The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-03-07
FIFTY YEARS AGO !
By UNCLE sILAs.
No.

On March 4, 1S41. Gen., William
Henry Harrison, of Ohio, was inaugu'
rated President of the United States
He was the first President that haG
been elected by the Wing Party, a:
the result Of the most bitter. intense
and wonderful campaign that had
taken place.
His opponent was Martin Van Buren,
Of New York, who had been elected
President four years previous, as the
successor and friend of Andrew Jack
son.
Down to the organization of this
campaign. Party National Conventions
were unknown. The members of the
various political parties in Congress
usually met in caucus and made nom
nations of candidates for President
and Vice President. but these nominal
tons were not binding. Hence, be-
sides tie so constituted nominees there
We're also often Il number of indepen-
dents.
But in 1910 the idea of National
Conventions was originated. The
Wing o ventiOn met in the early part
of 1910, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
and then and there committed the
greatest folly that any political party
Il commit, and probably planted the
seed that caused its final overthrow,
in a very few years.
1t nominated w. II. Harrison, for its
candidate for President, and ~associa-
ted with him John Tyler, of Virginia,
as its candidate for Vice President. in
both selections making a clear and
open sacrifice of principle to expedien-
cy. The great and almost universal
demand of the Wings. was for the NOM
ination of the great Henry Clay. of
Kentucky, and who was entitled to
the position by every principal of jus
tlce and merit. He was its founder.
leader, and champion, and fearless de-
fender of its doctrines and principles,
both in the halls of Congress, and
upon the stump.
The delegates composing the con-
yention at Harrisburg, knowing the
strong opposition against him, bitter
and personal, amongst the friends of
the then administration lacked the
nerve to breast the current, bowed to
its force, and nominated Harrison.
whose history had no bitter personal
animosities, and whose past career
that had made him famous, was not in
political struggles.
He had been a successful warrior, in
the contests with the savages of the
Western States, and had won two ia
mans hafftn, pnoinrt tho Tl,
The first. on the river Thames, in
the State of Ohio, where he defeated
the renowned Indian chief, Tecumseh.
who was killed in that fight.
The second was upon the plains of
T%ippicanoe in Indiana, where his enc
mics under the lead of the chief Lit
tie Turtle, attacked him at night, but
were completely routed and driven from
the field. These two defeats so thor
oughly denioralized the Indians that
all the Territory east of the Mississippi
pl. was III a ann abandoned bv
them. and yielded up to the possession
of the whites.
Gen. Harrison was subsequently, ap-
pointed Governor of all that territory
comprising Ohio, Indiana. Illinois.
Michigan &c, and governed it wisely
and ably. winning the esteem and con
tidcnce Of the people.
For Il number of years, however. he
had been living a quiet life at North
bend, on he banks of the Ohio river,
i few miles below Cincinnati.
John Tyler. who had never been
much ola Wing partisan, and who was
III opponent of the ~reclarter OF a Ma
.ional Bank. one Of the ~principa.
blanks in the Wing platform, was nom
mated for Vice President, and with the
nope that he might carry Virginia for
he ticket. expediency cana to
the front whilst faithful advocates of
he party were made to stand aside.
The jackson party, at Baltimore, in
convention nominated Martin Van
for President, and Richard VI. !
Johnson of Kentucky, for Vice Presi-
They were the actual ~incumhents.
Nr. Van Buren,, 1.-THE sage of Kinder :
nook as he was known was a man of
brilliant talents, a skillful politician
md an especial pet of General Jack
his predecessor in office. Mr.. ,
Johnson was a man of some political =,
prominence as il statesman, having
himself conspicuous in Congress.
n his defense and support of Sunday
mails, which to that period had not
been moved on that day.
He had also, some popularity as a
soldier, whose friends claimed that
he death of Tecumseb, at the battle Of
Thames was caused by Il shot from
lis pistol.