American politics (non-partisan) from the beginning to date : $b embodying a history of all the political parties, with their views and records on all important questions. Great speeches on all great issues, and tabulated history and chronological events.Cooper, Thomas V. (Thomas Valentine)
History
American politics (non-partisan) from the beginning to date : $b embodying a history of all the political parties, with their views and records on all important questions. Great speeches on all great issues, and tabulated history and chronological events.
Cooper, Thomas V. (Thomas Valentine)
Political parties -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
The President here ordered the Secretary to call the States. Maine, New
Hampshire, and Vermont were called, and they gave an unbroken vote for
Stephen A. Douglas. When Massachusetts was called, Mr. Butler rose and
said he had a respectful paper in his hand which he would desire the
President to have read. A scene of great confusion thereupon ensued,
cries of “I object” being heard upon all sides. Mr. Butler, not to be
baffled, contended for his right at this stage to make remarks pertinent
to the matter, and cited in his support the practice of the Conventions
at Baltimore in 1848 and 1852, and at Cincinnati in 1856. He finally
prevailed, and was permitted to proceed. He then said he “would now
withdraw from the Convention, upon the ground that there had been a
withdrawal, in whole or in part, of a majority of the States; and
further, which was a matter more personal to himself, he could not sit
in a convention where the African slave trade, which was piracy
according to the laws of his country, was openly advocated.”
Mr. Butler then retired, followed by General Cushing and four others of
the Massachusetts delegation. All of these had voted with the South and
against Douglas.
The balloting now proceeded. Mr. Douglas received 173½ votes; Mr.
Guthrie 9; Mr. Breckinridge 6½; Mr. Bocock and Mr. Seymour each 1; and
Mr. Dickerson and Mr. Wise each half a vote. On the next and last ballot
Mr. Douglas received 181½ votes, eight of those in the minority having
changed their votes in his favor.
To account for this number, it is proper to state that a few delegates
from five of the eight States which had withdrawn still remained in the
Convention. On the last ballot Mr. Douglas received all of their votes,
to wit: 3 of the 15 votes of Virginia, 1 of the 10 votes of North
Carolina, 1½ of the 3 votes of Arkansas, 3 of the 12 votes of Tennessee,
3 of the 12 votes of Kentucky, and 2½ of the 8 votes of Maryland, making
in the aggregate 14 votes. To this number may be added the 9 votes of
the new delegates from Alabama and the 6 from Louisiana, which had been
admitted to the exclusion of the original delegates.
Mr. Douglas was accordingly declared to be the regular nominee of the
Democratic party of the Union, upon the motion of Mr. Church, of New
York, when, according to the report of the proceedings, “The whole body
rose to its feet, hats were waved in the air, and many tossed aloft;
shouts, screams, and yells, and every boisterous mode of expressing
approbation and unanimity, were resorted to.”
Senator Fitzpatrick, of Alabama, was then unanimously nominated as the
candidate for Vice-President; and the Convention adjourned _sine die_ on
the 23d June, the sixth and last day of its session. On the same day,
but after the adjournment, Mr. Fitzpatrick declined the nomination, and
it was immediately conferred on Mr. Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia, by
the Executive Committee. Thus ended the Douglas Convention.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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