Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-04-19

Convention System First Came Into
Use in 1s31-AdopteI at Once by
Jackson - Some Memorable Assem-.
blaGes- TumultuOus Time in 1880.
No one can examine the records of
Presidential conventions, with their
personal successes and failures, and
easily escape the conviction that the, z
Is far more of tragedy than comedy in
our national politics, writes Joseph Il.
Bishop in the Century. There are touch
Is of h,imOr here aud there but the
dominant note Is that OF pathos. Be-
hind every great success there Is to be
seen the solnber shadow of bitter dis
appointment, Of wrecked amb. tion, Of
lifelong hopes in ruins. Not one Of
thos" seeking the presidency with most
persistence has succeeded in getting pos.
session of that great office. and few OF
them, when final failure has come,
have shown themselves able to bear the
blow with fortitude.
The practice of nominating Iresi,len-
tial candidates in national conventions
began in 1881, and by 1910 the conven
ton system had come into full USE
Prior to that the method Of nOmina ing
was 10y State meetings of various kinds,
including legislatures. The Anti-Mn-
sonic party first set the example Of the
convention system; but the National
Republican party was the first real
party to use the new method, nominal
ing Henry Clay unanimously in ii con-
vention at Baltimore in December,
1881. and recommending the converting
Of Il national assembly Of young men
ut Washington in May Of the following
year. When this body. afterwards
known as "Clay's Infant School," came
together, 1t also nominated him unani-
mously. Gen. Jackson, who was then
Il virtually unopposed candidate for Il
Democratic denomination, with that
quick instinct for "getting close to the
people" which seldom failed him. saw
in the new method great elements Of
popularity. and fastened to attract
them to himself He directed that a
convention he called to nominate can
didHte for the Vice Presidency on a
ticket with himself and this was done,
the nominee being Van Buren,, who was
Jacksou's choice.
The Democratic Convention W 1874
IL memorable for several reasons. 1t
was the first convention to develop a
dark horse" the first to bring about a
nomination by means of stampede
and the first to have its proceedings re-
ported by telegraph.
The convention of 1860 brought keen
personal disappointment to men in both
parties. Douglas. after many years OF
eager pursuit Of the Democratic nom
nation. succeeded In getting 1t from
only one wing of his party. and under
circumstances which made it virtually
worthless. Seward. supported by as
able and powerful body of followers
as ever candidate had before or has had
since, failed to get the Republican nOm-
nation when it seemed safe within his
grasp.
Perhaps the most tumultuOus cOnven-
ton ever held was that Of the Republi-
cans at Chicago in 1880. Fully $4,000
persons were in attendance upon its
regular sessions and demonstrations
were Of frequent occurrence. some
times as often as twice or three times
in single session. At one Of the early
evening sessions the mention Of Gen.
Grants name started wild uproar.
which lasted for thirty minutes. The
whole vast assemblage appeared to
take part IN 1t. In the center OF the
hall, where the New York delegation
sat. appeared the majestic figure Of
Roscoe Conkling. standing upon n
chair. and slowly waving to and fro the
delegations banner which was floating
from tall staff, while from all parts
Of the hall there came roar as steady
and solid and deep as that of Niagara.
In one part of the hall great body OF
people could now and then be heard
singing GLORY. Glory, Hallelnjah.' and
in another part others singing "Marcf-
ing Through Georgia" Thirty minutes
this pandemOnium reigned. and then 1t
died out by sheer exhaustion. Scarcely
llnu CAIN Dceu reStOTtu Wien tile men
ton Of Rlaine's name started fresh
outbreak n great roar rising from all
parts of the house at once. Flags. para
soils. umbrellas, sl,awls and handker-
chiefs were waving frnntically In all
directions, and in the height of the din
a well-dressed woman. who was stand
ing on the platform. leaped upon the
pedestal Of Il small statue Of liberty
in front of her AMI. leaning forward
over its head waved n parasol wildly
to and fro. Mt every swing Of which
the huge crowd. cheered. Then she
caught up flag. and winding 1t about
her figure called anew for cheers for
Blaine. arousing an indescrihable tu-
mutt. In the Maine delegation was to
he seen the figure Of Senator Hale.
standing on the shoulders of his col
leagues and holding high In air upon
its staff the shield Of the State Of
Maine. All the time the steady roar Of
thousands of threats continued without