Evening star., 1931-12-20
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


tional Committee to hold the Republi-
can National Convention in Chicago
next Summer, with the probability that
the Democratic National Convention
will be held also in that central city
has aroused much reminiscence regard
ing the history OF party conventions
and how the convention system was
adopted.
For many years in the early history
Of politics in this country Baltimore
was known as the "City of Conven-
tions," the first one having been held
there In l83l-just century ago. One
Of the most notable was that of 1872
which nominated Horace Greeley and
the last in 1912 which nominated
Woodrow Wilson.
For more than 80 years candidates
1or the presidency were nominated by
caucus composed of United states
Senators and members of the House of
Representatives, which custom con-
tinued until 1924 when the menora ble
caucus insisted upon by Martin Van
Buren and other friends of William n
crawford OF Georgia defeated the lat
ter as candidate and effectually killed
the caucus system, which haG become
almost tyrann1cal in its rule This
famous caucus was attended bv most
OF tne senators, but by only eight mem
oers OF the House of Representatives,
me electlon was thrown into the House
Where the friends of Henry Clay voted
LOT Adams to defeat jackson which
Killed the Republican party of that
oay, as well as the rule of the caucus,
The first convention for the nomina
tlon OF President and Vice President
winch came about as a result of the
oeath OF the caucus system, was the
antl-MaSonic convention, held in Balti-
more IN Septer Der, 1881. and followed
IN December OF the same year bv the
nrSt national Republican convention of
OF the old party of that name which
nominated Henry Clay for President
ana John Sergeant for Vice President
inese were followed in Baltimore by
the Democratic convention of 1882
which nominated Jackson and Van Bu-
rem; the Democratic one OF 1885 which
nominated Van Buren and johnson: !:
that OF l840 which again nominated
Van Buren,; the Whig convention of
l844 which nominated Clay and Ere
hnghuysen; the Democratic convention
OF 1874 which nominated Polk and Dali
las: also OF l848 which nominated Cass
and Butler who were defeated bv Gen
Iaylor); the Whig convention in 1852
which presented Scott and Graham
VINO were defeated by Pierce and King,
VINO were also nominated the same year
IN Baltimore; the Whig convention of
1885 which nominated Fillmore and
Doleson. and which was buried with
the Wing party; the Constitutions !
Union party Of 1860 which named Bell
and Everett, and the seceders Of the
Democratic party who put forward
Breckenridge and Lane: the Renuhli-
can OF 1864 which nominated Lincoln
and put johnson second on the ticket.
and again in 1872 which ratified the
nomination of Greeley,
During this period three national
conventions were held in Harrisburg
five In Philadelphia. one in New York
one IN Buffalo, one in Utica. three in
Cincinnati. three in Chicago one in st
Louis, and one in Charleston.
1t was II years ago that the first
Republican National Convention was
held in Chicago. the convention CITY"
that beckons them again next wear
mat convention started on Nav l6
1850, and nominated Abraham Lincoln
and Hannibal Hamlin It was the sec
ond convention of the new Republican
party. Four years later the Democrats
held their National Convention in Chi
cago in September and nominated
George B. Mcclellan and George H
Pendleton. Both of these conventions
were held at a critical period in the
history Of the country. At the Repub-
Acan convention delegates were pres
ent from all portions of the Northern
states and the then holding
States Of Delaware. Maryland. Virginia
Kentucky and Missouri A delegation
GAINED to represent Texas but it Vas
subsequently proven to have been gotten
up IN Michigan and was ruled out The
District OF Columbia sent one delegate
Gen. Joseph Gerhardt. George Ashmun
OF Massachusetts. who was president of
the convention, was the last man with
whom Lincoln held any official relations
on the night Of his assassination. Mr.
Ashmun presided in a mammoth" tenn
porary structure known at the time
as The WigWam, situated on the lake
front and holding about 10000 persons.
Inc nomination of Lincoln on the sec
ond ballot was almost as great a sur
prise to the convention as was the
nomination Of Hayes at Cincinnati in
1876 1t confirmed "a most ingenious
paradox in the action of national con-
ventlons that the strongest candidates
often prove to be the weakest ones
though Mr.. Lincoln was second on the
hrSt ballot and remained so until nomi-
mated. But before the convention met
ne was not regarded strongly as a can
dloate, compared with Seward. Chase or
Bates: Former Secretary of State
EFartS put Seward in nomination. Mr..
Judd OF Illinois named Lincoln Cartier
OF ONO. later chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court of the District of Colum-
bia. nominated Chase. and Corwin of
Ohio presented Judge Mclean.
The Indiana delegation and Mr.. De-
lano OF Ohio seconded the nomination
OF Lincoln. Other candidates we're
voted for, including Wade. Cameron.
Bates Read, Dayton, Sumner, Fremont
ana Collamer. Stewards canvass was
IN the hands of Thurlow Weed, the
aolest political manager of his day,
whose devotion to Seward amounted al
most 10 ldolatry. On the first ballot
seward had 173lo and Lincoln 1921.
On the third ballot Seward had l8O
and Lincoln 23ll2. This gave Lincoln
Wlthln 2i2 votes of the nomination.
Before the result was officially an
nounced Cartier, as chairman Of the
ONO delegation, arose and said: Il
rise, Mr.. Chairman, to announce the
change of votes from Ohio from Mr.
Chase to Mr.. Lincoln" That decided
II. Lincoln was nominated There was
panaemon1um of applause. Maine fol-
lowed Ohio's change Massachusetts
came next, with Missouri Minnesota.
Iowa and Kentucky in close order
When the third ballot was finally an
nounced. Whole number of votes cast
800, necessary to choice 234." Lincoln
received 354 and was declared nomi-
nated. The evening of the same day
two ballots were taken for the vice pres
loentlal nomination, and Hamlin won
out.
Mr.. Judd Of Illinois, who nominated
Lincoln, was the first appointment made
under the new administration after the
caolnet had been selected.
An Object Lesson.
From the Rochester Times-Union