Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-07-09
The DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL CON-
VENTION.
Conventions that Have Been
Held by That Party in
the Past.
The Nest FatefuI Convention In The
History of The Democratic Par
ty Was That Held at Charles
ton in 1860, Which Split the
Party int a Northern
and a Southern Sec
ti0D.
tiOn
Especial to the ARGUS.)

Washington, D. c., July AT this
time, on the eve of the Democratic Ma
tionaI convention, it is interesting to
recall the great conventions that have
been held by that party in the past.
The convention which opens at Denver
next Tuesday will be the twentieth ma
tional assemblage of the Democratic
party, while the one held recently in
Chicago was only the fourteenth Re-
publican National gathering. But the
Democratic party surpasses the Re
publican in age much more than this
difference would indicate. Born in
1871, and christened by Jefferson
year or SO later, the Democratic party
has long since passed the century mark
in it's life.
The INVENTION system of choosing
candidates for President and Vice
President superseded the Congressional
caucus method in 1881. In December
OF that year the Wings met in Balti-
more and nominated Henry Clay for
President, and John Sergeant for Vice
Democrats met in the same city, ,osten-
sibly for the purpose of selecting a
candidate for Vice-Presidsnt, but it
assumed the responsibility Of nomi-
mating a candidate for President, and
Martin Van Buren for Vice. Presi-
dent.
No platform was framed by the Dem
ocratic convention OF 1882, butt adopt
ed a resolution which provided for the
perpetuation of the delegate conyen-
ton system of selecting the party can
didates fer President and Vice-Presi-
dent. The two-thirds rule was then
adopted.
In 1885 the Democrats met again at
Baltimore and nominated Martin Van
Buren, for President and Richard M
Johnson, of Kentucky, fer Vice Presi-
dent. The opposition declined to
make a nomination in convention.
hoping to throw the election into the
House of Representatives. Van Buren,
was successful in this election, the op-
position voting generally for General
Harrison instead of Henry Clay, who
was the idol of the Whig party. In
1914 the two-thirds rule was used fol
Van Buren's overthrow. Though he
had been defeated in the election four
years previously by General Harrison
the nomin alton of Van Buren was con
ceded by most of his enemies. But the
ex-President on the eve of his nomina
-
Texas annexation which offended s
large portion of his Southern admirers
and resulted in his defeat in the con.
yention. On the first ballot Van Burer
had a majority OF the convention, bu
less than two-thirds. On the eighth
ballot, James K. Polk, ex-governor o
Tennessee, received the nomination
and in the following November he wa:
elected.
In 1S4S the Democratic convention
at Baltimore dominated Lewis Cass
who was defe ated in the election BY
General Taylor, the Whig candidate
In 1852 the Democratic convention
again assemb bled in Baltimore, thi
time on the first day of June. Genera
Cass led ct the beginning of the ballot
ing, but on the forty-nint ballot th'
nomination weRt to Franklin Pierce,
dark horse. In 1855 the Democratic
convention went West for the frs
time, meeting in Cincinnati. james
Buchanan was named for Presiden
and John G. Breekinridge for Vice
President.
The most fateful convention in th'
history of the Democratic party wa
that held at Charleston in 1860, whicl
split the party into Northern and I
Southern section, each of which held {
eonyention ut another place, put up ,