Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-23
to rescind it, but always

L
the adoption of that rule. Benjamin F. Butler
of New York opposed it and denounced it as ar
| attempt at dietation and unwise and danger
GUS Robt. j. Walker supported the measure
and Romulous III. Saunders of North Carolina
Hubbard and Toucey of Connecticut and
others supported it, and ii was passed by a vote
of 14S TO 11S. 1t was charged that it was aimed
at Mr.. Van Buren,, and intended to throw him
out OF the convention and to leave the field to
Cass and Buchanan. Mr.. Butler of New York
| read a letter from Gen. Jackson advocating the
| nomination Of Mr.. Van Buren, and denounced
| the two-thirds rule as a departure from the
true democratic doctrine laid down by Jefferson.
| The state of New York was as usual divided on
the question, and after the seventh ballot Mr..
Butler asked permission to withdraw for con-
sultation, and requested the eighth ballot be not
| counted until their return. 10 this Mr.. Saun-
| ders of North Carolina objected, and Mr..
| Butler withdrew his request and said signif-
canty New York would stay and watch the pro-
ceedlngs. Gov. Young of New York moved to
rescind the two-thirds rule. and denounced it
motion out of order, but Gov. Young continued
| to denounce 1t as a trick to rob the majority of
their rights. The New York delegation was
then divided into the two factions known as
hunkers' and "barnburners." On the re-
fusal Of the convention to entertain the motion
to rescind the two-thirds rule the ''barnburn-
ers withdrew from the convention, and Daniel
5. Dickinson (hunker) cast the vote of the state
for Mr.. Polk. MIR. Bancroft was a delegate to
this conve ntion, and earnestly sustained the
two-thirds rule. At this convention Silas Wright
was nominated for Vice President and de-
clined. but subsequently he was nominated for
governor Of New York and accepted it, know
ing it would end his political career.
IN 1848.
At the democratic convention held at Balti-
more May %, 1s4s, over which Andrew Stew
enson presided, the two-thirds rule was
again the bone of contention. The New York
democrats were. as before, divided between
the factions ''hunkers' and ''barnburners,"
and both factions sent delegates, Daniel s.
Dickinson representing the ''hunkers' and
Samuel j. Tilden, G. G. Cambreling and Preston
King the "barnburners." The fight was made
Tor admission and the rule of the majority, but
the convention refused to hear Tilden who
declined to go before the committee on Gre
dentials and desired to be heard on the oues-
ton OF the right of the .'barnburners'' to seats
by the whole convention. The previous
question was moved and the proposition re-
Jected The proposition was then made to adj
NIT both delegations, but the '.barnburners."
through Mr. Cambreling and Preston King, de-
clined to accept the compromise and withdrew,
taking no part in the nomination of Cass and
Butler. The "barnburners' supported the
nomination OF Mr.. Van Buren, made at Buffalo
In August and at Utica in June, ami the result
was the defeat of Gen. Cass.
WHEN MR.. FIERCE WAS NOMINATED.
In 1852 the democratic convention met again
in Baltimore, and the two thirds rule was again
adopted and the balloting continued for three
days, and on the thirty ninth ballot Mr. Pierce
was nominated. Mr.. Robert NJ. McLane and
Judge Thurman are about the only survivors
can recall Of that convention.
On the LIST June 1856, the democratic conyen
ton was held in Cincinnati. Gen. John e.
Ward OF Georgia, now of New York, presided.
Inc two-thlrds rule was adopted without oppo-
sit1on. The usual split in the New York del
egation was again brought before the conven-
ton. The "hards, as one faction was called.
was championed by David l.. Seymour and the
''softs' by Gov. Horatio Seymour. The con-
yentlon admitted the two delegations and thew
DIVIDED the vote of the state-seventeen for
buchanan and eighteen for Pierce. Mr. Bu-
chanan was nominated on the seventeenth bal
lot At this convention Mr.. Josiah Ran.
dali, father OF the late Speaker Randall. and
Mr.. Joseph Il lngersoll stanch old wings
were delegates from Philadelphia and received
an ovation when they took their seats. The
republican convention which nominated FIRE.
mont met in Philadelphia June 16. James q.
Blaine was one of the secretaries of the conyen-
ton and Mr.. Blair, ST., was a delegate from
Maryland. This year was prolific Of conven-
tons An American convention, engineered
by George Law, nominated Gen. N. p Banks.
the wing convention nominated Fillmore.
the Syracuse convention nominated Garrett
Smith and another convention of know-noth-
ings met and agreed to support Fillmore.
THE CHARLESTON CONVENTION
met on the 23d April, 1860, and Cobb Cushing
presided. The convention resolved that no
business should be done until the platform had
been adopted. The radical difference between
the majority and the minority report from the
committee on resolutions caused them TO he
recommitted in the hope of some reconciliation.
but on the sixth day the same reports came be,
fore the convention. The difference was ir-
reconcilable. and on the SOth of April the break
began by the withdrawal OF Louisiana Ala
bama, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Flor
| ida and Arkansas, and the next day Georgia
withdrew. Then by the vote of New York the
two-thirds rule was reaffirmed. On the eighth
day the balloting began and Douglas reached
1924 votes, when on motion Of Mr.. Russell of
Virginia the convention adjourned to reas-
| semble at Baltimore on the 18th of June. The
refusal to reconsider the majority report of the
committee on credentials, which declared the
delegates who had withdrawn at Charleston
had resigned their seats, Virginia, North Caro-
| fornia, Oregon and Arkansas withdrew and
Gushing resigned the presidency Mr. Todd of
Ohio, vice president, took the chair and the
balloting began. When Massachusetts was
called Gen. Butler rose and said he would with
draw from the convention on the ground that
| q majority Of the states had withdrawn. and
| further, he said, he could not set in a conyen-
| tion where the African slave trade was openly
advocated.
The balloting went on and Douglas received
1917 votes, and as the wo-thirds rule had been
| abrogated Judge Church of New York moved
| the nomination be made unanimous The
same day those who had withdrawn from the
convention met with the original delegates
| from Alabama and Louisiana, and Gen, Cush-
| ing presided. The two-thirds rule was aboi-
ished and John c. Breckenridge was nominated
by DIR. Loring Of Massachusetts and was unani-
| mously declared the nominee OF the convention.
AT CHICAGO IN "a
On the 29th of August, 1864, the democratic con-
vention met at Chicago and the two thirds rules
was resfdrmed The nomination OF McCle fol-
lowed. The republican convention which met
| in Chicago in May, 1860, nominated Mr.. Lin
coin on the third ballot and adjourned the
| same day. In 1854 the convention which met
at Baltimore on the 7th of June nominated MT.
Lincoln unanimously. On the 9Th day of july.
1858, the democratic convention met at New
York, Gov. Seymour presiding, and the two
thirds rule was adopted as usual The nomi-
nation Of Seymour. after several days session.
was made after Hancock had received 1917
votes. In ls72 the convention OF the demo-
cratic party met at baltimore on the 9th OF
June and nominated Horace Greeley. There
was no other candidate before that convention.
Inc convention which nominated Gov Tilden
met at st. Louis the 9th of lima 1879 ..d