The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-23
f|RSTCONvENT|ON
HELD IN 1882
Gathering in Baltimore on Tues
day Will Be TwcnV-First
for Democrats.
JACKSON FIRST NOMINEE
Two-Thirds Rule for Naming
OF Candidate an InYiolable
Rule.
JACKSON FIRST NOMINEE
Especial to Tho Timcs-Dispatch.1

|
Washington. June 22.-When tho
Democratic convention IL oponed Tues.
day In Baltimore the twenty-frpt such
gathering Will be ut hand. It's q Iona
time back to 1882. when the arst con-
vent.on was held. and It, too. in Bal.
! timore. and momentous have been the
years which have followed.
Ever since tho 1rBt convention was
held there have boon two tnviolsb BILE
rules in the party-that the delegates,
when 30 instructed, should cast the
votes OF their States "a unit, and the
other that no candidate should be nom-
inhted without two-thirds majority.
These rules have always been aolemnly
adhered 10. In the year OF the drst
convention Andrew jackson, "Old Kick
ory,' was nominated and elected Pres
ident and Martin Van Buren, Vico-pres-
ident
Baltimore also had the second con-
vention. held in 1886. ana that year
Van Buren, was elected President and
Richard Al Johnson Vice President
The third convention was also hold
in Baltimore IN ls4O, and again named
Van Buren, for President, but named
no one tor second place, leaving that
matter 10 the several States. In that
convention the first complete party
Platform ever formulated and put for
ward was adopted.
AS IN previous years. the convention
oil 1914 was also held In baltimore, and
u fierce three days hight ensusd between
van buren, and James *. Polk, the lat
ter finally coming OH victorious because
oil Van Burens views regard;llK Tho
annexation OF Texas.
Taylor and Fillmore. Wings. defeate j
the Gass and Butler ticket III lsis. that
convention being characterized by some
OF tAe sharpest conhicts that have oc-
CURED IN tho party's history except
possibly tnoss oil 1850 and 1895.
Dark horses" began to be popular
ABOUT 1867, when Franklin Pierce was
named to lead tho Democratic, with
lillian +. King, OF Alabama, as his
running mate.
Up to the time of the convention OF
1895 all such gatherings had been held
In Baltimore. but III The yeur named
Cincinnati was the city chosen for The
meeting. -Four days were spent in tho
selection of candidates. tho result being
mat James Buchanan was brought to
the front Tor FIRST place on tho tlcko,
ana joan e. Breckenridge Tor second
place.
Most Exciting COnvention.
Out perhaps the most intellerly uX-
I'uns Ul all such meetings was TINT
heid 1T Charleston in April, 1860, Just
1eIore tho booming OF the big guns of
iort sumter began. Ten days were
spent IN inc selection of candidates, and
nearly sixty ballots were taken. with
The result That nothing wns uccom
pHshcd tho convention splitting into
Two parts. one section putting UP Ste
phcn ~ Douglas. OF Illinois. ana uer-
sehel '. Johnson, of Georgia, and tho
'h" other Breckinrldgo for President
ana Joseph Lanc. OF oregon. for Vice
president. Roth tickets were defeated
by the Lincoln Hamlln ticket
EhIoaso hau the convention of 1864.
Ct which time Ri efforts We're bcin,
made 10 hold tho party ana keon II
from being smashed To pieces because
OF the CIVIL War. then raging in All
lts Jury. George y. Mcclellan, of Nav
Jersey, and George III. Pendleton or
ONO for first ana second place. re-
spectively. saw what remained of tho
party so down to defeat
IN 1868, when tho convention was
ueld In New York. tho Seymour Blair
ticket was put In tho field it being
the belief OF the party leaders that a
coinoihation of New York ard Mis-.
souri, men might meet with surcess
but this was not TO be, and the ticket
met defeat at the hands of Grant and
Colfa&
baltimore again came TO the front
IN lst2. when the convention OF that
year was held in the Morumoptoi
CITY Horace Greeley and GRAFT
Brown again saw tho ticket defeated
by the regular Republican organ!za
ton
Tliden and Hendricks led the Demo
Gratis ct st. Louis in 1876 and came
within n stones throw OF success
Since that time tho nominees hava
heen Hancock ana English, at Gin
oinnati In 1880; Cleveland ana Zen
bricks, AT Chicago in 1851; cleveland
and Thurman, at New York in 1855,
Cleveland and stevenson, at Chicago
IN 1877. Bryan and sewen at Chicago
In 1896; Bryan and Stevenson at Kan
sas City in 1900; Parker and Davis at
st. Louis In 1908: and Bryan.auG Kar..