Evening star., 1912-06-15

Texas, the majority of the delegations
from Louisiana. South Carolina, and a
part of those from Arkansas. Delaware
and North Carolina followed. On the next
day majority of the Georgia delegates
also withdrew. Forty-five votes having
withdrawn. this left the convention with
only "5S votes instead Of 3O3. But the con-
vention was loyal TO the democratic traii-
tions both of the electoral apport!onment
and the two-thirGs rule, and ii decided
that two-thfrds of a full convention,
which is 20o votes, should be necessary
for choice. This precedent was followed
in 1898 at Chicago when the gold
democrats OF the east refused to vote.
Then the balloting for President began.
Mr.. Douglas had majority of the dele
gates voting, but never even simple
majority of the full convention strength,
much less the necessary two-thirds.
Fifty-seven ballots We're taken, the Doug
las vote falling between 14J and 152 The
southerners supported r. NJ. 7. Hunter of
Virginia, James Guthrie of Kentucky and
Andrew Johnson Of Tennessee-that same
Johnson who was four years later to be
the republican nominee for Vice Presi-
dent anG to become President on Lin
coins death. On every ballot Gen. B. r.
Butler of Massachusetts voted for Jeffer-
son Davis of Mississippi.
May ). after ten days of fruitless en-
deavor. the convention adopted a resolu-
ton to adjourn to meet in Baltimore
June is. Many delegates at the time re-
marked that this was the anniversary
of Waterloo.
In the meantime the southern delegates
who had withdrawn from the convention
met in another
SOuthernerS hall in Charles
Hold Convention. ton ton ana nc organ aa-
tional convention. They adopted as
platform the majority report that had
been made by the committee on resolu
tions of the national convention. After
four days of speechmaking they adjourn
ed to meet in Richmond June IL. When
they did reassemble on that day they at
once adjourned until June 2l.
The regular convention reassembled in
Baltimore on June ~. The chairman,
Caleb Gushing of Massachusetts,. at the
very beginning threw the convention into
confusion by declaring that the adoption
OF the platform as made at Charleston
was subject to reconsideration. Three
whole days were spent in filling the va
cancies from the southern states. In
some cases the original delegates applied
for readmission and from nearly every
state there were contesting delegations
These contests were, as at Charleston,
ucCideu III ldNOT VI Tie DOu6idS uSlt6dltS
When all the Douglas delegations had
been seated the antj-Do-glas men saw
that Douglas would be nominated. and
that they had no chance to prevent 1t.
Thereupon, they led a second bolt. the
Virginia delegation, which had not joined
in the original secession. starting the
movement. 1t was followed by most of
the southern states, and by a few north
ern delegates, including Mr.. Gushing the
president of the convention.
~
Gov Tod of Ohio was elected to sue
ceed Mr.. Cushing. and the convention
then proceeded to
Suspension of vote on the nomi-
Two-Thirds Rule den, dent On ,be frs,
ballot Stephen A. Douglas received 173l2
votes. James Guthrie of Kentucky ~. and
John c. Breckenridge of Kentucky ;. But
even on this vote Douglas did not receive
the 2G2 votes necessary for two-thirds of
the full convention strength. Another
ballot was taken and Douglas received
1872 votes. Thereupon the strict two
thirds rule was suspended, and by reso-
luton Mr.. Douglas was declared to be the
nominee. Benjamin Fitzpatrick of Ala
bama was nominated for Vice President.
but he declined, and the honor was given
to Herschel V. Johnson of Georgia. Then
the convention adopted an additional
resolution to be added to the platform.
declaring that 1t was in accordance with
the Interpretation of the Cincinnati plat
form that all questions affecting the ter
ritorial governments under the federal
Constitution should be finally determined
by the Supreme Court, and that such de-
examinations should be respected by all
good citizens. This was equivalent to
taking the Douglas view OF popular
sovereignty.
The boilers who had left the Baltimore
convention after the Douglas contestants
had been seated organized another con-
vention in Baltimore. and Caleb Cush-
ing. who had been the regular perma-
nent chairman. presided over II. Twenty
one of the thirty-three states were rep
resented The convention did its work
quickly. 1t adopted as platform the
majority report of the Charleston COM
nominated John c. Breckenridge for Pres
ident and Joseph Lane of Oregon for
Vice President
In the meantime the Charleston Sc
ceders, who had met at Richmond on
June 81. were adjourning from day to
Richmond convention on June q adopted
the nominations OF Breckenridge and
Lane. and then adjourned.
twas this complicated split that brought
about the election Of Lincoln. Lincoln
received 1,S66352
Election Of Lincoln popular votes and
$50 electoral votes.
by Popular Vote Douglas received
1879. 600 popular votes. but only twelve
electoral votes: Breckenridge got only
S47o oa3 popular votes. but seventy-two
electoral votes. Bell and Everett. the
constitutional union candidates. received