The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-31
IN OTHER YEARS.

split in the national democratic party
would not be a novelty in the political
history OF this country. The party
in the breakup involving republicans
and democrats in 1872.
The story OF what happened in 1860
is especially interesting. In that year.
within party lines, radical differences
of opinion respecting the slavery ques-
| ton had brought about a condition not
unlike that which now prevails as the
result of the agitation OF the silver
question. In that year stephen A.
Douglas aspired to be the democratic
party's candidate for the presidency
Before that the troubles in Kansas
and the matter of the repeal of the
Missouri compromise had brought him
to the parting of the ways. The con-
duct of Mr.. Douglas had made friends
for him throughout the North, but II
separated him from the rank and file
of his party in the South-from those
who insisted that slavery must be per-
mitted to spread whore it pleased and
the institution of slavery be every
where protected by federal authority
In 1860. the national democratic con-
vention was held in Charleston. The
South had always dictated the party's
policy; the southern delegates came to
the convention bringing their griev-
ances with them; they were bent on
forcing the whole body to do their bid
ding. AS is talked by goldbug democrats
to-day, so in 1860, the southern delegates
asserted that there should be no COM
promise, that anything contrary to
their views was undemocratic and that
they must be permitted to have their
way.
| At that time, eighteen of the thirty
three states in the Union were free;
slavery prevailed in fifteen. But, In
the Charleston convention, oregon and
California, from first TO last, made
common cause with the slave states,
thus giving the control to the South.
On the committees the southern fac
ton had a majority and resolutions
favoring the southern view were pre-
sented But a minority report was
brought in. The Douglas men were
the majority in open convention, and
they carried a minority report from
the committee on resolutions Respect
ing the nomination for the presidency,
however, the two-thirds rule prevail
ed; Douglas could not score that frac-
ton. After a weary round of ballots,
no conclusion being reached. the con-
vention adjourned, May 3. to meet in
Baltimore, June Is.
At Baltimore the conditions proved
to be even more trying than they had
been at Charleston. The result was
| two conventions. At one of these
Douglas and johnson were nominated;
the rival convention named Breckin-
] ridge and Lane. Meanwhile. for the
struggle of that year a third party had
been put in the field. Many former
wings were allied with it, but IL count
ed chiefly on democratic support; its
candidate for the presidency was John
Bell. a Shareholder of Tennessee.
These three tickets were the opposi-
| ton which Lincoln faced. In the cleo
toral college the result was that Lin
coin received $50 electoral votes: Doug
Ia ~: Breckenridge ~; Bell 80. AS
| the reader knows. the vote in the
electoral college is not measure of
relative popular strength. At the polls.
Lincoln received 1,s66.352 votes. Doug
las l.375,157 votes: Breckenridge s45.763
votes; Bell 5ss.5s1.
Many readers of the Standard recall
| the history of the schism which, in
1872. ruptured THE republican party
and brought some of the democrats
| into alliance with the republican fac
ton known as the liberals. The issue
involved the denomination of President
| Grant; the liberals were opposed to
him. Grant was nominated; the lib
erals and the democrats united in the
nomination of Horace Greeley. In
turn. with the republicans divided. an
element in the democratic party was
not pleased with the selection OF Gree
ley. the party's most conspicuous critic
and foe. The campaign OF the year
was one of unusual interest-the result
made a farce of the opposition to
Grant. The democrats who would not
accept Greeley nominated Charles
| O'Connor.
In the electoral college Grant had
2S6 votes. Greeley meanwhile had died.
The opposition TO Grant divided. Civ
ing r. Gratz Brown. vice presidential
candidate on the Greeley ticket. is
votes; Thomas A. Hendricks 80 votes:
| Charles J. Jenkins two; David Davis
one. At the polls. S.5s7O7O votes were
cast for Grant, 2.S34.O79 for Greeley,
and 29. 40S for O'Connor