, 1872-10-20

CINCINNATI, June z. 1856, WAS james buchanan,
who stood on q platform which Endorsed the re.
ed that all now Stctes, whether north Of
south Of So degrees 80 minutes, should be Free
OF Slave as their first inhabitants
should wish. BY this time. the blood Of the
! martyrs in Kansas had proved the seed Of q new
party. The Republican National Convention,
held at Philadelphia, June II, 1856, nominated
John G. Fremont, and went into the campaign
with the stimp-speaker's cry: - Free Soil. Free
Speech, FREQ Labor. Free Men, Fremont" The
remnants of the Wing party met in a farcical
indorsed the k.-N. nominee, but. not the KIN,
principles. The people left the Slavery cont1o-
versy unsettled. buchanan was elected, but
only by plurality. This was tho vote:
voss-ESRs!ss -EsRss4si 5${ 5s4';
Plurality ty-Popular: 4oe,o2s
Majority-Electoral 81
Popular. .(others against Buchanan} a17,su9
Aggregate vote ,G53 137
Tho growth OF the Secession feeling at the
South WAS shown by resolution adopted at a
meeting of Southern Governors at Raleigh, N.
G., in October, 1866. This resolve was kept se-
cret at the time but Governor Henry A. Wise,
have garrisoned Washington with 90, 900 men. il
Fremont Ind been elected, in order to prevent
any Inauguration. Immediately after
JAMES BUCHANAN
was inaugurated tho celebrated Dred Scott de-
cision was given by the United States Supreme
Court. During his term, the Union, so
seca sfaaebepe to q b. Gs edon 81 o 1
nesota and Oregon. The time had coma
for the question to divide and defeat the
Democracy, az it had the Wings and the Know
Nothings. The Democratic National Conven-
taon met at Charleston, S. C., April %, 1860. A
fight over the Slavery plank in the platform
caused the withdrawal, IN whole or in part, of
the delegations from Alabama, Mississippi,
Florida, Texas, Louisiana, the Carolinas, Ar
kansas, and Delaware. OF the 303 delegates,
253 were left. After ten days session and fifty
las stood at the head OF the poll, the Convention
adjourned to june 1s, when it was agreed to
meet at Baltimore. At Baltimore, MANY seats
we're contested. The decision Of conflicting
claims resulted in the withdrawal Of more dele
however, was the Chairman, Caleb Cush-
ing, Of Massachusetts. The 1876 remain
ing delegates nominated Stephen 4. Doug
las. The seeedere met, voted Caleb
Ggahpg into the ohe S nnnnn nna nGnatsd ted
indoreed BY the Charleston seceders, then in
session at Richmond, Va. Meanwhile, the Con-
stitutione1 Union party, which comprised the
wreck Of the know-Nothings, had met at Balti-
more, May 9, and nominated John Bell; and the
Republican National Convention had convened
at Chicago, May 16, and nominated Abraham
Lincoln. The extension Of Slavery into the Ter
ritories WAS the vital point of this campaign.
Tho Republican party resolved: . We oeny the
authority of Congress, Of q Territorial Legis-
lature, or Of any individuals to give legal exist
ence to Slavery in any Territory Of the United
States" The Constitutional Union party, after
rebuking other parties for the yagueness Of their
platforms, vaguely remarked that it would 8" rec
ognize'no political principle other than the Con-
stitution Of the country, the Union Of the States,
$1,n +nf 1nvr ~
ing more. The Breckinridge Democracy denied tho
right Of Congress, or q Territorial Legislature,
or an individual to exclude Slavery from any
Territory. This Was the exact opposite OF the
Republican dogma. Between these two ex-
tre1nes, the Douglas Democracy stood. They
declared that the existence Of Slavery depended
upon majority vote Of tho white Inhabitants Of
any Territory, and that nobody elsehad the right
to exclude Of permit it. On these Issues, then,
Electoral tickets Of the Bel, Breckinridge. and
Douglas parties we're voted for in Rhode Island,
New York, New jersey, and Pennsylvania, makes
the calculation Of tho popular vote somewhat
uncertain. Horace Greeley's estimate has been
followed in the appended table:
Lincoln Douglas. ride: BeH
-popalar l,2sl,5;a s5oos2 s47,12a
,,,.,u.,;t: Electoral: x.c dse 1so = II II 80
Electoral 1U8
Majorty-Electoral 81
... Popular tothers over IIncoln) ...-.. 930,170
Aggregate vote. Gas 800
The contrast between the popular and Elec-
toral votes of the three ant1-lincoln tickets
shows very clearly the curious possibilities Of
our present system for electing President. In
October, 1860 secret meetings of prominent men
Ind been held in nearly every Southern State,
aud had resolved in favor Of Secession should
y carried out. South Carolina seeded Dec. 20,
ls6o mississippi, Jan. 8, 1861 Florida, jan.
10; Alabama Jan. II ; Georgia, Jan. Is; Lou
lsiana, Jan. rs, and Texas, Feb. l. These seven
States met in Convention at Montgomery, Aa.,
Feb. 4, 1861. They adopted Constitution, and
chose Jefferson Davis President Of the Confed-
crate States OF America. The new Government
VAS IN working order before
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
vas lnauguTated. The loss of seven States was
out poorly compensated for by the admission Of
January, 1861. Nevada fol-
owed in 1864. 1t 4:20 q. NJ, April Il, 1861, the
irst shot was fred at Fort Sumter. It was the !
signal for rush to ar1ns and into the Republi-
an party. The Democracy repeated the fatal !
oily Of the Federalists in regard to the War of |
[olz. !hey either openly opposed. Or only faint
y urged, the suppression Of the Rebellion. The |
lion OF Virginla, April II, 1861. Tennessee and |
Arkansas followed, May 6. North Carolina |
vent, May 20. On this day, the roll-can Of Sc |
'esaion closed. Thenceforth, the varying suc-
ess OF our armies in the field was reflected in |
be varying success Of the Republican party at
be polls. The autumn elections Of 1862 coming
lose upon military disaster, were gen.
rally carried by tile Democracy In 1863
10Th facts we're reversed. In 1864, q call "To
be hadlca1 Men Of the Nation brought about
5o persons to Cleveland, May 81. They noni-
lated John G. Fremont, on q platform which de-
banded vigorous prosecution Of the war and
be confscation Of the lands OF the Rebels.
fenont accepted the nomination and the plat