Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-06-17
CONVENTION CONTESTS.
Less Cause for bad Feeling than for Years
Before.


for success in this campaign on the be-
lief that the antl.Bla,ne republicans in
the east will bs 30 slow in coming to the
support of the ticket that the democratic
column will strike the republican line
only half formed in November. There is
always little soreness after any great
convention, but there was less after the
convention this year than after any con-
vention for forty years.
1t was in 1874, when Henry CLAY was
nominated at Baltimore on the first ballot
and without struggle, that the wing
party was defeated. 1t was in 1858, wheH
there was much soreness among the Clay
and Webster men over the nomination
OF Taylor, that the wings were success.
full. In the Philadelphia convention of
l84S four ballots were taken. On the
first ballot Taylor had Ill votes. Clay 81,
Scott 43, Webster %; on the second bal.
lot Taylor had 1l8, Webster 26, Clay Sc,
Scott 49; on the third ballot Taylor had
l33. Clay "a, Scott 81, Webster II; on
the fourth ballot Taylor had III, Clay
80, Scott 63, Webster IA. There was o
great bitterness between the friends of
Clay and Webster after the nomination,
particularly IN Ohio. Columbus Delano
and other wings then as prominent, did
not swing into line until few days be-
fore the election, but Taylor was elected.
In the convention of 1852 Webster re.
ceived 20 votes on the first ballot, Fill.
more 1873, and Scott 1873. There was
practically no break until the forty
eighth ballot; when Fillmore's and Web.
ster'a supporters began to drop off in
twos and threes to reinforce Scott, who
received l59 votes on the fifty-third
ballot, and was declared the nominee of
the party. After this bitter contest, and
the defeat at the poles in November, the
wing party went to pieces.
There was little contest IN the first
republican convention in 1856, Fremont
receiving 359 votes on the first ballot to
1856 for Judge Mclean, of OHIO; for
Banks for Seward, and for Sumner.
Tue friends of the last two voted solidly
for Fremont. In the convention of
1860 the leading candidate, Seward, had
l73 votes on the first ballot to lO2 for
Lincoln, 1Ol for Bates, so for Cameron,
II for Mclean. and 8 for Wade. On the
second ballot the break came, and while
Stewards vote was increased by IL, Lln.
coins was increased by 79. On the
third ballot Lincoln received three more
than majority, and Was nominated.
There was great disappointment and
soreness among Mr.. Stewards friends, but
they all came into line, and all became
the earnest supporters OF Lincoln. There
were no contests in 1864, 1868, or l772,
but in 1876 there was great bitterness in
the preliminary canvass, and great dis.
appointment after the convention. On
the first ballot Blaine received 2S5 votes,
Morton l24, Bristow 49, Conkling SO,
Hayes 81, Hartranft IS, Jewell IL,
Wheeler 3. On the sixth ballot Blame
had reached 30S, and Hayes ll3, and Bris.
tow had dropped to Ill, and Morton to
IS On the seventh ballot Brlstow and
Morton were withdrawn, aud with the
contest narrowed down to Blame and
the dark horse, Hay es received 3S4 votes
to 35l for Blaine. OF the defeated capdi
dates Blaine took more interest in the
succeeding campaign than any other, anc
the Blaine states all did their duty on
election day. In the convention of 1876
Blaine's antagonists defeated him BY
concentrating on dark horse
In the convention of 1880 Blaine
defeated Grant by going with Sherman
over to Garfield. But the preliminary
canvass this year was not like any pre-
cedipg one. Blame made no war or
his leading competitor, President Ar
thur, and the latter made no war on au,
one. Arthur's friends we're assured thai
they could defeat Blaine by naming q
dark horse, but the contest was not be
tween Blaine and dark horse it was
between Blaine and Arthur.
1t was manly. straightforward feh
so far US Blaine and Arthur were con
cerned. The Arthur men stood by thei,
candidate and the Blaine men stood b,
theirs. There was no killing off IN th,
the interest of any third candidate
there was no scramble on the pur
OF the Arthur men to defeat Blaine.
, there is bitterness it must, therefore, b,
confined to smaller circle than it wa
in 1880 or in 1876, and if there is disap
pointment it is chiefly among those VIII
commanded few votes in the convention
Charles Emory Smith, Blaine leader
, says "the friends OF President Arthu
acted in the most manly and chivalrou
spirit" aud the Arthur men have mad
no complaints aud have none to make
> Then why should there be any disaffec
} tion or bitterness? Blaine, after his dc
feats in 1876 and 1880, went into .th
fight with his hosts behind him; and no,
=, that he has been nominated the memor
OF his conduct in those campaigns ous b
to send every anti-Blaine man to th
; front for muster in the Blaine ranks.
, Coming Era of Reform.
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