El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-04

Gcrs motion prevailed, and The two
thirds rule was adopted
The Jackson influence that mad made
Van Buren, had destroyed him, and IN
destroying him, il had used the very
engine invented by Van Buren, in 1882
10 insure Van Buren's nomination TO-
the vice presidency. The tWO-th1rds
rule, which still prevails in Demo-
cratic conventions, has never defeated
but one man for the nomination, who
had a majority Of the delegates at any
time during the ballOting, and that
man was the author OF the rule-Mar-
tin Van Buren, Of New York
On the first ballot Van Buren, had
146 Of the Z66 votes The next highest
man was Lewis Cass, Of Michigan, with
IS, then came Richard NJ Johnson Of
Kentucky. with a The others had
only two or three votes each. Seven
ballots were taken that day. Van
Buren, had lost ground on every ballot
until on the seventh he had only 80
totes as against 123 for Cass, y for
Johnson, and % for james Buchanan.
After the seventh ballot the fight on
the tWO-thirds rule was renewed, when
delegate from Ohio offered resOlu-
ton stating that VT v an Buren nav
ing received a vote Of the majority Of
the delegates in this convention on the
first ballot, is elected as the nomina-
ton for the office Of president Of the
United States" This resolution threw
the convention into great confusion, in
which delegate from Pennsylvania
attempted to stamp EIDE the convention
Into nominating ven JACKSON. The
confusion became greater and greater.
and the chairman finally saved the day
by arbitrarily d1sourning the meeting
Polk the Dark Horse.
That night some Of the Tennessee
delegates who We're close TO Gen Jack
son suggested the name OF Polk Polk
had served as speaker Of the house OF
representatives. ana was fairly wei
known TO the leading politicians, al
though he never had been prominent
enough to seize hold upon the fmagin-
q of o Nrn
lot the next day Polk received 40 votes,
Van Buren, lO4, Cass ia On the next
and ninth, ballot every vote was cast
Tor Polk, Gen. Butler of the New York
delegation arising and reading a letter
Of withdrawal from his chief, Van
Buren,.
After Polk was nominated. the con
FenIlOn nominated Silas Wright of
New York, for vice president. princi-
pally because he was an intimate
friend Of Van Buren,. Senator Wright
was In the capitol at Washington.
where a large crowd had gathered to
hear the bulletins sent BY the newly
invented telegraph from Baltimore TO
W ashlngton When the news came
that Polk, "a dark horse" was nomin-
sted- many in the crowd refused to be-
leFe IL on the ground that the tele-
5raph was fake anyhow. But sena-
Tor NJ rlgnL did believe it, and he also
believed the news of his own nomina-
ton when II came. He was so indig-
nanL because Of the treatment that had
DGI-4 AAELEl Out 10 MS friend van
DuEen LuaL ne wrote out a telegram ]
declining the nomination and sent it
Ine flrst private telegram ever sent /
Ine convention refused to believe thar I
the telegraph was a reliable agency for !
communication and awaited the con
4 rmatlOn by letter When il came
they nominated George NJ Dallas 10 I
take his place
The Wing convention. which had met
on May i, had nominated CLAY by ac-
elamaton- and had placed Theodore /
j. reIlnghuys sen, Of New jersey. on the
ticket as his running mate The TVhfs
convention was notable only because /
OF It's harmonious agreement
Ihus was Joined the issue between
Gay and Polk in one Of the most hot
~ contested presidential campaigns in
our history campaign which RESULT
ed IN the election of the dark horse.
POLK, over the popular hero. Claw
lnat resulted in the annexation 81 4
Texas and the war with Mexico. and |
that made inevitable the aDDrOachir5 I
conflict OF the sixties
IOmOrrOW-NatiOnal Conventions I
SlXty-FOur Years Ago.