Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-02

4
1t was not until 1892 that the democratic party
adopted the method of electing delegates to a ma
tional convention for the purpose OF nominating a
presidential ticket. Prior to that year there was
| no regular system OF making nominations. The
states were fewer in number, the populations
| much less than now, and IL was not so difficult to
! ascertain party sentiment. In the days or the
| leadership OF Jefferson the founder of the
! party, IL was called democrat republican
| and republican, the latter designation for
/ some years being the most common. 1t
| was not until about 1926 that 1t became known
! definitely as the democratic party. After WASH
ingtons two terms, when party lines were more
| plainly drawn, nominations for President and
Nice-PreSident were made sometimes by state leg
| isiatures expressing their choice, sometimes by
caucuSes OF congressman. ana on other occasions
where party sentiment was almost unanimous, by
common consent In the early years OF the repub-
lie the person receiving the highest number OF
electoral votes cast Was chosen President, and he
receiving the next highest number was Vice.
| Presi tent. Hence It was that in 1877 Adams, OF
one party, Was elected President, and Jefferson OF
the opposing party. Vice-President-
THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS
| 10 nominate presidential ticket met in 1900 in
Philadelphia, and nominated jefferson and Burr
| for first and second places. In 1908 a caucus OF
republican (democritc) congressman, held in
WASN'T gton city, nominated Madison and Clinton.
In lSl2 Madison was renominated by congress
siOnal caucus held In Washington, and Elbridse
another caucus or congressman OF the party noIn-
mated James Monroe Tor President and Daniel d.
Tompkins Tor vice-Presldent.
In $50 there was no opposition to the re-elec-
ton OF Monroe. Tompkins was reelected Vice
President
In 1874 the caucus method OF nomination did
not work so smoothly. The republicans demo
crats) had almost entire control In the House. they
having 2l6 Of the 261 members. Despite the out
spoken refusal OF many of them to participate In
caucus one was called but only sixty-six members
responded. This minority caucus nominated VIM
H. Crawford, OF Georgia, who was Candidate four
years previous for esident. The party through
out the country refused to accept the noni-
nation, and the result was a free-for-all race
between Crawford, Andrew jackson, Henry
Clay and John quincy Adams. While so badly
split upon the presidency there was comparative
unity upon John Z. calhoun for vlce-president,
and he was elected, but there was no choice for
PRESIDENT by the people, and the election was
thrown into the House OF Representatives, the re-
SUIT being the election Of Adams who received the
votes OF thirteen states against seven for Jackson
and four for Crawford.
In 1S2S, jackson having been formally put in
nomination by the legislature Of Tennessee, his
nomination was ratified by the party generally, IL
having apparently learned some wisdom by its
partial defeat. But the caucus system OF making
nominations was TOO unpopular to be revived. and
IN 49, the democrats held
THEIR FIRST NATIONAL CONVENTION,
following precedent set by the anti Masonic
party two years previous. The convention as
semoled In Baltimore on May H. but as the re-
nomination Oh jackson had already been deter
mined by the action OF the states tie coaven-
ton had but 20 ratiy the popular will rs 10 first
place. Its chief duty 10 select can li1ate Tor
VIce-Presldent. The differences which as arisen
between President Jackson and VIcePresl dent Cal
houn created considerable dissatisfaction with the
Iatter ana ne was set aside and Martin Van
Buren, named Tor second place. A resolution heart.
lily endorsing the nomination OF jackson was
unanimously adopted.
TIE NEXT SUCCEEDING DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
was also held in Baltimore in May, 1885. reso-
luton formally readopting The two-thrds rule
which had been applied in the choice OF a vice.
presidential candidate at the previous convention
was adopted. Party sentiment throughout the
country had so cryStaIlZsd, that the convention
could have no doubt as 10 Its duty. Van Buren,
had been indicated as the choice, and he was
unanimously nominated on the first ballot. john
son, OF Kentucky, Was named for vice-presldent.
In 1910 on May D, the next national democratic
convention met IN Baltimore, and unanimously
renominated Van Buren,, but by resolution
decl !red II inexpedient 10 nominate vice-presl-
dentiai candidate and RENTING that choice to the
states. The wings, with Harrison their leader,
made a break in the line OF democratic succession
by badly defeating Van Buren,.
THE CONVENTION OF 1914.
The next national democratic convention also
assembled In Baltimore on May 27 ls44. There
was animated contest tor the presidential romi-
nation. Van Buren, again being In the field. ON
the first ballot he had the support OF a majority
or the delegates. His competitors were Buchanan.
Cass and Johnson. Van Buren's friends protested
against the operation OF the two-thrds rule, but
could not have II abr0gated. on Che eighth ballot
James X. Polk was put into the night, and on the
next ballot he Was nominated and given every
vote In the convention. SilaS Wright, OF New
York, was nominated for Nice-President, but de-
clined and Dallas of Pennsylvania was then namei
after a sharp skirnf5h between several candidates
THIS convention adopted strict constructionist
Platform. Polk nomination reunited the party
ana the ticket was eecIed.
The democrats still chung to Baltimore as the
favorite place for holding their conventions going
there again IN 1S4S. The convention assembled on
tine 22I or May. Ins contest Tor President was be-
tween Cas-, Buchanan and Woodbury., and on the
hlllOt Gas parp he nah
Ing received 119 votes. There were Psi votes in
the convention, and under the two-thrdS rule
which had become settled law, IL REQUIRED It's 10
nominate. VIM. o. Butler, OF Kentucky, was
named Tor Vice-President on the second ballot He
received l61 votes, within one OF the requisite
number, but Changes were made TO him rapidly
and his nomination was finally made unanimous
Their ticket Was defeated by the popularity OF
Gen. Taylor.
ON June l. 1852, the next national democratic
convention assembled IN Baltimore. The Two
thirds rule was adhered to, as, indeed 1t has been
a. every succeeding convention since 1882. There
was long struggle Tor the nomination, 1t going
nndlly TO Franklin Pierce on the 4Dth ballot
VIM. X. King, OF Alabama was nominated for
Vlce-PresidenL
CINCINNATI CHOSEN.
The democratic convention OF 1855 met at Gin.
cinnat on June .. James Buchanan led from the
first and all through successive ballots until the
seventeenth, wnen he was nominated, receiving
2S6 votes. HIS nomination was made UNANIMOUS.
and John Z. Breckenridge, OF Kentucky, was
named for Vice-President
On the I'D or April, 1860 the national demo-
cratic convention asseInOied in Charleston. The
party Was divided on The question OF slavery In
The territories, and the internecine strife was Bit
ter. The convent IN consisted OF BOB votes H. re-
qulring 2O2 10 nominate. The history OF the yio-
lent struggle, continuing through eight days. is
familiar 10 many readers OF The STAR. After de-
batting and vo Ing upon different reports from the
committee On Resolutions, the 3Oth or April the
CeIegatlonS from seven oil The Southern states
withdrew. All Efforts TO restore harmony were
futile, and next day he Georgia delegation with
drew. 1he supporters OF stephen A. Douglas stood
faithfully by him ana would have no other cundi-
date. The Southern delegates did not Ike his
popular sovereignty. On the Sd or May the dele
gaeS who had remained In the convention voted
an adjournment 10 Baltimore on the 18TH of June
following, FIRST adopting resolution advising the
states whose delegates had seeded to elect new
delegations VINO would adhere TO the party and
It's uSaseS
The seeding delegates met and adjourned to
meet In Richmond on LAe second Monday In June
They met there al the appointed time, and again
adjourned 10 meet In Baltimore, apparently hon
Ing that witn the Two factions together In that
city something might be done 10 restore harmony
But the factlonal spirit produced by the slavery
question was more potent than party fealty The
sectional issues which were about 10 CONFUSE the
nation in civil war had already excited extreme
asperity and divided old political associates.
Two tickets We're nominated REPRESENT
Ing the two distinct elements OF the party.
john c. Breckenridge was the nominee OF
the extreme states rights wing, and Stephen A
Douglas OF the other. Mr.. Lane, or oregon, was
placed ON the ticket with Breckenridge for Vice.
president BenJ Fitzpatrick, OF Alabama was
nominated Tor second place BY the Douglas men,
but he declined, and II. V. johnson, or Georgia,
was substituted by the national committee IL
In the Oh rlesJOn convention where tho urltr