Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1928-08-03
~snsl&sSxsnts4a> us<tsxhekxscto-A
LITTLE WAGON
JOURNEYS IT.. m By
6.-FirSt National COnven-
ti0ns
Het-sStSH ts{tS{4 q nsS1sSt nsn~N
&c. 1928. Western Newspaper Unionl


CTATE nominating conventions
- appeared in 1924 in protest
against the congressional caucus
system. 1t was six years later that
the first national party convention
was held.
Pennsylvania citizens, besides
holding the first state convention,
had given the idea for a national
gathering. The Democrats of Ian
caster county in the Keystone state
went on record in 1924 as favOring
"a convention of delegates from ali
states of the Union" as 1.-THE best
and most uneXceptiOnal method of
nominating Presidential candidates,
although they admitted it would be
"entirely impracticable, from the
immense extent of our country and
from the great expense necessarily
incident to an attendance from the
extreme parts of the United States"
These difficulties were real. In
1880, when the first national con-
ventiOn was attempted, the United
States had only % miles of railway,
and stage and horseback travel over
nl-made roads was extremely slow.
The Anti-MasOnic party was one
Of those sporadic, meteOrlike third
parties that are born and die almost
in the same campaign. But to it
goes the credit of holding the first
national convention.
The gathering met at Philadel-
phia in September, 1880, and called
a second convention to meet in |
Baltimore a year later. At the lat |
ter meeting the party had a repre-
sentatiOn equal to the number of |
senators and representatives of the |
states in congress.
The National Republicans, fore
runners of the Wing party, were not |
slow to initiate the Anti-Masons' |
example. Baltimore in 1881 was
also the scene of their first national
convention, with 1877 delegates, rep
resenting in somewhat irregular
fashion II states. Members decided
upon the candidates by a roll Of
delegates, each rising in his place
as his name was called and an
nouncing his vote.
Henry Clay was the unanimous
nominee of the convention, and it
recommended the converting OF a
national assembly of young men IL
Washington the next year. This
body, known derisively as "C1ay's
Infant School," also Endorsed the
great compromises.
Neither of these early conven- +
lions adopted what could be strict
ly regarded as a platform, in the
modern sense, although they passed
resolutions. The ten resolutions
adopted by the young men at Wash
lngtQn have been referred to as the
first platform ever formulated Ly a
national party convention.
Gen. Andrew Jackson, who had
been elected President in 1923, with
his keen instinct for getting close
to the people, was quick to see adj
vantage in the new nominating
method. So, although Jackson was
sure Of being renOminated by the
Democrats to succeed himself. he
lad a national convention sum-
noned for the purpose of ratifyiEy
lis preference fer Martin Van Blu
en- Of New York to be the vica
residential nominee. The IattsS
vas far from being a favorite with
he partS, and Jackson decided ND
n holding the convention to give
is running-mate the semblance Of
popular mandate.
"Old Hickory" saw to it in ad-
ance that most of the DELEGATES
7ere lined up for his man. Those
Tho disapprOved Of the New York
r were told it would be well for
lem to climb aboard the band
'agon unless they wished ito quar-
FL with the general"
It is interesting to note that from
his earliest Democratic national =
invention date certain practices =
ocular to Democratic conventions.
1tably the two-third rule, that have
ersisted right down through the,
arty history.