Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-23


too much central power.
, The "Blueitoht' Federaitsts.
when the British fleet held COmmo-
dore Decatur bottled up. in the war
of 1872, the good cOmmodoi assert "a
that the enemy was kept informed OF
his movements by means OF certain
blue lights with which the New Eng
landers signaled the English fleet,
Every Federaiist who opposed the war
was henceforth known as 'f3lueiisht
Federalist. It was not healthy TO
swing too blus a light along Long
Island Sound.
The so-called anti-Masonic party
which sprang into existence with the
disappearance. in 1926. of William Nor
gan. who. it was said, was murdered
when about to publish a book reveal
ing the secret Of Masonry. holds unique
place in American political history.
according to McMaster, as being the
only party not based on some theory
CT constitutional construction or on
some governmental policy. The party
came into the national limelight IN
1880. when, at its Baltimore conVen
ton it invited Chief Justice Marshall
to sit WITH 1t and when it nominated
William Writ. Of Maryland. for Pres
ident. A committee was sent to in
form him Of the choice. Authorities
differ as to whether or not Writ en-
tered the convention hall.
Upon receiving the notification. he
either went in person or sent a letter.
At any rate, the delegates received
remarkable communication frcn him
As the record stands, he said that ne
was a Mason. though he had not at
tended the lodge for So years. He con
fessed that he saw no harm in tn prin
ciples OF Missionary until the political
marty unearthed certain unDleasaht
features. 1T was not and 'ou'd nov
he Masonry. as understood ty vast
ington." He then told the delfSatss
that their own name besied their pr'n-
ciples. and ended by saying init II re
had been nominated under T. m'sappr =
hersion he would allow thcm to sub
stitute another name for his own.
They voted unanimously to stani oJ
the nomination.
Favorite Sons Always Plentiful
though the method OF CD 'l,.:."
Pres fdent has undergone r.aLy
change .ince the days whci Washing
ton was twice unanimously elected,
there is a reminder Of the political
OF that time with us still
in the forms of the 'favorite sons
Those who believe that "favorlte
sons" were plentiful at Denver anu
Chicago should glance at the returns
for the first national election, wnen
the State Of Georgia deemed four OF us
citizens worthy Of the Vice Presiaen-
CIV. strangely enough each son re-
ceived one or more votes. Since tnat
time "favorite sons" have never been
missing at convention time. Dark
horses appeared early in. presidential
history. though one did not win at a
marty convention until 1874, when al
the meeting of the Democrats IN bar
timore James X. Polk Of Tennessee.
vino on the first seven ballots did not
draw a single vote, took "A votes
away from Van Buren,. the sure thing
on the eighth. ITS time to draw the
fire of Tennessee" remarked dsie-
gate from Maine. On the next pal
lot a stampede took place which gave
Po,t an easy nomination. 1t is
that Siias Wright OF New
York, who was nominHed at Urls cur
yent,on for Vice President. deemed J.
On the ground that, being personal
friend of Van Buren,, he could not &C
cept with honor.
This is said to have been the only
case on record where man nominat-
cd for either of the two chief OFFICES
has refused to run after the nomins-
ton had been made.
A few wears after Folks election
Pierce received . similar nomination
In ono of the best planned stampedes
ever perpetrated on a DeMocrauc
He won on the forty
ninth ballot.
The peculiar misunderstanding
which often grows around the memory
OF mast events and the weakness Oh
what sometimes seems powerful
rajcnments of q malicious policy are
shovn seldom more clearly than .
certain clause embodied In Democrat'c
platforms from 1874 until 1885:
Gao Measures Against Critics
The alien laws and seditton aet
had bern passed in John Adams ao-
uinistrat,on by the Fedora. .sts as
sag measures against the free
sneech of the critics Of the admins
trat,cp. The sedition act had oeen
particularly otaoxiocs- These Avs
had been passed with . time limit.
INST is. both contained clauses whtcn
provided dates on which the laws De-
came imperative.
a reading OF the platforms adopted
sv the Democratic party IN nat'onai
conventions from 1s4lto 1856 will snow
that plank VAS laid In each dec'ar
ing ~that every attempt ouen. 70
be resisted with the same sct-it whIch
event the alien and sedi'ion laws
FROM the our statute books" These
came laws were neversvspt tncy
dird naturally ~ their forTa''0n pro-
videtl they shorid.