Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-02
SOMETHING OF THIRD PARTIES.
THE FIRST ONE APPEARED IN
AMERICAN Politics IN 1892.
Henry clay Was Defeated by One.
Most OF Them Have ncen short
Lived-rhe Popuiist. May Hold the
balance OF Power Next Election.

history VI NHltllNan politlN~s ~ ~ t-''
propable that the Populists will be able |
10 secure much legislation along the
lines of the national platform OF the
party. but an interesting chapter will
be added 10 the history OF third parties
in this country.
A third party appeared in a national
campaign for the first time in 1882 with
candidates for president and vice-presi-
dent. Since that time there have been
only three national elcctions-those of
1886. 1864 and 1s6s-in which there was no
third party candidate for president.
During that time ten separate and dis
tinct third parties appeared Ia the field
and several OF them took part in two or
more campaigns under different names
each time, but advocating substantially
the same principles. In only hve cleo
tons did the candidates OF any third
party obtain any votes in the electoral
college, but several times they succeed
I'd in changing the course Of history
and in shaping political events.
In 1874 the liberty party defeated
Henry Clay, the whig candidate, for
president. although it did not secure
single electoral vote for its own cam
didate. James G. Brncy, Of New York.
la the election OF 1874 was 15.si2, drawn
almost entirely from the wings which en-
abled Polk to carry the state by small
plurality and secure the electoral vote
In the electoral college Polk had 40
votes and Clay 1876, II Clay had carried
New York, the vote would have been,
Clay. 14l; Polk. 1874,
Four years later third party again
turned the scale in the national cleo
ton, but that time they turned against
the Democrats, and for the second time
the result hinged on the vote OF the
state OF New York. The free soil party
nominated Martin Van Buren, for presi-
dent and Charles Francis Adams for
vice. president At that time there was
strong antl-slavery element in the
Democratic party in New York. They
were known as barn burners but,
in that campaign they were allied with
the free soil party and voted for Van
Buren, instead of Lewis Cass. the Demo-
cratic candidate. The result was that
state. Van Buren, got l20,5l0 votes in
the state. 5000 more than Cass, The
vote for Taylor was nearly 10000 less
than the combined vote OF Cass and
Van Buren,.
In several campaigns third parties
succeeded in dividing the old parties In
various states, and they have always
been able 10 inject a large amount OF
bitterness into political contests.
The first third party to enter n cam
paign was known as the anti-Masonic
party. II was organized in this state
as We're several of the subsequent third
parties. This one grew out OF the anti
Masonic agitation following the disap-
penrance aud supposed murder of VIII
liam Morgan, of Batavia, N. Y, Nor
| gan was n mason, and had threatened
| to publish q book revealing the secrets
of the order.
One of the first results of the organi-
cation of this third party was the call
! ing Of national conventions to non1i-
nate candidates for president and vice
| president. Up to that time candidates
| had been nominated by congressional
caucus, by action of the state legisla-
lures. or by common consent of the
| politicians and the people.
The anti-MasuGic convention was held
at Baltimore or the Goth OF September,
1881, William Writ, the famous Vlr-
ginia lawyer. who had twice been at
torney-g general Of the United States.
was nominated for president and Amos
Ellmoker. OF Pennsylvania, for vice
president. Then the two regular par
ties decided to call conventions and
nominate candidates. The whlg or ma
tlonal Republican party, Ms IT was then
| called held It's convention In December
OF the same year and the Democratic
convention was held in the same city
in the following March. Platforms
were adopted by the old parties in that
campaign for the first time. The new
party adopted no platform. Writ, its
candidate for president, carried the
state Of Vermont and received seven
electoral votes.
The anti-Masonic party was short
lived, and no other third party had
been organized to take its place In the
campaign Of 1886.
ON November 10, 1888. the liberty
party was organized at n convention
that met at Warsaw, n. Y. and adopt
ed the shortest political platform on
record. This was the platform In full
'Resolved, That In our judgment
every consideration OF duty and eNpe-
diency which ought to control the nc
tlon OF Christian freemen requires OF
the abolltionists OF the United States
to organize a distinct and independent
political party, embracing all the nee
essary means for nominating candi
dates for Office and sustaining them by
public suffrage"
The convention then adjourned e
meet in Albany April l, 1870. At this
adjourned meeting the convention noml
mated james @. Birney for presiden
and Francis Lemoyne of Pennsylvania
for vlce-prcsldent. A political ida
wave swept the country that year elect
lnK zen. Nludlu. AihAiiaDi lAfHi
dent with a majority of ia electora
votes. In the popular vote the candi
dates of the liberty pa.ty received
only 1868.
-Four years later the liberty part!
convention met in Buffalo and renoml
mated Birney, who was then a residen
OF Michigan, for president, and Thomal
Norris OF Ohio, for vice-presldent
They adopted an antl-slavery Bill. Tina
year the total popular vote for Brine,
was 62,S00. more than one-fourth o
which were cast In New York state
where they turned the scale in favo
Of James *. Polk and made him presI
dent.
In 1913 the liberty party had been sue
ceeded by the free soil party. whicl
held q national convention at Burial
on August 9Th and 10th and nominate;
Van Buren, and Adams. They wer
supported by the abolitlonists and tn
barn burners" of this state, an
polled enough votes to defAat Cass, tn
Democratic candidate for president
and elect Zachary Taylor. That yea
their popular vote jumped up to tota
OF 1929.
In the campaign OF 1859 the free So
party nominated for president John F
Hale. OF New Hampshire. and for vice