Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-10
in and beyond the Rocky

plorations in and beyond the Rocky
mountains.
"Fremont's popular vote was 1,341,-
600. His electoral vote ia, all New
England and New York supporting
him heartily. But Buchanan, the dem
ecrat, had a popular vote of 1,S3S,O0O
and ia electoral votes.
-Four parties competed for the pres
idential prize in 1860. The democrats
were sundered. One part, chiefly
northerners, nominated Stephen A.
Douglas, senator from Illinois, as it's
candidate. The other part named John
c. Breckenridge, senator from Ken
lucky. The republicans named Abra-
ham Lincoln.
Strictly speaking, there was no
third party in that campaign, unless
either wing of the democratic party
was such. There was, in fact, a fourth
party, the constitution union, whose
standard bearers were John Bell of
Tennessee and Edward Everett of
Massachusetts. Yet it is customary
to speak of Bell and Everett as third
party men.
'Evading the paramount. issue,
which was slavery, and insisting on a
strict adherence to the terms of the
constitution Of the United States,
the constitutional-unioni hoped to
avert a war between the sections of
the country. They failed, although
/ they got SO electoral votes. those of
I VIRGINIA
their popular vote being $4,000.
Not until 1872 did another third
party ask for votes in a presidential
contest. The liberal republican par
ty was composed of those republi-
cans who, dissatisfied with the ad-
ministratiOn of General Grant, dis.
liked his policy toward the southern
states, lately at war with the north
ern, and desired to clasp hands
across the bloody chasm." They also
condemned some acts of Grants sub
ordinates as scandalous, and demand
ed a reform of the civil service.
1T was a heightened party and had
some heightened men in it, but evil
IDENTIFY was not overburdened with
supporters. 1t is not possible to es-
innate its strength, for its candidate
Horace Greeley, was taken by the
democrats as their candidate, too
His popular vote was 2,S34,O79, but
he did not win a northern state and
Of the southern was successful only
in Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland
Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.
Democrats who did not approve
of the nomination of Greeley met al
Louisville and named as a ticket
Charles O'Connor, a noted New Yorl
lawyer, for president, and JOIN
Quincy Adams of Massachusetts as
vice president. Both nominees de
clined, but the ticket was at the poll!
and got 81. $50 votes.'
When the war closed the demand
for farm products declined, and 81
did their prices. The farmers were
overstocked. With large armies il
the field there mad been a great de
mand for grain and cereals. Price,
were high. Farmers were prosper
Gus. But the decline in prices ant
the panic in Grants first admins
tration left the farmers almost hope
, less. They looked in vain for TIT
. dominant parties for assistance.
, Out of their needs grew tn
greenback party, which did not MAKE
nomination for president unit
, 1876, although it had made itsel
felt in state and other conventions
and had elected several members o
congress. The democratic natiOna
, platform Of 1868. the year Seymou
. was beaten by Grant. also contained
greenback planks. planks which die
? not help the democrats in the east.
,, Peter Cooper. greenback candi
date in 1876. got $4,000 votes in tn
country at large, but not one cleo
toral vote.
General Weaver, greenback can
didate in 1850, was also unable t.