The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-01-25
Conventions OF MANY YEARS
HAVE BEEN HELD IN BAIT |MORE
History For the Democratic
Party In the Past Was
Made There.

peared on the eighth ballot, and on
the ninth, when Van Buren's name
was withdrawn, Polk received more
than the necessary two-thirds and was
hailed as the first ozark horse to win
Democratic nomina ton.
The historian Bancroft, who became
Folks secretary of the navy and the
father of the Naval academy, did
much to further the nomination.
At this convention for the first time
were seen those waves Of passion and
excitement that have marked many
later conventions. The dignifed Ben
5amin F. Butler Of New York jumped
up and cracked his heels together in
his excitement at the struggle with
the southerners over Van Buren,, and
members stood upon benches in the
vain effort to hear or to make them
selves heard amid the babel.
The real work of the convention
was contrived, as usual, in the re-
cesses. Silas Wright who was nomi-
mated for vice president because Of his
known friendship for Van Buren,, tele-
graphed his declination, being the first
to use the telegraph for such a pur-
pose. While the convention sat an
other convention, mostly of federal Of
flee holders, nominated Tyler for pres
1dent and tried to force him upon the
Democrats.
Baltimore proved again an unlucky
convention town for the Democrats in
1913, in which year the fruits of Van
Buren's defeat by the southerners four
years earlier were seen in his accept
ance of the Free Soil nomination.
Luck returned, however, with the
nomination of Pierce as the second
dark horse at Baltimore in June, 1852
The next Democratic national con-
vention met at Cincinnati, exactly four
years later, when for the first time in
a quarter of a century Baltimore was
skipped. To Baltimore was transfer
red from Charleston the faction
quarrel of the Democrats in 1860. The
factions northern and southern at
Charleston adjourned to meet, the for
mer at Baltimore, the latter at Rich
mond. There had been at Charleston
In April 606 delegates, with 3O3 votes
The quarrel over the platform, which
brought about the secession of many
southern delegates, left the conven-
tion with a majority, but unable to
agree upon a nominee. 1t adjourned to
meet at Baltimore June 10, requesting
the southern states to fill the vacan-
cies left by the seceders.
The latter, with few delegates from
the border states, adopted resolutions
against the issuing of two party plat
forms or any change of party name
and adjourned to meet at Richmond
June II. Some Of the Richmond dele
gates were also accredited to Balti-
more. A complicated row over the
seating Of southern delegates in the
regular convention led to new seces-
sion, and the seceders, with reinforce
ments from the adjourned Richmond
convention, nominated one national
ticket, while the regulars nominated
another, and the party went forth to
defeat
Baltimore again brought the Demo
SAeACo Ottu 1uCA Ill uly, 1CIZ, Wueu Tie
regular Democratic convention ratified
the proceedings Of the Liberal Repub-
licans.
AS a convention city Baltimore was
crowded and uncomfortable from 1910
onward. An extant letter from dele
gate to the Wing convention of 1910
describes conditions as almost unen-
durable. Men were sleeping three in a
bed and half a dozen or more in a
room. The writer Of the letter thought
himself lucky to be entertained by a
friend, who was able to give him a
room, which he shared with but one
other person.
At convention time in 1860 the city
was fairly choked with delegates and
others, and it was crowded even in
1872. Since that time the hotel accom-
mediation of the city has greatly in
creased and the time by rail between
Baltimore and Washington has been
so reduced that it is easy to sleep in
Washington and attend convention ses-
s1Ons in Baltimore
r