Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05
CONVENTIONS IN HISTORY
Some National Gatherings of the
Republicans.
Two Conspicuous Candidates,
rallied to win in tSso-Siacc
1880 No Real Contests.


lends interest to the story Of the nation
al conventions of the party for the past
t.ir.y-two years says the Washington
regular correspondent of the Boston
Transcript: Tho convention of 1876 was
held in Cincinnati and it met on June
is the same day of the month chosen
for this years convention at Chicago.
Almost everybody had picked James q.
Blaine as the winner. Tho other candid
:; ties wer" Morton Of Indiana. Bristow OF
Kentucky, Conklin of New York. Hayes
of Ohio. Hartranft Of Pennsylvania and
Jewell of Connecticut. Tho total vote of
the convention was 756; necessary for
choice, 80. Hayes, who did not receive
MOI than 100 votes until the fifth bal
lot was reached AMI who received only
1G2 votes on the nth ballot receiving
3Si votes, against 351 FOR Blaine. Tho
only other name before the convention
on the last ballot vas that Of Roscoe
Conkln. who received Fl votes. on the
rst ballot Blaine received 291 votes,
Morton 1o5, Bristow 49, Conklin nc, Hayes
65, Hartranft IS and Jewell II. The
deadlock was maintained, with few
changes. until tho seventh ballot, when
the opposition to Elaine combined on
Hayes
Tho 1850 convention was another illus
tration OF the remark one hears frequent
~ these days that, you never can tell
what will happen in national convon-
ton" General Grant, having rested for
four years, was the lne!ight candidate
for months before the convention, held
in Chicago on juno 7, came on His
rrr de fhp,- had ct trth
enough 10 nominate him. Blaine was in
the race again, and his supporters were
just as confident that he would win
Evcn the school children who study the
political history of their country know
that the convention did not nominate
either of these two conspicuous candid
ates. on the thlrty-siXth ballot it nom
mated James A. Garfield Of Ohio. whose
name was not before tho convention
unti tho thirty-nrst Nallot. Tho total
vote in this convention was TO. ncces-
sary TO a choice SIS. The candidates
cstdes Grant and Elaine were Sherman
of Ohio. Edmunds of Vermont Wash
burn of Illinois and Window of Mime
sofa. The first ballot developed the in
itial strength Of each candidate 20 be
az follows Grant 3o4, Elaine 2s4 Sher-
man 20, Edmunds "a, Washburn 20, and
Window 10. Here was Grant within Il
votes Of IT," nomination and Blaine with
in votes of the nomination on tho first
ballot, and yet neither was able to reach
the goal. The voting brought practical
" no change until the thirty first ballot,
when Garfield. who sat in the convention
as a DELEGATE from Ohio. received one
vote. Men are still living who possess
medals because they stuck to Grant to
tie last Tho Blaine suppo rters we're
almost as steadrast, but on the thirty
sixth ballot. seeing that the nomination
Of their candidate was impossible. they
broke to Garfield and nominated him.
The final vote was follows: Grant
306. Garfield 800, Blaine e. sherman 3.
and Washburn s. on the thirty fourth
ball, the ballot before the break came
Grant had 33 Blaine 957. Sherman %.
EdMunds II, Washburn %. Window g.
and Garfield 50 Garfield, who came in
on tho thirty-hrst ballot with one vote,
received that solitary voto on the thirty
second and thirty-third ballots. and on
tho thirty-fourth ballot iump,d to Il
votes. Old-ttme republicans recall that
for months before the remarkable CON
vention toe place everybody took it for
granted thai the nominee woul1 he
either Grant or Blaine.
In 1884 the prophets won Il looked Ike
Blainc and it turned out to be Blaine
Garfield had been assass;nated. and Ar
thur, who had succeeded to the presi.
dency had not satisfied the party lead.
ers although the people liked him
Blaine had continued to grow in the
hearts of the people. ana the crv was
for him He was nominated on tho fourth
ballot This convention which mot in
Chicago June c. contained SIS delegates,
necessary to "A choice. 4lo The candi.
dates were Blaine. Arthur of New York
Elmunds Of Vermont. Logan of Illinois
sherman of Ohio. UaHlcy of Connecticut
and Lincoln Of Illinois: and Genera
Sherman of Missouri also was voted for
on the initial ballot the vote was as fol.
lows: Blaine S34 l-2, Arthur @7S. Edmunds
e3. Logan 63 l-2, Sherman Of Ohio 80
Hawley 10. Lincoln T. and General Sher.
man . on the second ballot Blaine
climbed to 349; on the third he received
| 375. and on the fourth he got al. On TN.
| last ballot the other votes were distri-
| buted as follows: Arthur 207 Edrunds
A. Logan :. Hawley Is and Lincoln >
Some thoughtful republicans think tn.
| coming convention, in many RESPECTS. will
resemble the lsSS convention. which met
| in Chicago Juno O. Jcru sherman was
the lirnclight candidate That vcsr HIS
| friends were very certain NE won,d win
| The field Of favorite son candidates wa,
| about as large as it is this wear. There
|