The Portland daily press., 1888-11-07

In 1886 Van Buren. leader of the Jackson
Democrats, was Democratic candidate having
been Rom'nated at a convention called at Bal
timore. The Wing party had been formed in
1881 and this was its first appearance
IN National politics. The makeup Of the
old Whig party Of 1886 seems very strange In
this day, 1t being composed, according to the
Whig Almanac Of 1888, of a. most of those
who, under the name Of National Republi-
cans, had previously been known as sup
porters of Adams and Clay, and advocates
oil the American system; (2) most Of those
who, acting in defence of what they deemed
the assailed or threatened rights of the
States had been stigmatized as Nnllifiers, or
the less vlrulent States Rights men. who
were thrown into position Of armed neu
trality towards the administration by the
doctrines of 1882 against South Carolina; 90
majority Of those before known as Anti.
Masons; "a many who had up to that time
been known as jackson men, but who
united In condemning the high handed con-
duct of the executive; % members who had
not before taken any part in politics, but
who We're now awakened from their apathy
by the ''pslpable usurpations of the execu-
h'Ns "hh thO iuHiAucuL peril "a our W0Ole
fabric of constitutional liberty and national
prosperity" The Wings did not hold con-
vention. General William Henry Harrison
was nominated by meeting at Harrisburg.
Pa; Judge John Mclean, of Ohio, by the
Legislature of that State; Daniel Webster.
by the Massachusetts Wings: Hugh l..
White by Tennessee; and Willis p. Mangum.
OF North Carolina, by South Carolina.
Wings supported Harrison in fifteen States.
White in nine; and Webster in Massachu-
setts and Mangum in South Carolina, But
Van Buren, with united Democracy car
ried fifteen Statss and was elected. Web
ster carried Massachusetts; Mangum, South
Carolina; White. Georgia and Tennessee;
and William Henry Harrison, Vermont,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ken
lucky, Ohio and Indiana, giving him 70
electoral votes. But Harrison's time was
not yet. Maine voted in 1886 for Harrison,
giving him 1929 votes; but Van Barren cap
tured the State, getting 22,990. In 1882
Maine had gone for jackson. giving him /
1921 to 27,204 given to Henry Clay; though |
in 1928 she had given her support to John
Quincy Adams in preference to Jackson by
vote Of 90 1888 to 1927. jackson, however
got one of Names nine electoral votes,
Maine had also stood by Adams against
jackson in 1924; and had of course been for
Monroe in the ''era of good feeling" when the
Presidential election would have been unani-
nous had not one New Hampshire elector
voted for John Quincy Adams because he
thought it due to the memory of Washington
that no other President should ever be elect,
ed unanimously. In 1910 Van Buren, was
again candidate. The Wings held a
convention at Harrisburg. Pa, and
nominated William Henry Harrison who
had run so well in the Whig
free for-all four years before. This
was the year Maine went hell bent,'
giving Harrison 46.Gl2 votes and Van
Buren 46,201. This year. too, Maine
gave l9i votes to Birney, an early contribu-
ton to the anti-slavery agitation. The Presi
dental election was not then held in one
day as at present, but in each State IT a time
nAed oy the Legislature. 1t was required,
however 70 De made within thirty-four days
preceding the meeting Of tue electors. The
election began in Pennsylvania and Ohio. on
the Goth of October, and ended in North Car.
0lina, on the 18th of November. so far as
popular elections were concerned. Sauth
Carolina, whose Legislature made the choice
of the electors for that State, appointed
them fortnight later. But it was evident
as soon as the returns Of Pennsylvania were
in, showing large gain for the Wings, that
Harrison was TO be President. Harrison
literally swept the country, carrying every
State but New Hampshire, Virginia, South
Carolina, Alabama NiSsonri Arkansas an1
Illinois, and receiving 234 electoral votes to
60 for Van Buren. on the popular vote,
however, Harrison received only 1,27J.Ol6 to
] ,i2o, ,102 for Van Bu.en. In spite of its mag
nitude In the electoral college the Wing vic