The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-06-25
HISTORY
Of Democratic Conventions
10 The Past
The Assemb|age On Tuesday
The 2lst Convention
The Nominees Made Since
The Year 1876

Washington. d. c., June 21---The
convention which opens at Baltimore
next Tuesday will be the twenty.first
national assemblage Of the Democrat
ic party, while the one now in session
in Chicago is only the fifteenth Re-
publican national gathering. But the
Democratic party surpasses the Re
publican in age much more than this
difference would indicate. Born in
the bank controversy of 1891, christ.
ened by Jefferson, its founder, In
1922, and strengthened in the divi.
sion among the people which Wash.
ington's neutrality proclamation at
the beginning of the Anglo French
war In 1898 caused, the Democratic
party passed its centennial mark
more than a decade ago.
But the history of the party's con.
ventions dates back only to 1882, in
which year the national delegate
convention method of nominating
candidates for President and Vice
President was adopted. The first ma.
tional Democratic convention was
held on May IL, 1882, at Baltimore,
and adopted two rules which have
guided the actions of all subsequent
conventions. One of these provided
that the delegates, when so instruct.
ed. be nominated without a two-thirds
majority. Andrew Jackson was nom.
mated for President and Martin Van
Buren, for Vice President,
The second national Democratic
convention met on May 25, 1886, also
at Baltimore, and nominated Martin
Van Buren for President and Richard
M. Johnson for Vice President. The
ticket was successful in the subse-
quent election.
The third convention, held on May
., 1910, at Baltimore, renominated
Van Buren,, but named no candidate
for Vice President, leaving that to
the several states. 1t also put for
ward the first complete platform ever
adopted by the party. Parts of this
platform were incorporated into the
deliverance OF every national Demo
cratic convention prior to the civil
war. and its leading ideas have reap
peared In many of the party platforms
of the last 30 years.
In 1874 the national Democratic
convention again assembled in Balti.
more. Van Buren had majority of
the instructed delegates for his NOM
inati0n. James X. Polk was can.
didate for Vice President. Unfortun.
ately for Van Buren he was not on
the popular side in regards to the
burning question of the annexation Of
Texas Again the two.thirds rule
WAS introduced. and assured Van
Buren's defeat. After three days
struggle the nomination was given to
Polk.
In the convention In 1S48. also in
Baltimore, took place the first of the
great "walk.outs" in Democratic ma
tional assemblages, the others being
in 1860 and 1896. The party in New
York was divided into two hostile
factions which each chose, allowing
each to cast half the votes. The re-
suit was that the faction whose
choice was defeated Indignantly with
drew from the convention. Lewis
Case Of Michigan was named for
President and William o. Butler of
Kentucky for Vice President. This
ticket. was defeated by Taylor and
Fillmore. Wings.
Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire,
dark horse" whose name had not
been Lu5licly mentioned as candi-
date, won the presidential nomination
at the national Democratic convention
held In Baltimore In 1862. William B.
King If Alabama was nominated for
Vice President. but did not live to
fill the Office.
The convention which met at Gin.
cinnati. on June 2, 1856. lasted four
days and resulted In the nomination
of James buchanan of Pennsylvania
for President and John G. Brecken
ridge OF Kentucky for Vice Presi
dent.
The most fateful convention which
was ever held in the United States
was that which opened at Charleston
s. c., on April %, 1860, which lasted
ten days aud took 81 unavailing bal
lots, and which split the party into
Northern and Southern section
each OF which had a separate oonven
tion in another place and put up {