East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-11-27
RECALLS HISTORY
OF REPUBL|CAN|SM
FIRST NATIONAL CON-
VENTIoN HELD IN 1856
Vote for Fremont. First Republican
Candidate, Was 1,S41,264, While
the Vote for Roosevelt I'm 1904
Was 1928, ,4S6-History of Famous
Conventions Reviewed.


meets in this city one week from to-
day it will be to decide upon the time
and place for holding the fourteenth
national convention OF that party.
Times and conditions have changed
wonderfully since the republicans
held their first national convention
In Philadelphia a little over a half
century ago.
The delegates were not chosen
then on the basis of representation
which now prevails. For instance,
in the convention Of 1856 New York
had SO delegates, Pennsylvania 81,
Ohio SO. In the convention next
year New York will have only rs
delegates, Pennsylvania 6S, Ohio 46.
First Convention.
In the first national convention OF
the republican party all Of the dis
tinctively northern states were rep
resented, and, in addition, Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky. In
the party's fourteenth national con-
vention, which will be held next
June, every state and territory of the
union will be represented.
In 1856 the popular vote for the
republican candidate for President,
John C. Fremont of California, was
l,341,264. In 1904 Mr., Roosevelt re-
ceived 7,623,4S6. The state of New
York has more voters now of all par
ties than the entire republican vote
Of so years ago.
The first national convention of
the republican party declared in its
platform that "the maintenance of
the principles promulgated in the
declaration of independence and en-
bodied in the federal constitution Is
essential to the preservation Of our
republican institutions" 1t rebuk-
ed the democratic party for the lat
ter's attitude toward Cuba, and as
serted that "the highwayman's plea
that might makes right embodied in
the Ostend circular, would bring
shame and dishonor upon any gov
ernment or people that gave it their
sanction"
Since these declarations were made
the United States, under republican
administrations, has acquired the
Philippines and Porto Rico-and the
declaration of independence and the
deunciation of "the highwaymans
plea" no longer figure in republican
platforms.
Fremont and Mclean.
In the first national convention OF
the republican party there were two
candidates for the presidential nomi-
nation-John C. Fremont of Califor-
MIA and John Mclean of Ohio. Nc
Lean was the preference of the old
time Wings who had identified them
selves with the republican party. He
was tainted with "knownothingism,"
however, and that was the prime
cause of his defeat.
When the party held its second
convention, in Chicago. in 1860, the
nomination of William H. Seward Of
New York seemed a foregone con-
clus.on but the honor was bestowed
on Abraham Lincoln, who was re-
nominated in 1864 by the Baltimore
convention. Gen. U. S. Grant was
nominated practically without dis
senting voice, at the Chicago conven-
ton Of 1868, and renominated unan-
imously at the Philadelphia conven-
in 1872.
In the convention of 1876, at Gin
clnnati James G. Blaine led all 9TH
er candidates for the nomination for
six ballots, but was defeated on the
seventh by Rutherford B. Hayes On
the first ballot Mr.. Blaine had 2S5
votes. which were increased to S51
on the seventh. General Hayes had
only 81 votes on the first ballot and
113 on the sixth. On the, seventh
ballot he received S84 votes, or six
more than were necessary to a
choice. It was Blaine against the
field-7and the field was stronger
than Names magnetic Statesman"
In the convention of 1880. at Chi
cago, the "old guard" made des-
perate effort to nominate General
Grant for a third term. The general
led all other candidates for thirty
five ballots. The unit rule received
its death blow In this convention.
and on the thirty-sixth ballot James
A. Garfield was nominated. Blaine
was again a candidate, and received
almost, as many votes up to the
thirty-fifth ballot as General Grant
Then the dark horse" carried off
the prize.
Tn 1884, at Chicago, Mr.. Blaine
realized his ambition and was nomi-
mated for the presidency. but beat
en- at the polls by his democratic op-
ponent, Grover Cleveland. The con-
vention Of 1888 lasted six days. John
Sherman of Ohio led for seven bal
lots On the eighth he was beaten
by Benjamin Harrison OF Indiana.
At Minneapolis, In 1892, President
Harrison was renominated on the
first ballot, but was beaten at the
polls by Mr.. Clevelad. William Nc
Kinley was nominated on the first
ballot at st. Louis in 1896, and re-
nominated unanimously at Philadel-
phia in 1900. In 1904 at Chicago
President Theodore Roosevelt was
nominated without opposition.
---
The Vesta No. coal mine at Cali
fornia. Pa. has 8b miles of atatlOn-