Omaha daily bee., 1912-09-08

CTION
ballots, and had a clear majority on nine Of them
Adroit lying and manipulation have more than once
robbed men Of the Presidency.
History sometimes repeats itself very nearly in
the movements and Vaccinations of Conventions
the fuctuating tides of politics and the story of
the nomination and election of Polk is of dramatic
interest and somewhat parallel to the Baltimore
situation
A A"Gentlemen's Agreement" That Went Wrong
1t was generally accepted that the Democrats
would nominate Martin Van Buren and that the
Wings would nominate Henry Clay. So that pair
of worthy and ambitious patriots entered into a
gentlemens agreement that the question of Texas
annexation, then brewing, should be postponed until
a more convenient season; at least more convenient
for them. Consequently Clay wrote letter against
annexation, and Van Buren, gave out statement OF
the same TENOR that would now be dubbed an inter
view Everything seemed lovely for the twain, but
only seemed so; for cotere of Southern statesmen
was bent on the immediate annexation of Texas and
on having President OF their own way of thinking
So, they went quietly and Systematically to work to
frustrate the nomination of Van Buren,, who had
already secured ma iority of the delegates to the
Convention. Many of them, however, were more for
the immediate annexation Of Texas than they
for Van Buren. So, some scheme had to be devised
to save their faces while defeating their candidate
General Jackson, rustcatng at the Hermitage
after weathering the multitudnous storms of long
life, but with his eagle eye still sweeping the political
horizon and his vengeful heart still set on beating
his ancient enemy, Henry Clay, was for Van Buren,
tooth and nail; but he was also for the immediate
annexation of Texas.
Old Hickory was of an unsuspecting character
and the willy politicians determined to circumvent
him and to make him the destroyer of Martin Van
Buren. Considering how whole-heartedly he stood
by his friends, one is forced to pronounce such
performance a most cruel one. The schemers in
duced Aaron V. Brown, Congressman from Ten
nessee to write Jackson private letter Of inquiry
concerning his views annexation In his inno-
cence, the General sent strong reply declaring him.
self in favor Of immediate annexation. The chances
that, it pressed he would have declared in favor
of annexng all of Mexico. However, at the psyche
logical moment the Jackson letter was published and
widely exploited, creating tremendous sensation.
Even with this aid, 1t was necessary to formulate
plan whereby the annexatiOnist delegates who
instructed for Van Buren, could help to crush him
while appearing to support him, thereby exoneratng
themselves to their constituents at home. So, the
two-thirds rule was introduced and many annexa-
ZIONIST Van Buren delegates voted for it, enabling
themselves to keep the word Of promise to the ear
but to break it in fact by voting for Van Buren, on
every ballot, knowing full well that he never could
obtain the necessary two-thirds. The plan worked
like charm in 1874, giving the Democrats Presi-
dent and giving the country Texas, New Mexico,
Arizona, California, Nevada and parts of Oklahoma,
Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska and Utah. Subse-
quently- as fate frequently ordains in balancing
accounts 1T worked as boomerang when in 184S,
Van Buren bolted for the sake of revenge and de-
feated General Cass.
From Battlefield to White House