Our Presidents and how we make themMcClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
History
Our Presidents and how we make them
McClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
Presidents -- United States -- Election
18. We believe that the modest patriotism, the earnest purpose, the
sound judgment, the practical wisdom, the incorruptible integrity, and
the illustrious services of Ulysses S. Grant have commended him to the
heart of the American people, and with him at our head we start to-day
upon a new march to victory.
19. Henry Wilson, nominated for the Vice-Presidency, known to the
whole land from the early days of the great struggle for liberty as an
indefatigable laborer in all campaigns, an incorruptible legislator,
and representative man of American institutions, is worthy to
associate with our great leader and share the honors which we pledge
our best efforts to bestow upon them.
The Democratic National Convention met in Baltimore on the 9th of July.
Thomas Jefferson Randolph, of Virginia, was the temporary president and
ex-Senator James R. Doolittle, of Wisconsin, was permanent president.
The Cincinnati Liberal Republican platform was reported by the
committee without the change of a word. Senator Bayard, of Delaware,
vigorously opposed it, but it was adopted by 670 to 62. A ballot was
had for President, resulting as follows:
Horace Greeley, New York 686
Jeremiah S. Black, Pennsylvania 21
Thos. F. Bayard, Delaware 16
Wm. S. Groesback, Ohio 2
Blank 7
On the 1st ballot for Vice-President, B. Gratz Brown received 713 votes
to 6 for John W. Stevenson, of Kentucky, and 13 blank. The nominations
were then made unanimous. It was one of the most harmonious conventions
that I ever witnessed, and there was very general and absolute
confidence felt that the Democrats and Liberals united could sweep the
country and elect Greeley to the Presidency.
There were few among the Democratic leaders who openly and determinedly
dissented. In point of fact the Democratic leaders were quite
sufficiently united on Greeley to have given him the victory, but the
rank and file refused to follow, as was proved by the State elections,
all of which showed that the Democrats lost more of their following
than the Republicans gave them from the Liberal ranks.
It was not until September 3d that the Democratic opposition to Greeley
took form, when a national convention was held at Louisville, Ky., and
nominated Charles O’Conor, of New York, for President and John Quincy
Adams, of Massachusetts, for Vice-President without the formality of a
ballot. Adams had agreed to accept the nomination if O’Conor stood at
the head of the ticket, but O’Conor promptly and peremptorily declined,
after which Mr. Lyon, president of the convention, was nominated for
President, but he also declined. The nomination for President was then
tendered to Mr. Adams, but he refused, and finally the convention
renominated O’Conor, and adjourned without inquiring whether the
candidates would stand or decline. The following is the platform
adopted by the Democratic dissenters:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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