Convention, Nominating

In the first stages of American political life, candidates for offices within the gift of the people either themselves made public announcement of their candidacy or were nominated by more or le private or informal caucuses of party leaders, Next came the legislative caucus (which see), the candidate ofa party being chosen by a caucus of the members of the Legislature belonging to that party. Though a sporadic case of a nominating convention (at Harris burg) as early as 1788 is mentioned, yet in general the legislative caucus was the ordinary practice at that time. But this gave, in the case of a given party, no representation of those districts whose legislative delegates were not of that party. Hence arose a modification of the caucus; the legislative caucus being supplemented by the addition of delegates specially sent up from those unrepresented districts. This was the half-way stage to the nominating convention pure and simple, which consisted of delegates from all parts of the State, chosen especially and solely for the purpose of making nominations. This institution, which has prevailed universally ever since, arose soon, as improved means of communication between different parts of a State made it easy for such bodies to be convened. In Pennsylvania the fully developed nominating convention of the modern type appears in (1792) 1817, in New Jersey in 1812, in Rhode Island and New York in 1825. After becoming fully developed in the States, the system was applied to Federal elections. The Presidential nominations of 1824 (except Crawford’s caucus nomination) had been made on no well-defined plan, those of 1828 mostly by State Legislatures. The first national nominating convention was that held by the Anti-Masons at Baltimore in September, 1831, by which Wirt and Elimaker were nominated. The National Republican Convention at Baltimore, December, 1831, followed. In May, 1832, a Dem- ‘ ocratic Convention nominated Van Buren for Vice-President. In 1835 the Democrats at Baltimore nominated Van Buren and Johnson in National Convention; the Whigs held none. In 1840 both parties adopted this practice, which has since been followed without exception. Beginning with that year, the principal conventions have been the following: 1839, Whig, at Harris burg, nominating Harrison and Tyler; 1840, Democratic, at Baltimore, nominating Van Buren but no Vice- President; Liberty party at Albany, nominating Birney and Earle; 1844, Whig at Baltimore, Clay and Frelinghuysen; Democratic at Baltimore, Polk and Dallas; Liberty party at Buffalo (1843), Birney and Morris; 1848, Democratic at Baltimore, Ca and Butler; Whig at Phil-. ‘ a delph i a, Taylor and Fill more; Free-Soil at Buffalo, Van Buren and Vol. V.—12 Adams; 1852, Democratic at Baltimore, Pierce and Kiug; Whig at Baltimore, Scott and Graham; Free-Soil at Pittsburg, Hale and Julian; 1856, American (‘‘ Know-Nothing’) at Philadelphia, Fill more and Do nelson; Democratic at Cincinnati, Buchanan and Breckinridge; Republican at Philadelphia, Frémont and Dayton; Whig at Baltimore, ratified the American nominations; 1860, Democratic (Moderate) at Charleston and Baltimore, Douglas and Johnston; Democratic (Extreme) at Charleston, Richmond and Baltimore, Breckinridge and Lane; Constitutional Union at Baltimore, Bell and Everett; Republican at Chicago, Lincoln and Hamlin; 1864, Republican (Radical) at Cleveland, Frémont and Cochrane; Republican (Regular) at Baltimore, Lincoln and Johnson; Democratic at Chicago, McClellan and Pend let on; 1868, Republican at Chicago, Grant and Colfax; Democratic at New York, Seymour and Blair; 1872, Liberal Republican at Cincinnati, Greeley and Brown; Republican at Philadelphia, Grant and Wilson; Democratic at Baltimore, ratified the Liberal Republican nominations; 1876, Greenback at Indianapolis, Cooper and Carey; Republican at Cincinnati, Hayes and Wheeler; Democratic at St. Louis, Tilden and Hendricks; 1880, Republican at Chicago, Garfield and Arthur; Greenback at Chicago, Weaver and Chambers; Democratic at Cincinnati, Hancock and English; 1884, Republican at Chicago, Blaine and Logan; Democratic at Chicago, Cleveland and Hendricks; Prohibitionist at Pittsburg, St. John and Daniel; Greenback Labor party, Butler and West; 1888, Prohibitionist at Indianapolis, Fiske and Brooks; Democratic at St. Louis, Cleveland and Thurman; Republican at Chicago, Harrison and Morton; 1892, Republican at Minneapolis, Harrison and Reid; Democratic at Chicago, Cleveland and Stevens on; Prohibitionist at Cincinnati, Bid well and Cranfell; People’s party at Omaha, Weaver and Field. For further, see Hist. of Political Parties, Vol. II., p 443. Convention of 1787, the body which framed the Constitution of the ' United States, was first suggested by a private letter of Alexander Hamilton in 1780, The State Legislatures were slow in considering the matter. The convention was really brought about by the recommendation of a previous convention of delegates from several States, who had a embled at Anna polis in September, 1786, to consider the regulation of trade. Virginia taking the lead, delegates were chosen to a convention to amend the faulty Articles of Confederation. By June 2, 1787, delegates fron: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ma achusetts, Connecticut, Georgia and Maryland, had a embled at Philadelphia, those from the first seven States having arrived May 25. On May 29 Edmund Randolph, of Virginia, presented a plan for ‘‘a more energetic government,’’ and inclining to reduce the ‘‘idca of States’? *> a minimum. He proposed 4 a correction of the Articles of Confederation; representation by population; two branches of Congre , the first chosen by the people, the second by the first on nomination by the State Legislatures; that Congre should legislate concerning commerce and taxes and should have a veto power over State laws; that Congre should choose the executive, who should have veto power, and a number of other clauses. Charles Pinckney, of South Carolina, snbmitted another draft of a Constitution. These were considered and reported favorably. After much debate it was decided that a national government ought to be established. June 15, William Paters on, of New Jersey, submitted a draft which was in nearly every respect incompatible with Randolph’s, leaving far more to the States, that the small States might be protected. On the motion of Elisworth a compromise was effected by giving the States an equal representation in the Senate and a representation proportionate to population in the House. A compromise was also effected regarding the regulation of commerce and the taxation of exports. The third compromise forbade Congre to prohibit the slave trade, and established a fugitive slave law. July 24, a committee of detail was appointed. August 6, this committee of detail reported a draft strongly resembling the Constitution. A month was spent in debate, and on September 12 this draft, amended by the third great compromise, was given to a committee of style, consisting of Gouverneur Morris, Johnson, Madison, Hamilton and King. September 13, the Constitution was reported to the convention very nearly in its present form. In the debates the leaders of the nationalizing party were: Hamilton, Madison, King, Wilson and Morris; of the States’ rights, Lansing, Yates, Paters on, Martin. On September 17, 1787, the convention adjourned, after sending the Constitution to Congre for transmi ion to the States. Its proceedings were marked by great moderation and wisdom. It consisted mostly of somewhat conservative men. A movement toward a second general convention in 1788, started by George Clinton, Patrick Henry and other Anti-Federalists, proved abortive. 182