Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-03-16
Odd Facts in Politics.

OF the two dominant parties with
which the politician of the new gener-
alton may not be familiar.
Only one man who presided over
the deliberations of national conven-
ton has been nominated for the pres
idency while he was present in the
convention. This happened to Hora-
tio Seymour In the Democratic Nat
al Convention held in New York in
1868. He vacated the chair when the
sentiment of the convention turned to
him, but he was virtually present
when nominated, appearing afterward
to declare that he could not be his
party's candidate, but consentlng later
says the New York Sun.
Only one man since the birth OF the
present Republican party has been the
nominee Of his party and elected pres
ident after he was presiding officer of
the national convention of his party.
Gov. Mckinley was the permanent
chairman of the Minneapolis conven-
tfon in 1892, which nominated Harrl-
son and Reid. He was nominated
four years later at st. Louis.
Only four members of the present
United States Senate have been per-
manent persiding officers of national
conventions. Gen. Joseph r. Hawley,
of Connecticut, presided at the con-
vention which nominated Grant and
Colfax at Chicago in May, 1863 Sena-
tor Hoar presided over the convention
which nominated Garfield and Arthur
at Chicago in juno. 1880. John M.
Thruston, of Nebraska, was permanent
chairman of the convention which
nominated Mckinley and Hobart at
St. Louis in juno, 1896. Donelson
Caffery of Louisiana, is the fourth.
He was president of the Sound Money
Democratic convention which nomin-
ated Palmer and Buckner at Indian
apolis in August, 1896. He is also the
only former ex-Confederate who has
served as permanent chairman of
national convention
| Horatlo Seymour, who presided over
the national convention of his party
nominated, was also permanent chair
man of his party's convention which
nominated Mcclellan and Pendelton
at Chicago in August, 1864. Mr.. Pen
dleton was present in the convention
which nominated him, and accepted
the kcror in the convention.
In the Democratic National conven-
tion which nominated Franklin Pierce
and W. Il. King at Baltimore in June,
1852, of which John w. Davis, of In
diana, was permanent chairman, JEFF
ferson Davis received II votes from
the Illinois delegation for vice-presi
dent 1t is a curious bit of political
history that the President of the Con-
federacy should have received such a
vote from the Northern state.
| In the Democratic national conven-
tion which nominated Buchanan and
Breckenridge at Cincinnati in June,
1856, four candidates were placed in
Observation-Disclosures Pierce, Cass
and Douglas-in the shortest nominat-
ing speeches ever delivered. The four
speeches made exactly n words
Breckenridge was present when he
was nominated for vice president, de-
clined in a speech and later accepted
The permanent chairman of this con-
vention was John e. Ward of Georgia.
1t is the custom to select as perman-
ent chairman of a National convention
a man who is in Office at the time.
The Democratic conventions have OBJ
served this custom less frequently
than the Republicans. In the conven-
ton which nominated Cleveland and
Hendricks at Chicago in July, 1884,
w. F. Villas was presiding officer. In
the convention which nominated
Cleveland at ST. Louis in June, 1883,
P. A. Collins, of Boston, who has new
er held any important elective Office,
was permanent chairman.
1t is a common political error to re-
fer to the Chicago convention which
nominated Garfield and Arthur as that
which had the longest session. That
convention was in session seven days,
The Charleston convention of 1860, in
which the Democrats met, was in ses-
sion in that city 10 days. Caleb Cush-
ing, of Massachusetts, was permanent
chairman. AS is known to political
students, that convention failed to
nominate and adjourned to meet at
Baltimore two months later, on June
IS. There it nominated Douglas and
Johnson,' the latter of Georgia. But
there was another Democratic conven-
tion, held by the seceders from the
Charleston convention, which also met
at Baltimore a few days later, on
June 20. and nominated Breckenridge
and Lane.
The Republican National conven-
tion of the same year met at Chicago
in May and nominated Lincoln and
Hamlin. George Ashmun, of Massa-
chusetts, was permanent chairman of
that body, and Horace Greedy appeared
as delegate from Oregon.
Annthar Renuhlican National can