Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/141

* DEMOCRATIC PARTY. Ill DEMOCRATIC PARTY. as tUe Dciuocratic Party, which has, since 1828, niaiiitained an unbrokoii existence. This parly, «licn thus organized by Jackson, ailheieil to Iho orthodox Icnels of the old Ant i- federalists, the strict construction of the t'onstitution, and the limitation of the powers of the Federal Govern- ment. As shivery, however, soon became the most vital question in national politics, and as the Democratic I'arty was lar'.idy eontrolletl hf its Southern wing, it became finally the party of consenatism, in opposition to the new liepub- licau I'arty's progressive platform of free men and free soil. The two si"ctional wings of this party became naturally separated during the course of the Civil War, and the subsequent juo- ce.<s of rchaliilitation was so prolonged that the party was not again able to elect a President (leaving out of account the disputed election of 187UI until 1SS4, when entirely new issues were involved. In its later course the party, in ac- cordance with its old traditions, became particu- larly consjjicuous as the advocate of tariff re- form, and upon that platform its <mly post-bel- lum President. Grover Cleveland, was elected. The founding of the present Democratic Party, although in large measure due to the bitter fight between the followers of .John Quincy Adams and those of Andrew Jackson, occurred in a decade during which were effected certain signifi- cant changes in the American political system. Thus, the practice, which had been thitherto uniformly obsened, of having the Presidential electors chosen by the State Legislatures.' was in some States alnmdoned, and thereafter the present method, by which the voters at large were given a share in the choice of the electors, was gradually introduced. -Moreover, the old method of leaving the choice of Presidential can- didates to a caucus (q.v. ) of the members of a partv in Congress was vigorously attacked in 18-24. with the result that after 1828 the people at large, through the medium of the national nominating conventions, had a direct share in the choice of candidates. Furthermore, in the same decade was felt for the first time the real significance of the political power of the new States beyond the Alleghanies. for, with the rise to power of the new .Jaeksonian Democracy, there was given full sway to the principles of equality and of thorough democracy, which were best illustrated in the region of which Jackson was the natural product. In large measure, the first conflict, in addition to being a largely personal one between the followers of Adams and those of .Jackson, became a struggle between the old .Tristocraey of the East and the new democ- racy of the West, in which the latter, having almost won in the campaign of 1824, triumphed decisively in 1828, and brought to the Presidency the man who, in eight years, was to transform a personal following into a dominating na- tional party. Jackson brought into his follow- ing not only the friends of Calhoun and of W. H. Crawford, but also the strong forces of the Al- bany Regency (q.v.). under the lead of his Secretary of State, Martin Van Buren. Accord- ingly, the Democratic convention — the first na- tional convention of the party— which met at Baltimore. May 21. 18.32. had little more to do than to name a candidate for the Viee-Presi- deney. and in that step they followed the will of their leader and named Van Buren. This con- vention oriL'inaled the so-called 'two-thirds rule.' 'Ihe election which followed indicated clearly that Jackson's policy as to the tarill' and as to the National Bank had been approved, inasmuch as he received 21!) electoral votes, while Henry Clay received only J!), JacKson carrying besides the Southern States, excepting Kentucky, the States of -Maine, New Jersey, Xew Ham.pshire, and Xew York. The next convention of the party, that at Baltimore on Slay 20, 1835, was jicculiar in having .some G2G delegates, of whom 422 came from four States, Jlaryland, for in- stance, sending as delegates every member of the State Democratic convention. As was com- monly expected, ^'an Huren was given the nom- ination, Kiehard il. -lohnson, of Kentucky, being •' named for the 'ieePresideiicy. The vote of the Whig candidate, William 11. Harrison (q.v.), was increased to 73, while Van Buren"s electoral vote fell to 170, a part of this Democratic weak- ening being accounted for by the 20 votes which were cast for .Judge White, of Tennessee, and the II votes which were cast for JIangum by South Carolina. The whole responsibility for the re- sults of the financial policy of .Jackson and Van Buren was j)laced upon the Democratic Party, with the result that in 1840 General Harrison received 234 electoral votes and Van Buren re- ceived only 00. The Democratic convention of -May 4, IS-tO, had been especially uncertain in its action because of a pronounced difference of opinion as to the claims of Vice-President R. M. Johnson. The convention adopted, in a series of resolutions, what was substantially a "plat- form,' expressing their view of the limited authority of the Central Government, and of the impropriety of I'ederal laws establishing a na- tional bank, providing for internal improve- ments, or fostering particular industries. The same platform, with additions, was adopted by the convention held at Baltimore on May 27. 1844, which pronounced for the reoccupation of Oregon and the reannexation of Texas. For the first time in a convention of the party, there was then a serious contest for the Presidential nomination. I'pon the first ballot. "an Buren received a majority of the votes, and, although in the lead for four ballots, for the four subse- quent ballots the leading candidate was Gen- eral Cass, of Jlichigan, but on the ninth ballot the convention was 'stampeded' for an in- conspicuous candidate, possibly advanced to pre- sence harmony. .James K. Polk, of Tennessee. George il. Dallas, of Pennsylvania, was nom- inated for the Vice Presidency, and this ticket received 170 electoral votes, as against 105 votes cast for Henry Clay. The failure of Van Buren to secure the party's nomination in 1844 and the choice by Polk of William L. ilarcy (q.v.), of Xew York, as his Secretary of f5tate. brought into ])rominence the factional contro- versy between the 'Barnburners' (q.v.) and the 'Hunkers' (q.v.), in Xew York. Both of these factions sent delegations to the convention of ilay 22, 1348, at Baltimore, and both delegations were admitted to seats, the vote of the State being divided equally between them. Xeither delegation took thereafter any part in the con- vention, although the Hunkers and Marcy sup- ported the .Administration and the party's nom- inee. On the fourth ballot. General Lewis Cass, of Michigan, was nominated for the Presidency; and for the Vice-Presidency Oen. William O. Butler, of Kentucky, was named, the convention