The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-13
PRESIDENTIAL CONTESTS.
SOME OF THE EXCITING CAM
PAIGNs OF THE PAST.
The Campaign of 1S40 and 1876 the
Most Sensational I'm History-The
First Ozark Horse" Appeared I'm
James X. Polk in 1914.
Correspondence st. Louis Globe-D Dem
Graf

Correspondence St Louis Globe Demo-
craft
Washington, July 16.-The national
campaign now beginning promises to be
the most eventful and exciting that has
occurred since the Republican party
had its birth in 1856 Barring the cam
paign Of 1900, in which Burr, by hairs
breadth, lost the presidency to Jeffer-
son, presidential campaigns were dull
affairs until 1924. In that memorable
year there were four candidates for the
esidency--Jackson, Crawford, Adams
and Clay. National delegate conven-
tons had not then been instituted, and
unanimlty in selecting candidates was
as yet out of the question. When the
election went to the House, Clay, who
stood lowest of the four on the electoral
vote, was dropped out, and he threw
his strength to Adams and elected him.
Intense excitement attended this cleo
ton by the House. Even in 1900, when
the House had to make choice between
Jefferson and Burr, the popular concern
was not so acute or extended. Follow
ing the election of Adams it was urged
that the Constitution should be so
amended that the power Of choosing
President would under no contingency
lest with the House. The House still
10 ts,c &c IN fhic diraafiay hIrf
happily, no occasion for its exercise
has since arisen.
Jackson's exceeding popularity made
the campaigns of 1928 and 1882 tame and
dull, and the same was true of the
campaign of 1886, in which Van Buren,.
the Democratic candidate, easily de-
feated the Wings, whose support was
divided between Harrison, White, Web
ster and Mangum. But the campaign
of 1910 was another and very different
affair. Men still living wildly recall
the picturesque and dramatic incidents
Of that eventful year, when Harrison,
the united choice of the Wings, inflicted
upon Van Buren,, whom the Democrats
| had selected for reelection, one of the
most crushing defeats In the annals of
| the republic. No such excitement was
ever shown in any canvass before or
| since that date. Harrison, the Hero
of Tippecanoe," was the idol Of the
| young men. The scenes Of his early
/ life and military career were por-
trayed on banners and in parades. Log
cabins were borne on wheels in pro-
cessions with men in coonskin caps ac-
companying them, and on the banners
were pictures of the candidate shooting
Indians and drinking hard cider Thus
/ the campaign lives in history as the
log cabin and hard cider campaign"
Wing enthusiasm was unbounded and
manifested itself in acts and utter
ances which appeared ridiculous ITO
men of later day. But events proved
that it was fully justified. In the cleo
ton Harrison carried nineteen States
and Van Buren, only seven. However,
the fruits of victory were soon lost to
the Wings, for Harrison died after be-
ing in the White House month, and
Tyler, the Vice President, who stepped
into the higher office, betrayed his col
leagues and brought the party to the
verge of ruin.
Not less interesting in its way was the
campaign of 1874. In this year "darl
horse was for the first time nominated
for the presidency 1t was also the frs
year in which minor party turned
the scale in presidential canvass
Moreover, 1t was the year in which tn,
two-thirds rule in Democratic Nationa
Conventions for Presidential nominees
was formally affirmed. In that yea
Henry Clay was the Wing candidate
and James X. Polk the Democrat,
nominee. Polk was the dark horse
Van Buren's nomination seemed prob
able before the convention met, but tn
two-thirds rule was successful,
brought forward to defeat him. TIL
minor organization was the Liberty par
ty, with James G. Birney at its head
A concession to the slavery element
made by Clay in private letter pub
lished during the canvass, sent suf
ficient number Of anti-slavery Wing
in New York over to the Liberty part,
to give that State to Polk. In the bal
ance between the parties the electora
vote Of New York decided the election
Again. in 1S4S, tn vote Of third" par
ty, and in the same State as In 1874
turned the scale. This time the Ere
Soil party, with Van Buren, as its can
didate, did the mischief Van Buren,
friends in New York were angry be
cause their party denied him the nomi
nation in 1874, and four years later the,
went over to him in such numbers tina
their State, and with 1t the presidency
went to the Wings, whose nominee wa
Zachary Taylor. Lewis Cass was tn
Democratic candidate.
The result of the campaign Of 1856
was a foregone conclusion from tn
first. The Wing party, with Gen. Scot
as its candidate. was in the final stage
of decrepitude and decay, and wa
easily beaten by the Democracy unde
Franklin Pierce. -Four years later how
ever, there was different story to tel
for the newly-formed Republican part