El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-08
BOLT CAUSES
DEMOCRATIC
SPLIT
First Actual Party Division
Is Democrats Wrangle
Over Slavery.
rs FOLLOWED BY
LINCOLN'S ELECTION

Washington, j. c., June S.-The only
national convection Of one of the prin-
cipaI political parties that resulted in
a serious spit and the consequent nom
ination of two candidates for president
was the Democratic convention Of 1860.
True, the Barnburner detection from
the Democratic convention of 1S4S de-
feated the party that year, and there
were serious divisions in both Demo-
cratic and Republican conventions in
1886, but the only actual split was that
of 1860.
Slavery in the territories was the
whole issue Thomas jefferson, Nir-
glnla slave holder, wrote into the
northwest territory ordinance the pro-
vision that that territory should be
forever free Of slavery The Wilmot
prOviso, written by judge BrinkerhOff,
an Ohio Democrat, using the exact Ian
guage OF j effersOn, kept slavery off the
Pacific coast. The whole question was
compromised in 1920, and again in 1850,
by Henry Clay In 1854 Douglas, as
sisted by president Pierce, obtained
the repeal OF the Missouri compromise
of 1920, and the whole question of the
extension of slavery was reOpCned.
Democrats Reach Parting Pcfnt.
The Democrats now had come TO the
parting Of the ways. The south held
that the territories were federal and
belonged as much TO the slave states
as 10 the AEGe. ana LnGL UnLL they
became states the federal constitution
was their only law. The constitution
permitted slavery by its silence, and
this theory would make them slave
territories The north held that con-
greSs could legislate slavery out Of a
territory but could not legislefe il in
that the territories must be free.
Douglas took the middle ground and
declared in favor Of popular sOver-
eighty" that is, permitting the people
question for themselves. This the op-
position sneered at as 'Squatter SOW
ereisnty."
The Democratic platform of 1856 de-
clared In favor of policy OF non-inter-
ference on the part Of congress. BY
1860 nOn-lnterterence was not popular
with either side The Democratic ma
uOnal convention met IT Charleston
on April %. It was the only national
convention ever held south of the Poto-
mae There were full delegations
from all the states aud contesting del
CgatiCns from Illinois and New York.
anti-Douglas delegations. and from
New York the Hards and SOfts, the
Sorts being favorable TO Douglas and
the Hards to the southern view.
The national committee, following
the precedent established at Cincinnati
four years before. when for the first
time q national committee attempted to
pass on contested delega tons under
convention TO decide both these con- {
tests The Douglas men controlled :
majority OF the committee, and, rs al ]
ways has been the case. they settled 4
both contests in favor Of Douglas. This I
probably was risht in the case of Illi- I
nois, in New York the Hard dele /
gates had been elected in the districts, /
while the SOfts. who were seated, had }
been chosen at a state convention un-
der circumstances OF doubtful regular I
ity. But. being Douglas men. they
were seated Against this action the
southern delegates protested and, as
soon as the convention was organized,
an angry debate was precipitated on
this question.
S0uthe-ners Control Committee.
1t was evident that Douglas had a
and therefore the southern
ers essayed first to fix the platform
to suit themselves Aided by Califor-
MIA and oregon, the sOutherners got
control Of the committee on resolu-
tons and reported a platform This
was not done until the fifth day Of the !
four days having been tax
en- up by the contests Two days of
fierce debate followed, and then the
whole question was reCOmmitted to the /
committee on resolutions. That same [
day the committee reported back q !
platform taking the extreme south
ern view of the question of slavery in
the territories. a minority report was
made reaffirming the Cincinnati plat
form of 1856 and pledging the Dem
Jcrauc party to abide by the decisions
lt the supreme court OF the United
states on questions of constitutional
aw. General B. +. Butler of Massa-
offered a second minority
report which was the Cincinnati plat
form Of 1856, verbatim. The Butler
platform was rejected by 19S to 1O5
The other minority platform was then
substituted for TIE majority report BY
/ vote Of 165 - 1SS.
The vote was then taken on the
minority platform, and all of it was
,dopted except that part pledging the
larty to abide by the decisions of the
supreme court, which was defeated. |
-nls was the beginning of the end. I
robert TOOmbs of Georgia in an inn |
FASHIONED speech accused the north |
IN Democrats of tempOrizing with the
AbOluonlSts, and. under the SPUR OF
us bitter denunciatiOn, several north /
IN Democrats arose and denounced /
ne institution Of slavery as wicked.
men the final vote was taken and I
ne platform favored by the Douglas I
men was adopted almost unanimously |
me Alabama delegation then an I
iounced that it had been instructed !
lot 20 waive the issue, and. as the con- ]
ehuon had not accepted the southern !
-octrlne, they were compelled to with I
raw Mississippi Florida, and Texas.
ne majority of the delegations from !
-oulsldna- South Carolina and a mart /
I those from Arkansas. Delaware and /
'orth Carolina followed. On the next !
dS majority OF the Georgia dele
.ates withdrew. Forty-five votes hav-
nS Withdrawn, this left the cOnven-
ION With only 25S votes instead of
10 But the convention was loyal TO
ne democratic traditions both Of the
~ SoIdl superintendent and the two
l!r9s rule, and it decided that two
F 1ddI OF full convention. which is
" votes should be necessary for a
IiOlCS- rms precedent was followed /
49,, y LeSo at chicago when the Gold"
'SiIC SIals Of Che eIst refused to vote
.r, butier Votes E'or Jeff Davis.
Ihen the ballotin- Tor president be-
du- NI- DoHE-is nai majority of
lContinncd ,,, ....,t .....-