Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-05-18
Presidents Who Failed
To Get a Second Term
Five Who Were Thus Renomi-
mated Have Been Defeated
at the Polls.

arrived. Tyler yainly tried TO build
up machine that would make him his
own successor. No vice president call
ed to the chair by the death Of his
predecessor was 10 be elected prcsi-
dent until Roosevelt was thus chosen
in 1904. Van Buren, was the first pres
ident disappointed of second term
who eventually accepted the nomina
ton of n third party. Fillmore did the
like. Tylers nomination by an office
holding faction In 1874 was a mere
bluff. Polk had to make way for a
northern candidate In 1S4S, and he
would hardly have outlived his second
term could he have been elected over
Taylor.
Fillmore and Pierce.
Fillmore stood no chance for the
nomination against a soldier candidate
In 1852. and Pierce In 1856 was too
sick of politics and too harassed by
the situation between north and south
to seek denomination. Besides. It was
imperative that some man who had
been out of the turmoil should be the
Democratic nominee. and Buchanan.
absent on the English mission. was the
man. In 1850 Buchanan's age and In
firmities would have been enough to
prevent his denomination had he been
otherwise acceptable to either faction
OF his party. He outlved his murder
ed successor more than three years.
The radicals In 1864 threatened the
madness of campaign against Lin
coin with Fremont ms their candidate.
johnson really hoped that the Demo
Gratis would nominate him in 1868.
Men not yet old recall the vain fight
against the denomination and re-elec-
ton of Grant in 1879 and the equally
vain attemrt to nominate him for n
third term. Arthur was not seriously
considered for denomination. and
Hayes throughout his whole term let
1t be known that he would not seek
denomination.
The triumph Of Cleveland over his
enemies, within his own party and in
the Republican party in 1892 after his
defeat for reelection In 1888, is one of
the most dramatic incidents of Ameri-
can politics. Mckinley had pretty
smooth sailing In 1900. and Roosevet's
luck and triumph In 1904 were such as
no predecessor had enjoyed since Mon
roe.
Eight Failed.
Eight presidents have failed of a
second nomination at the hands of
their party. and FIVE thus renominated
have failed of election. Perhaps
Pierce, Buchanan and Hayes were the
only ones to cherish neither open nor
secret hope of denomination ut the
hands of some party. Loss of mid
term party control in the house of rep
resentatives has usually been n bad
omen for a president ambitious of q
second term. In hardly any instance
was the age alone of a retiring presi-
dent sufficient to defeat him of sec
ond nomination. though some men
have been nominated n second time at
an age that would have made 1t diff
cult for them to obtain q first nominal
ton.
Tho five presidents who failed of cleo
ton at second nomination long out
lived their terms. while of the eight
who failed of second nomination five
died within eight years of their retire
ment. Most of the presidents who
failed of second nomination took no
very conspicuous part in public affairs
after retirement, and only two expires
idents have returned TO congress. John
Quincy Adams and Grover Cleveland
alone had notable political careers aft
er defeat upon a second nomination.