Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-05


citation OF the real facts Of history. 1t has
been assumed AZ Il settled axiom-a kind
Of normal fact in practical politics-that
Presidential candidates once defeated are
In measure disqualified for second
popular canvass. This conclusion il
directly counter TO American political
history. There have been since George
Washington was chosen the Chief
Executive, but three instances Of Presi-
Dental nominations by the two great
parties which divided the people of the
country at the time these were made. of
candidates who had been previously de-
feated at the polls. and these three were
elected, two Of them by remarkable ma
jorities.' These were Thomas Jefferson.
Andrew Jackson, and William Henry
Harrison. Ia 1896 John Adams, the can
ddate of the Federalists was elected over
Thomas jefferson, the candidate of the
Democrats. Not in the least daunted,
by his defeat four years before
In 1900 the Democrats made
Jefferson their candidate, and he led his
party to victory. II defeat of the Federalsts
from which they never recovered.
Andrew Jackson was defeated in 1924, re-
cciving only 30 ont of the 26l electoral
votes of that year, and decided minority
of the popular vote. Nothing dauntcd by
this defeat, his supporters rightly believed
that his frat run proved him II good candi-
date with the people, and they nominated
him the second time and elected him by IA
large majority in 1873, giving him l9s out
Of 26s electoral votes. In 1896 Harrison,
the principal Wing candidate, was badly
beaten, receiving - electoral votes, while
his successful opponent, Van Buren,, re-
ceived 10. Instead of this defeat tending
to render him an unavailable candidate
for the following national contest, the
astute Wing leaders. had learned of the
masses, and instead of keeping him out of
the field by combinations unknown to the
people, the Wings put him in nomination
and elected him by tremendous
=
to 60 for Van Buren,. And the issues then
were very much rs they are today, the
Wings arguing for protective tariff and
having the advantage of n general popular
dissatisfaction with the Democratic adj
minstration. These are the three
memorable nominations and elections of
once defeated candidates, and there have
been no others.
The case of Henry Clay Is often referred
to as one of an opposite character But
In reality Clay was never the nominated
candidate of great political party but
once, that was in 1871, when he made a
probably than any other Wing candidate
could have received, being defeated only
by the Brncy vote in New York. 1t is
true, Clay received few electoral votes
popular vote of the country, he being a
local candidate in few States. hut in no
sense the nominee of a great ma
tional party. As to the election
by the Wings, it is admitted by
those familiar with the history of the
political contest of that year, that had
Clay been rcnominated, he would have
been triumphautly elected as the result
depended on New York, in which the
Democrats were split In two nearly equal
parts by Il local quarrel having no posi-
BILE relation to Clay or Taylor. Thus
both the history and the analogy of Amer
lean national politics are plainly very far
from being unfavorable to the second nom
ination of candidate who has been once
defeated ut the polls, especially if there is
strong popular tendency in his direction.
And in memorable State political cam
paigns the same truth has been often IL
Illustrated. Thus In Maine Edward Kent.
Whig, was defeated badly in 1876 by Dun
lap. Democrat. yet was elected in 1887,
defeated again in 1898, and again in 1899,
by. Fairfield. Democrat, and again elected
in 1910. Thus William II. Seward in 1896
was defeated as the Wing candidate for
Marcy, the choice of the Democrats. Moth
ing dauntcd. the Wings renominated Sew
ard and elected him in 1888 over Marcy.by a
majority of i0, 900. So was Abraham Lincoln
defeated in 1855, in the memorable canvass
before the people of Illinois for United
States Senatorship, by Douglas. hut the
able manner with which Lincoln made
that campaign only served to make him
the choice of the Republican National
Convention of 1850, and it certainly did not
operate against his election in November
of that year. So in the arena of English
politics, the fact that 4 leader like pisraeh
or Gladstone has been once, or twice. or
thrice defeated, has not operated against
his subsequent candidacy and election,
but the converse. Thus Gladstone, after
being at the head of the English Ministry
three years, was defeated in 1858. and
again In 1866, he was victorious over
Disraeli and the Tories in 1865. and be-
came head of the Government Again
defeated and thrown out of power in the
exciting contest of 1873. in 1880 he made
the memorable Midlothian campaign by
which the Tories were signally beaten.
soon after Disraeli had completed his
brilliant labors at the Berlin Conference.
To-day. William +. Gladstone is the candi-
date and the hope of the English and Irish
Liberals and Home Rulers, and only his
death is likely to prevent his triumph
and with him the cause he represents.