Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-05


ton met in Charleston, S. 6.
Hon. Stephen A. Douglas the up
standing candidate. He had been a ma
gician-who seemed to balance the North
against the South.
The convention had been preceded by Bit
ter strife in the House and Senate. The
Little Grant" as Douglas was called, had
twice I<51ore sought the nomination and
had been rejected by what was called the
"fire-eaters" of the South
He was getting up in years, and by the
time another four years had passed he
would be getting too old, ETC.
The convention opened at noon, April %.
Slidell, Breckenridge and Lane, of Oregon,
were bitterly opposed to Douglas. They did
not like squatter sovereignty-and he did
not consider slavery the main issue. 1t was
predicted before the convention met that
the Southern delegates would evacuate il
Douglas was nominated, just as Van Buren,
delegates evacuated in 184S at the Balti-
more convention
The day before the convention six South
ern delegates pledged themselves to with-
draw unless a resolution was adopted IN
ravor of Congressional protection for slavery
in the territories
This was the first severe blow to the
Douglas men. There were two delegations
from New YOrk-one headed by Fernando
Wood, the other by Dean Richmond. The
latter known as the albany regency"
\of which heard great deal in those
exciting days. The Wood delegation IA
vored Douglas.
Seven Southern states and Pennsylvania
were openly against the Wood delegation.
Hon. Francis Flournoy, Arkansas del
egate and Douglas man, made tenn
porary chairman and Caleb Gushing perma-
nent chairman.
Amid great uproar and confusion, the two
New York delegations and one delegation
from Illinois We're not permitted to vote
until the disputes settled.
Permanent Chairman Gushing said, in his
speech: "You are here as representatives
of the great Democratic party; that proud
party in the Union which main tains public
liberties and popular freedom-to maintain
the sacred rights of States
The fight over the resolutions was pro-
longed and bitter. Judge Taney's bred
Scott decision upheld
Jefferson Davis, resolutions said negro
slaves comprise the most important part Of
the South's domestic institutions, and it is
the duty of the Federal Government to pro-
tect that institution"
The Douglas resolution left the question
Of slavery to the Territories. Hon. Ben But
The committee on resolutions occupied
two days and nights.
At the Mills House, in Charleston board
$500 per day-a deposit required.
Breakfast $3.50 ditto dinner and supper.
The Wood delegation was rejected by the
convention-the Dean Richmond seated.
The members from eight Southern states
declared they would secede and nominate
Davis and Slidell if Woods resolutions were
accepted.
The Alabama delegation (W. L. Yancey)
was reported as weeping and praying, and
calling the North and West delegations all
abolitionists
On the 5th day of the convention two
reports were made. One by Mr.. Avary,
of North Carolina, and minority report by
Butler of Massachusetts. New England.
New Jersey Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, New York
and Pennsylvania signed Buffers report.
Avary rose UP to say: eve sympathize
with you when you are called dough faces
at the North" Mr.. Butler said: "Massa-
chusetts has never had rule that prevent
ed man from voting his sentiments from
fear of the bludgeon or bullet" Mr.. King,
of Missouri, said "The majority report
has the sting of death If adopted the
Democratic party is whipped before the bat
tie"
There was furious, bitter debating on
28th and 10Th. An Iowa delegate pleaded
that the convention shall not drive one
half the delegates out of the party! An
Arkansas delegate declared Douglas to g
an enemy of the South"
They quit Saturday night and begun
early Monday to debate again.
On the night of April 80, delegates from
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana,
South Carolina, Florida Arkansas and Vir-
ginia withdrew from the convention. On
the morning of May LIST the exodus beghN>
1t was proposed to adjourn to Philadelphia
and New York and start over again. Dele
gates begun to leave the hall, Georgia and
Arkansas leading.
On the evening of May LIST the balloting
began. Douglas, received 145 to $50 on
several ballots, too few to elect.
The convention balotted three days. On
the 55ta ballot Douglas had 157 ballots, On
the 5th ballot Mr. Douglas, in Washing
ton, instructed them to adjourn to Balti-
more They met on June %. The Sc
ceders determined also to nominate in Rich
mond, Va, and to await the action at Bal
timore.
At Richmond, June II, a meeting was
held. The Baltimore convention nominated
Douglas The Richmond gathering nomi-
mated Breckenridge and Lane.
A Bell and Everett ticket was also put
in the field
Douglas tried to withdraw, but his friends
would not release him. He came to Geor-
gia and spoke at Kingston. His handsome
wife came with him.
And this was Ga years ago
name aloud, but in reality it was only a
whisper on her burning lips And then in
flash all her control deserted her; she
felt like frightened child walking into
darkness and silence from a bad dream.
,toI h.