The Washington herald., 1908-07-05

more. The Democratic party was old
even then. but conventions were new
The most remarkable feature of the
Democratic party. historically considered
IS it's vitality. 1t came into a definite and
separate existence during the second
Washington administration and placed its
first candidate for President in the field
in 1895. -Four years later # was success
ful I'm the election, and entered upon a
lease Of power that was all but unbroken
for sixty years. II buried the Federalist
party. witnessed the death Of the Wings.
| smothered a half dozen smaller parties.
and was supreme until lSG0
| Dividing within itself in that year. the
party permitted the success OF the then
four-year-old Republican party. The civil
war followed. and for forty-eight years
the Republicans have had practically un-
broken control OF the government But
despite defeats, despite dissenslons. des-
/ pite disorganizatiOns. the Democratic
! party still lives, and Will gather in the
/ twentieth quadrennial convention In Den
| yer this week
II mas been said that the Democratic
party Is a sentiment. the Republican
party an organization. However true
such a characterization may be In this
day' the Democrats were the authors of
the political organizations and methods
which are universally practlced. n not
approved. In American politics. The first
convention held at Baltimore seventy-six
years ago was the beginning Of the pres
ent era OF political procedure.
The honor OF holding the first delegated
national nominating convention belongs
10 the defunct anti-NIasonic party. That
body met in Baltimore in September, 1881.
and nominated William Writ as q candi-
date 10 oppose Andrew Jackson for re-
election in the campaign OF 1892 The
Wings held the second convention, meet
ing IN Baltimore on May II. 1892. nominat-
ing Henry Clay. The Democrats held their
meeting on May 81 Thus II was that
Baltimore entertained the first three na-
tional conventions within a period Of a
few months The national convention sys-
TEN dates from this. period. although the
Federalists did hold a sort OF mass con-
vention in 1872. 70 nominate De Witt
Clinton, a boiling Democrat. FOR Presi-
dent
The Democrats at Denver VIII meet IN 4
great auditorium prepared especially Tor
the purpose Of entertaining vast as
semblages. The first Democratic conven-
ton met IN Athenaeum Hall In Baltimore
but II proved too small. so the delegates
voted 20 adjourn 20 the CniversaIist
Church. az which the sessions were held.
The first convention was called for the
express and only purpose Of nominating
a candidate for Vice President Andrew
Jackson was 70 be the nominee for Presi-
dent. and nobody questioned it. There
was some dispute. however. about sec
ond place on the ticket. Therefore. Old
called TO settle the dispute, macerate
John Calhoun. and give the stamp Of
approval 10 his own personal choice
Martin Van Buren. Of New York
The very first action Of the first Demo
cratic convention was 10 admit adelegation
from the District Of Columbia The second
action taken was the adoption Of a resolu-
tion inviting Charles Carroll, Of Carrollton.
the only surviving signer OF the Declara-
ton of Independence. 10 take a seat in the
convention. NThe venerable patriot de-
clined the honor on account Of hts physi-
cal weakness. but received the delegates
In a body at his home. The convention
appointed a committee on organization
and adjourned until the next day.
That committee on organization was
composed Of but three men. and their re-
port was less than a hundred words long.
but il was a histOTy-maldng document
The report recommended Robert Lucas,
Of Ohio. for chairman. and proposed a
rule that two-thirds OF the whole num-
Der OF votes given be required for a nom-
ination." The rule was adopted, and this
was the beginning OF the famous two
thirds rule, which still obtains in the
Democratic conventions.
The delegates voted by ballot. each
man having one vote. Those were the
days Of the stagc-coach and horseback
travel. SO that the distant States were
not so we'll represented as the nearer |
ones. Maryland. Virginia. PENNSYLVANIA. /
and New Jersey had a vast majority over /
all the other States. But there was little
question Of the scheme of opportlonment. |
and the delegates voted by ballot. walk |
ing 70 the secretary's desk and depositing /
q folded and secret ballot. If that svs- /
tenn had obtained until now there Is little /
doubt but that the consequences Of many
a preliminary Presidential race woaId /
have been different.
The first ballot resulted. Martin Van
Buren. 2G8; r. II Johnson, %. and Philip
B. Barbour. 20. The sage Of KInderhook /
had received two-thirds, and was de-
clared the nominee for Vice President by /
a resolution adopted unanimously. An /
other resolution was adopted which de- /
clared that the delegates in convention
cordially concurred IN the repeated nom
nations OF Andrew Jackson as a candi-
date for reelection, as made by various
state legislatures and conventions.
The convention on the next day laid
the foundation Of a continuing party or
sanization by creating a national com
mittee. 1t was styled general corre-
spcndence committee" and was composed
Of several men from each State. This
committee did not have the authority OF
the nationai committee OF to-day Inn II
was intrusted with the work OF pushing
the campaign for the jackson electors in
the various States. Sixteen years later
The national convention reOrganized this
committee by limiting its membership
to one for each State, giving It the power
70 III vacancies. and changing its name
- -f-4A-NS-sat4| 4NdtAOldl GOnlfnittee. |
which has maintained its organization
ever since.
Having fulfilled the purpose for which
i was created, the convention adjourned
1t was small affair, compared 20 tho
gatherings af Chicago and Den
Ver' in the good year 1908. but that first
convention was sample Of many which
have followed It. In the first place. its
actions were dictated from bhe White
House, Just as other conventions have
been ruled from that mansion in later
days. jackson thoroughly dominated .he
meeting. and none but tried and true
JSSksonians were put on guard John II.