The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26
First National Convention Of the
Democratic Party Held
il, 1885.
VAN BUREN, FIRST NOMINEE
Why Douglas Was Put Aside
for Bucl,anar-Tliree Cleve-
land Conventions.
BY Rufus Rockwell Wilson,
Author Of "Washlngton, the Capital
Clty,n Etc.

rs " d. /. = u #
r-HE Democratic Convention which
j1 assemblies III ST Louis on July
will be the twenty-first nat
S lonal gathering of the represent
SZsylSSyI tatives OF that party. The ilrst
Z, ~ -"lst was held on May IL, lS32, IN BAL
y iinorc, and adopted two rules which havo
rnided the actions OF all subsequent con-
yentions; one provided that the delegates,
z when 90 instructed, should cast the votes
of their States as n unit, and the other
that no candidate should be nominated
without a two-third majority jackson
was nominated for President and Van
Buren for Vice-Presdent. They were
elected. The second convention met on
Nav Is. 1885, at Baltimore, and nominate
ed Van Buren, for President and Rich
ard NJ. Johnson for Vice-President The
third convention, held on May 8, lS4o, IN
baltimore, renominated Van Buren,, but
named no candidate for Vice-Prestdent,
leaving that to the several States. II
also put forward the first complete plat
form ever adopted by the party. Parts
az this platform were incorporated into
the delverance Of every Democritio Nat
ional Convention prior to the Civil War.
and Its leading ideas have reappeared
IN many of the party platforms of the
past forty years.
The First Democratic Dark
Horse.
When 1915 came around and the Demo-
cratic National Convention again assem-
bled at Baltimore, this time Oh May n,
II was found that Van Buren, had a ma
jority of the Instructed delegates for his
nomination. James X. Pos was q candi-
date for the vice-Prosident, and Jack
son, then almost on his dying bed, exert
ed all his influence for Van Buren, and
Polk The annexation of Texas, however,
was the burning issue OF the hour. and
Van Buren, had expressed his opposition
to it Moreover. there had been develop
ed In New York some hostility to him,
and some OF the politicians in that State
were determined to beat him. Thus the
question with the annexationists and the
other enemies of Van Buren, In the con-
vention was How could he be defeated?"
Again the two-t thirds rule was introduced,
and in spite of the fact that Van Buren,
had majority of the convention in-
str,lcted for him. IT was adopted. Its
adoption assured Van Buren's defeat.
Neither Cass. johnson nor Buchanan, the
other prominent candidates, could compel
success. and after q three days struggle
all three we're put aside and the nominal
ton given to Polk. who had aspired to
nothing higher than the Vice Presidency.
Silas Wright, Van Buren's closest friend,
was the conventions choice for second
a place on the ticket but his declination
+ to accept led to the selection of George
~ M Dallas, of PENNSYLVANIA.
Polk, both in his Cabinet appointments
ana in the measures which he favored
had an eye to his own denominations; but
his self-seelsing led him TO make the fatal
blunder of connecting himself closely
with one of the warning factions of the
New York Democracy On this ground
1t was manifest to the prudent long be-
fore the Democratic National Convention
at Baltimore. on May 90 1873. that Folks
candidacy was out of the question, and
he, therefore. was put aside. ttEss, Of
Michigan; Woodbury.. of New Hamp-
shire, and Buchanan. Of Pennsylvania
each had considerable following when
the convention opened, but Cass was the
favorite from the first. and on the fourth
ballot received the votes of more than
two-thirds of the delegates. With him
was nominated General William o. But
Ter, of Kentucky. for vice-President.
The Nomination of Pierce and
Buchanan.
A dark horse won In the Democratic
National Convention held in Baltimore on
June ], 1852. There We're four prominent
candidates-Cas ,-lBuchapan, Marcy and
oooSIdS. SdsS-S Cd7liludCy was aDurOeneu
with the stigma of defeat; Buchanan had
not an attached personal following, Mar
cy suffered from the war Of factions in
his own State. New York, and Douglas
was hampered by the GRANTEES and jeal-
ousies which his sudden rise into promi-
nence had provoked. From these condl-
lions resulted a stormy session of four
days In the course of which forty-nine
ballots were cast for President. Cass and
Buchanan had the most votes at the
beginning. but neither could obtain tho
necessary two-thirds. On the thirty-flfth
ballot fifteen votes were cast for Frank
lin Pierce, of New Hampshire. Pierce
UP to that time had not been publicly
mentioned as candidate. but months
before it had been planned by Caleb
Cushing Benjamin #. Butler and other
New England politicians, In anticipation
OF deadlock at Baltimore. to spring his