Mr.. Adams and General jack
son were the rival candidates for presi-
dent at the next election, but they we're
the nominees of no congress caucus and
no national convention. ba
In 1886 the jackson Democratic party
held the first national convention. It's
object was to concentrate the party
upon Martin Van Buren for President,
he being obnoxious to a considerable
part Of it. Pennsylvania had in 1882
refused him her votes for vicepresident,
casting them for William Wilkins Sew
eral States neglected or refused to send
delegates to the first natioual conven-
ton; among them General Jackson's
own Tennessee; but stesm-doctor
named Rucker hailing from Tennessee
happened to be in Baltimore at the
time; so he was caught up and trans
muted into a delegation from his State.
No rival National convention was
held; but the Wings of the Free States
generally supported General William
Henry Harrison, Of Ohio, for President, |
with Francis Granger, Of New York, for
Vice President. Those of the South |
voted for Hugh L. White, of Tennessee,
for President, with John Tyler, Of Vir-
ginia, for Vice President South Caro-
Ina voted for W. P. Magnum, and North |
Carolina for Van Buren. Massachusetts, |
voted alone for Daniel Webster for Pres |
ident. Van Buren was chosen Presi-
dent-New York and Pennsylvania |
voting for him-but Richard NJ John
son, Vice President on the same ticket, |
failed to secure a majority of electors
Virginia refusing him her votes, because
Of his alleged proclivity TO amalgama-
ton. The Senate, however, elected him |
BY thirty-two votes TO sixteeR for Francis |
Granger (only the highest two being |
here eligible,) -..,.....
PerIIs of BaIIOOning.
Professor Donaldson. the aronaut |