1872 Democratic National Convention
Benjamin Gratz Brown of Missouri | |
The 1872 Democratic National Convention was a
The convention was called to order by Democratic National Committee chairman August Belmont. Thomas Jefferson Randolph served as the convention's temporary chairman and James R. Doolittle served as permanent president. At six hours in length, stretched over two days, the convention was the shortest meeting of a major political party convention in history.[2]
The convention
Accepting the "
While Greeley's long reputation in the years before as the most aggressive attacker of the earlier Democratic Party, its principles, its leadership, and its activists cooled enthusiasm among many of the delegates for the potential nominee, it was accepted that the Democrats would only split the anti-Grant vote and all but assure Grant of re-election if they nominated any other candidate.
Presidential nomination
Presidential candidates
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(Declined Consideration)
Major General William B. Franklin was approached by a group of Democrats from Pennsylvania and New Jersey who urged him to run against Horace Greeley for the party's presidential nomination. Citing a need for party unity, Franklin declined their suggestion. On the first ballot, Pennsylvania and New Jersey would cast the majority of votes against Greeley.
Horace Greeley received 686 of the 732 delegate votes cast on the first ballot. The motion to have Greeley's nomination be declared unanimous was carried.
Presidential Ballot | ||
---|---|---|
1st | Unanimous | |
Greeley | 686 | 732 |
Black | 21 | 0 |
Bayard | 15 | 0 |
Groesbeck | 2 | 0 |
Not Voting | 8 | 0 |
Source: Official proceedings of the National Democratic convention, held at Baltimore, July 9, 1872. (September 3, 2012).
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1st Presidential Ballot
Vice presidential nomination
Vice presidential candidates
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Benjamin Gratz Brown
of Missouri
Benjamin G. Brown received 713 of the 732 delegate votes cast on the first ballot.
Vice Presidential Ballot | |
---|---|
1st | |
Brown
|
713 |
Stevenson | 6 |
Not Voting | 13 |
Source: Official proceedings of the National Democratic convention, held at Baltimore, July 9, 1872. (September 3, 2012).
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1st Vice Presidential Ballot
Straight-Out Democrats Convention
A splinter, conservative group of Democrats broke off due to their dissatisfaction with the nomination of Greeley.
Calling themselves the
See also
- History of the United States Democratic Party
- History of Baltimore
- U.S. presidential nomination convention
- 1872 United States presidential election
- List of Democratic National Conventions
- 1872 Liberal Republican convention
- 1872 Republican National Convention
- Ulysses S. Grant
References
- ^ Matthew T. Downey, "Horace Greeley and the Politicians: The Liberal Republican Convention in 1872." Journal of American History 53.4 (1967): 727–750 online.
- ^ CNN.com: Think you know your Democratic convention trivia?
- ^ Dunning 198
Primary sources
- Chester, Edward W A guide to political platforms (1977) pp 90–96 online
External links
- Official proceedings of the National Democratic convention, held at Baltimore, July 9, 1872
- Democratic Party Platform of 1872 at The American Presidency Project
Preceded by New York, New York
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Democratic National Conventions | Succeeded by St. Louis, Missouri
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