The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-05

or the Administration" bestirred them selves accordingly. One of the most resourceful of these was Amos Kendall, a westernized Yankee" who had emil grated from Massachusetts to Ken lucky. been an arnateur lawyer. taught school, and finally struck his talent as editor at Frankfort, Ky. of the
 &Areus, of Western America. The columns of the Argus" show him to have been an able political writer. He had supported Jackson's election in 1923. and been rewarded with the place of Fourth Auditor in the Treasury. When Amos took his vacation from off, cial cares in the summers of 1881 twhile the Van Buren nomination was pending) he selected the White Noun tain country as a place hkely to best restore his jaded energies. particularly as 1t was convenient to the New Hamp- snire Legislature then in session. Amos. mlngling with his fellow-de- mocrats in that body and acting under the chaperonages of Isaac Hill the Jack sonfan leader in New Hampshire, in- duced them to call a national conven- ton to meet at Baltimore in May, 1882, to select Vice President The sug- gestion was made that such a conven- ton would be good plan of putting stop to partial nominations" and of harmonizing" the party. 'Conven- tions being the rage of the day. the scan was quickly responded to. but whether Van Buren. or Mahlon Dicker- son of New Jersey Buchanan. Dallas Wilkins of Pennsylvania, or, John Me- Lean of Ohio would be named was still matter of some doubt when the action of Jackson's and Van Buren's enemies brought the latter to the front"
 The light against Van Buren's con- tirmation being transferred from press and public to the Senate chamber, en- listed all the Senatorial giants. MT. Webster made a characteristic speech in opposition. conffnin9 his objections to Van Buren's instruction given while Secretary of State, to McLane. Minis ter at London. on the negotiations relative to trade in American vessels between the United States and the British West Indian colonies. Other points were brought into the contro- versy. which in fact assumed all the usual phases of partisan contest Cal- houn, who was Vice President and had quarreled with Jackson. had no op- portunity to speak against the nomina- ton. but with the apparent purpose iof signally rebuking tho President enough of the clear majority against It refrained from voting to give the Vice President the opportunity to cast the decisive vote. Mir. Clay. already SAO hOAhAuCO kAOTs 3IGolUGnIl or AnS National Repumiicans. criticised the late Secretary even more severely than Webster had done. Van Buren's lang uage, Clay said. had been that of an humble vassal to a proud and naughty lord. prostratinR and degrading the American eagle before the British hon." He was also accused Of being a 'spoiIsman.''
 When the report of this debate was HnUhliQhad wfnn hn fa.' were given by those voted for rejec- ton were known to the people, Van Buren naturally became, in the eyes of his friends and of Democrats gener- ally. much wronged man who must be avenged at the polls. Indignation meetings at Philadelphia. New York and Albany denounced the Senate; the Jackson members in the New Jersey legislature resolved that while Dicler- son of their own State was their first choice for Vtce-President Van Buren was their second. and the delegates to the National convention were re- quested to support him. In New York, at caucus of Democrats held to ap- point delegates to the Convention, Clay and Webster were rebuked by name. and very plain hint thrown out that Jackson and Van Buren would make e good running mates.
 It Is easy to understand how the meth ods thus employed, backed by the now well-developed wish of PresI- dent Jackson that Van Buren be chosen so crystalized party opinion that by the time the convention assembled it's action on the Vice Presidential moni- nation was a foregone conclusion. dential nomination was a ioreRone con- clusion.
 The convention thus brought on, the first national convention ever held by the Democratic party, met at Balti- more May twenty-first 1882. All the States were represented. The follow ing letter written by a member of the Alabama delegation to the editor of the Mobile Commercial Register '' and copied from it's issue of June $, 1882. succinctly desribes the proceed ings:
 Baltimore. May 22, 1892. Dear Sir, f...t.
 The Convention commenced yester- day, and a fuller or liner body of men, I have rarely seen collected together. Gen Robert Lucas, of Ohio, was called to the chair, and John A Dix. of New York. appointed. Secretary. A com mittee of one from each State was ap- pointed to examine credentials Sc. Judge Clay. of our State, was placed on this committee by our delegation. They soon reported the Delegates from each State. Whereupon another com mittee was appointed to propose rules, regulations. and the selection of officers for the Convention. Col. Vim k.