The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-25
ODD FACTS In POLITICS.
THE NATIONAL CONVENTIONS or THE
TDO DOMINANT PIRTIES.
Only Ore Permanent Chairman Ever Be-
came President Only One Nominated
While Virtually In the Chair Eleven
Northern Votes Cast for .Jefferson Davis.

Only Ore Permanent Chairman Ever Be-
came President Only One Nominated
While Virtually In the Chair Eleven
Northern Votes Cast for jefferson Davis.
There is lome interesting history in connection
with national conventions OF the two dominant
parties with which the politician Of the new gen
GRAFTON may not be- familiar.
Only one man who presided over the deliberations
Of a National Convention mas been nominated for
the Presidency while he was present in the con.
yention. This happened TO Horatio Seymour in
the Democratic : ational Convention held in New
York in 1858. He vacated the chair when the
sentiment Of the convention turned to him, but
he was virtually present when nominated, APP
pearing afterwards TO declare that hs could not be
mis- party's candidate, but consenting later.
Only one man since tn" birth Of the present Re
publican party has been the nominee Of his party
and elected President after he was the presiding
officer Of the National Convention of his party.
Gov. Mckinley was the permanent chairman Of
the Minneapolis Convention, in 1892. which nom
mated Harrison and Reid. lie was nominated
four years later al ST. Louis.
Only four members Of the present United States
Senate have been permanent presiding officers
o. national conventions. Gen. Joseph X. Haw-
ley Of Connecticut presided a, the convention
which nominated Grant and Colfax at Chicago
in May, 1868, Senator Hoar presided over the
convention which nominated Garfield and Arthur
al Chicago in June, 1880. John N. Thurston of
Nebraska was permanent chairman Of the con.
vention which nominated Mckinley and Hobar,
a, ST. Louis in June. 1896. Donelson Gallery Of
Louisiana il the fourth. He was president Of
the Sound Money Democratic Convention which
nominated Palmer and Buckner at indianapolis
in August, 1895. He is also the only former ey.
Confederate who has served as permanent chair
man Of a national convention.
Horatio Seymour, who presided over the Ma
tional Convention Of his party in cw York in
1853, by which he was nominated, was also prrma
men, chairman Of his party's convention which
nonina'rl Mcclellan and Pendle,on At Chicago
in August, 1864, Mr.. Pendleton was present in
the convention which nominated him and accept.
ed the honor in the convention.
In the Democratic National Convention which
nominated Franklin Pierce and W. X. King a,
Baltimore In June, 1852, Of which John W.
Davis Of Indiana was permanent chairman,
jefferson Davis received eleven votes from he
Illinois d Legation Tor Vice President. II is a
curious BIT Of political history that tho President
OF the Confederacy should have received such a
vote from a y orthern State.
In the Democratic National Convention which
nominated buchanan ani Brackinridga at Gin.
cinnati in June, 1856, four candidates were placed
in nomination -Buchanan, Pierce. Cass and
Douglas in the shortest nominating speeches
ever delivered. The four speeches made exactly
seventy seven words. Breckinridge was prearnt
when he was nominated for Nice President. de
clined in a speech and later accepted. The per.
Ward of Georgia,
II is he custom Ia select ms permanent chairman
Of a national convention a man who is in office at
the time. The Democratic conventions have Oh
served this custom loss frequently han lhe Repub-
licnns. In the convention which nominated
Cleveland and Hendricks al Chicago in July,
1854, W. I. Villas was presiding officer. In the
convention which nominated Cleveland NJ 81.
Louis in June. 1888, y, \. Collins Of Boston, who
has never held amy imporiaa. elective Office, was
permanent cha.rmln.
L is a commoa political error to refer 10 he
Chicago convention witch ""r!nHted Garn'ld
and h-'hur rs hat vhiI bed IN. !orRes' session.
That Convention was IN session seven DAYS. The
Char;cs,ou convcrtor "'lsCn IN which i've Demo
Gratis met. wnS in 'essI W in tl,at city ten days.
Caleb cushing of Massachusetts WIS r'Tma"eNt
chairman. ~ IL known ~ r~oiitl,nl students,
that CONVENTION faiel to noTi' ate and rljoirnad
to mc't al baltimore two E"GthS l'''I ~ june Is.
There IL uomi"at"d u" glnS aHd Jos "'Nn, the
latter of G%enrria. But there was mo, her bono
cratic convention, held by tho sncrdsrS from ne
Cln rleSiol convention, wl.ch also rlet NJ nnlt-
n ~ = ,rv days later on juno %. and nominated
The RpruhlicaH National Conve llion " Tho
same verr re' ~ I h!clgo in NAV AID 'minn'nd
tiucnlahnd namll0. George Ns'11un ~ Nlsoa.
ChusetiS was rermln"nt chairman NJ TINT body.
and Horace Greeley appeared as = delegate from
Orcgot
mother Republics Na'iora' Convention r-a.
rpdod ,ln Lincoln and Hrnlia conye ltion fonr
yenrs. IL ret NJ PhilNdelphia IN June. 1874
and nominated Fremont aud Dayton. Henry s. .
law" u lldi"Hn WIS uermrne"' clHirman. 7 is
was tine first R"puhlicqu National Convention
To- nominate ca ndida'Cs for the oiices of Preside nj
and Vic, President, although It vasa continuation