Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-08
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS.
VI-HOT TIMES IN 1910.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

The hottest political contest in the his
tory of the United States was that of
1870 in which William Henry Harrison
defeated Martin Van Buren, for Presi-
dent. The democratic party had then
been dominant in the nation for forty
years, and in this campaign the younger
generation revolted. 1t was young
mems campaign and. although their cam
didate was the Oldest man ever elected to
the presidency. they advocated his cause
with a frenzy of enthusiasm that still
marks the high tide of political excite
ment in America. 1t was the famous
log cabin and hard cider campaign-a
campaign in which the opposition to the
Jackson democratic party. although not
united any political principle. sunk
their factional quarrels in their hatred
of Jackson and Van Buren, and, with the
newly conceived articles of a popular
campaign. pressed on to gain a hollow
victory
The national convention that nominated
Gen. Harrison was held at Harrisburg,
December 4, 1899 This was the first
wing national
Was First Wing on vention.
National Convention. cal,ed The
Whig party had been organized in 1894,
but the opposition to the democrats held
no national convention in 1886. How in
congruOus were the elements that made
up the new party is proved by the "Whig
Almanac" for A.'S. which said that the
party was composed of 20 most of the
-
Adams and Clay, and advocated pro-
tective tariff; ca most of those who had
been stigmatized as nullifiers and states
rights men, and VINO We're thrown into
armed neutrality toward the government
by the proclamatio against South Caro-
lima. a majority of the anti-Masors and
many Jackson men, who had condemned
the fight on the bank; "a and those OPP
posed to the palpable usurpations of the
executive and the imminent peril to the
whole fabric of constitutional principle
Thus, the wings comprised both the high
protectionists of Pennsylvania and the
free traders of South Carolina. the fed
eralistS of New England and the states
rights men of the south Their first ma
tional convention did not dare adopt
platform, because the delegates never
could have agreed upon any statement of
principles. Their one bond of union was
their hatred of the democratic party and
their determination to prevent Van
Buren, : reelection.
The first wing convention was notable
for two things: 1t made it's nomination
by means of
Unique System a unique Sys-
Used in Nomination. NOT '" ain ,a >
been revived and it marks the beginning
of the era Of practical politics in ma
tional conventions. Indeed. the first inno-
walton was the result of the latter, be-
cause the scheme was got up for the pur-
pose of defeating Clay for the nomina
ton.
A special rule was adopted by which
the delegation of each state selected a
committee of three, these committeeman
to assemble as committee of the whole.
The state delegations in separate meet
ings were to ballot, and then deliver their
ballots to their committee of three. to be
later compared by the committee of the
whole. The selection. Of course, was
made in these state committee meetings,
but only the result was made known in
the convention.
After a three-day struggle Harrison
against 81
Gets Majority After for Henry
a Three-Day Session. foe wi ,u
Scott That Clay was the popular favor
lite even in the convention is proved by
the fact that on the first ballot he re-
ceived 1a3 votes to 81 for Harrison and -
for Scott. Thaddeus Stevens was the
master of the convention. He had con-
chi rod NTH 70 -nrfh rny
Clay, whose popularity was dangerous
from the viewpoint of a practical politi-
clan. Stevens had been an anti-Mason.
they could never get the anti Masonic
Mason. He also urged that the conven-
wings could use the war-hero machinery
employed in behalf of Gen. Jackson.
Both Scott and Harrison were heroes
Of the war of 1912. Both We're natives of
Virginia, as was Clay, and. curiously
enough, it required the vote of the Vir-
g1nia delegates to settle the issue.
Stevens had managed to get letter
from Harrison. promising him a cabinet
Letter Causes Virginia he were
Delegation to Give Vote. and this
decided the Pennsylvania leader. Stevens