The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-02-21
CONVENTIONS OF
HAVE BEEN HELD
City Was Scene of Struggles
Between North and South
Before War.

IN ADIlMOKE. where Tue hcA'
IL Democratic national convention |
is to meet, was the city I'm
which assembled the first ma
tional convention of the Democratic
party. the city In which n national con
yention first gave forth the party's for
nal platform and that in which the
first Democratic dark horse was nomi-
mated for the presidency.
At the wish of Jackson, the hrst
Democratic national convention. which
met at Baltimore. May 81, 1882. eight
months n fter the antiM Mason party had
set the fashion of such conventions by
meeting in the same city, formally
nominated Van Buren, for vice presi-
dent, but merely ratified the nomina-
ton of Jackson for president already
made by many state legislatures.
Jackson's candidacy and the nomina-
ton of Van Buren, marked the well de
fined quarrel between Jackson aud Cal
houn and prepared the way for the
factional struggle between the north
ern and the southern Democrats.
The convention adopted no platform.
| but cXpreSScu Colll'iehNc III
and his policies. The man ana MS
policies really constituted the party
platform.
The national Democratic convention
that nominated Van Buren, for presi-
dent met at Baltimore In May, 1862
having been called thus early to offset
the candidacy of Senator Hugh j..
White already nominated as an anu
Jackson Democrat by the legislature
of Tennessee.
In this convention the vote or each
state. though not its actual representa-
, ton. was In proportion to its strenSlh
; in congress. The convention was large
" made up of federal otiiceholders' as
was that Of 1892.
! Party platforms were embodied IN
, letters written by the several canoi-
dates in answer to inquiries addressed
= 70 them by means of an understandin"
D among the leaders. an awkward con
trivonce that subsequently brought
disaster to Clay.
: A Democratic convention represent
ing twenty-one states met at Balu
more in May, 1910. and nominated val
Buren,, though it forebore TO MAKE
ony nomination for vice president.
n The interest of the convention cam'
: from its being the first to adopt
definite platform of Democratic prih
ciples. This platform. when serVe'
n for many years as the basis for Demo
cratic doctrinal utterances, urged
Of 10 constitution
denied in tile name of such constru'
IN tion the power of the federal govern
ri mont TO make internal Improvements
IN assume state debts, to charter
- national bank or to legislate as to STAY
Dry i'm the states. condemned by III
plication the policy of protection. a.
la nounced the propaganda of the aDo.
tionists as dangerous to the Union o.
W approved any abridgement of the MI
uralization privilege. called for rig
economy i'm public expenditures, Tor
tn revenue limited to the needs OF sue
exnenditures and for the divorce or u
y treasury from the banks as indlspe
sable TO the safety Of public funds al
= to the preservation of popular rights
JTpon that platform the Democra
ne met their first disastrous defea
lp' though it was brought about rather
III conditions than by the party ute
ance.
ca The southern Democrats. who d;
oi- mad il in for Van Buren since lss
ee obtained their revenge upon MN at I
or convention OF 1874. which NEE at b;
au timore in May Annexation OF Tex
was the question over which Van L
RAJ rem was defeated for the nomination
Vi Jackson had been misled into W.T.
cts ing a letter that was used against
Is friend and protege, and Virginia, viii
AIRY had chosen n delegation instructed
mi Van Buren,, had reinstructed agaiI
'ar- him. The two-thrds rule adopted
~ 1892 was reafirmed in the early MOI
'i'n of the convention, and Van Bure
han friends. controlling majority OF vol
use yainly strove until the ninth ballot
force his nomination.
mp The name Of James X. Polk had
inc,
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