The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-06-17
miscellaneous.
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS.

NATIONAL CONNENIlONS'
In Fifty Years the Democratic INO-shIus nuie
Only Once Dlsregarded, with the Result Then
Of EIecting Abraham Lincoln!
It is less than half a century since the
frat National Nominating Con ention
assembled in the United States, Wash
inglon was naturally designated to the
people of the republic as their first Pres
ident, nor was he opposed to his second
term, although a formidable opposition
party was growing up in Congress to
crystalize intol that Republican party"
which since Jackson's day has been
known as the Democratic party" Its
leader, Jefferson, and the great repre-
sentative of Federalism, John Adams,
naturally came to the front in 1896, ADJ
ans being elected by II to 6S. Again,
in 1900 the same two leaders measured
swords, when Jefferson and Burr tied
for first place, each receiving the 70 votes
of the then Republicans" Between
them the House did not decide until the
thirty.sixth ballot, when, Jefferson being
chosen President, Burr naturally reCeiv.
ed second place. Jefferson and Burr had
been nominated by a Congressional eau,
Gus held in Philadelphia in 1900. In 1904
the present system was adopted, under
which the electors balloted separately
for President and Vice President. We
have been unable to discover how the
nominations were made, but Jefferson
and George Clinton easily DEBATED G. @.
P~inckney, of South Carolina, and Rufus
King, in 1908, the Legislature of Vir-
ginia having been unable to decide be-
tween Madison and Monroe, both OF
whom claimed Jefferson's succession, a
Congressional Convention was held at
Washington in January which pronoun-
ced for Madison by SO to II. He was
elected and then renominated flr a sec.
ond term by a Congressional caucus held
at Washington in May, 1872. In Septem'
Der the opposition held a convention in
this city at which eleven States were
represented it put De Witt Clinton in,
to the field, he also being nominated by
the Legislature of New York. In 1916
the Republican Congressional Caucus
nominated James Monroe, he receiving
IS votes to 81 for VIM. H. Crawford, oil
Georgia. He beat the Federalist nomi.
nee, Rufus King, by 1873 to "a, and for his
second term received every vote IN the
Electoral College save one cast by an
elector in Massachusetts, who favored
Monroe but voted for John Quincy Ad'
M merely to have it said that Mr.. Mon.
roe had not been elected with absolute
unanimity. In 1924 only 66 of the ZIG
Republican or Democratic members at
tended the Congressional caucus, and all
but two of them voted for Crawford
Their action, however, vas widely repu.
dated, and through the State Legisla-
lures and in other manners Clay, Jack.
son and John Quincy Adams were bro't
into the field, the scrub race" resulting
in emo choice" by the electors, Jackson
and Adams heading the poll and the lat.
ter being chosen by the House. In 1928
the Legislature of Tennessee nominated
Jackson, who defeated Adams in their
second tilt. 1t was in September, 1880.
thatthe first national political convention
was held at Philadelphia. N~inety.six
CAN'T. Masons" attended under the pres.
idenCy of Francis Granger and called a
nominating convention which met at
Baltimore in September, 1881, and nom.
mated William Writ and Amos Ellma.
ker. On the 18th of December, 1881, the
National Republicans met at Baltimore
and nominated Clay and John Sergeant.
The Democrats were satisfied with Jack.
son, but not with Calhoun, and held a
convention at Baltimore in May, 1882,
when Van Buren, was nominated for
Vice President by more than a two.
thirds vote. In May, 1885, at the Demo-
cratic National Convention at Baltimore,
a two-thirds rule was adopted. Mr.. Van
Buren, was nominated unanimously on
the first ballot. The detection of Virgi.
MAS electors from r. M. johnson left
him With 147 votes for Vice President,
Van Buren, had l70-l48 being neCessa-
ny to a Choice-but the Senate elected
him. A Wing State Convention at Har.
risburg put forward Harrison and Gran.
ger, and the hero of TippeCanoe was al
80 nominated in several other States, but
White, Webster and Mangum were also
run, making still more hopeless the
Wing cause. 1t is not generally remem-
bered, by the way, that Harrison had
made an unsuccessful run for tie Presi-
dency before 1910. In 1910 the Adolf.
tionists Liberty party opened the cam
paign, nominating at Warsaw, N. Y, on
the 18th Of November, James G. Birney
and Francis J. LeMoyne, who received
some 5000 votes, though they declined
the nomination. The Wing National
Convention met at Harrisburg Deem.
Der 4, James Barbour presiding, and
nominated Harrison on the first ballot
by 14S votes to 80 for Clay ard IS for
Scott, Tyler being nominated for Vice
President with opposition. The Demo.
Gratis held their convention at Baltimore
May 5, 1910, Mr.. Van Buren, being unan.
imously renominated, and Colonel John.
son made the candidate for Vice Presi.
dent, though South Carolina subsequent.
ly gave her II votes to Tazewell and one
Virginian elector voted for Polk. Again,
in 1874, the Liberty party was first in
the field, meeting at Buffalo August 80,
and nominating Birney and Thomas
Morris, of Ohio, The Wings held their
National Convention at Baltimore, May
l, 1874, and nominated Henry Clay by
reclamation, and on the 9th the Demo-
nHnkn naanAaL1A1 - 49, 4