Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-02-24
BALTIMORE SEEKING GREA TER
CONHKNTION RONORS.

CONVENTION HON0RS.
One day last week Baltimores finance
committee, composed of the city's solidest
men of wealth and influence, began the
task of raising fund of 100000 which
will be its bid for the Democratic National
Convention in 1912. Baltimore seems to
have set her heart on having the conven-
ton and she is going to leave no stone
unturned, as it were to get it.
Baltimore offers these superior advan-
tages: A bid Of 500, 900. unequaled loca-
ton. splendid permanent convention hall,
railroad facilities, ample hotel accommo-
dations, reasonable prices and warm
welcome to the visitors
She conceives that her reward will be
that the visitors will bring to Baltimore
and spend there in actual cash many times
as much as the convention will cost They
will carry the fame of Baltimore to every
State and section of the Union. For months
Baltimore will be the political capital of
the country, and every newspaper. every
lildBdZlLC, CNCig puuhS opCohCis win JVAh
in spreading its fame.
Prior to 1882 political parties nominated
their National tickets in Congressional
caucuses, or by resolutions of the State
Legislatures. and these were reinforced by
massmeetings throughout the country. The
anti-Mason party, creation of Thurlow
Weed. was the inventor Of the national
convention. In 1880 that organization
held pow-wow in Philadelphia to launch
the new party and sail it on the tempestu-
Gus seas of national politics. The follow
ing year, in the month Of September,
delegates met in Baltimore and nominated
William Writ, of Virginia. as the anti
Masonic candidate for President, though
he was a Mason of the "fellow-craft" de-
gree. In 1882 he carried Vermont for
President and received eight votes in the
Electoral College.
So it will be observed that Baltimore
was the scene of the first political national
convention that put ticket in the field a
Presidential year. In December, 1881, the
National Republicans" held a national
convention in Baltimore and nominated
Henry Clay, of Kentucky, for President, and
John Sargent, Of Pennsylvania, for Vice
President. In May, 1882, the Democrats
assembled in convention also in Baltimore
and nominated Andrew Jackson, of Ten
nessee. for President, and Martin Van
Buren,, of New York. for Vice-President
Subsequently Van Buren, was twice nomi-
mated for President by the Democratic
party-l836 and 1840-and both times
the national convention sat in Baltimore.
1t was in 1886 that what is become known
as convention eloquence" was first heard
and Joseph Hollis speech. in defense and
advocacy of Richard NJ. johnson, of Ken
lucky, who was nominated for Vice-Presi-
dent. has been rarely equaled and never
surpassed in political assembly in our
country That was in Baltimore.
The Democrats nominated Polk and Dali
las for President and Vice-President in
Baltimore in 1874. and that same year the
Wings met in national convention in that
same city and nominated Clay and FIRE.
linghuysen. -Four years later the Demo-
Gratis again held their national convention
in Baltimore and nominated Lewis Cass.
of Michigan, for President, and William O..
Butler. of Kentucky, for Vice-President.
In 1882 the Democrats were again in Bal
timore and named Franklin Pierce, of New
Hampshire, for President, and William R.
King. of Alabama, for Vice-President. In
1864 the Republicans held their national
convention in Baltimore and named Abra-
ham Lincoln and ANDY" johnson for the
national ticket, and perhaps it is worthy
of note that the temporary chairman of the
convention was Rev. Robert ]. Breckin-
ridge, of Kentucky, who at that time had
two sons fighting in the Confederate Army.
Early in life this extraordinary man aban-
doned the bar for the pulpit, but he always
took keen interest in political affairs.
Mention should be made Of the fact that
in 1850 the Democratic National Conven-
ton assembled in Charleston. S. c., but
unable to agree on either platform or ticket,
the convention adjourned to meet in Balti-
more, where there was a split-one faction
nominating John c. Breckenridge, of Ken
lucky. for President, and Joseph Lane, of
Oregon, for Vice-President the other fac
ton nominated Stephen A. Douglas, of nli-
nois, for President and Benjamin Fitzpat-
rick, of Alabama, for Vice-President, who
declined. and Herschel v. johnson, of
Georgia, was named in his stead. The
last national convention held in Baltimore
TO name national ticket was when the
Democrats assembled there in 1872 and
Endorsed the Liberal Republican ticket of
Greeley and Brown, that had been nomi-
mated in Cincinnati in May previous.
Thus it appears that the leading parties
have held nine national conventions in
Baltimore, not counting the adjourned
Democratic convention of 1850. and it
further appears that Of the tickets nomi-
mated in Baltimore five triumphed in the
electoral college, a record surpassed by
Chicago only, that scores seven winning
tickets and three losing counting the two
leading parties only.
HOLDING THE MIRROR UP TO RE-
n D a NJ ~ n UFrVN