DEMOCRATIC PARTY. The term Demo cratic, ill .‘illerieilli party ''II, and loosely applied ill the yearS 17ti9 92 lo the gro1111 of.\1111 thereafter, in the decade of the eigh teenth :aid the tirst two decades of the nineteenth, to the party then commonly kno\vn as the 1:v11111'1k:in. 'Ulf • vigoron, adoption by nt Vedera I t especially during \Vashimiton''. of French principle, and led to the application to them if the term 1/enoieratie which remained in quite Y0111111011 usage for more than thirty yea•,. This general attitude was one of opposition to all eell1r11117.111g tenilt•neicA in the interpretation of the Federal They the National remain somew lett a, it had been under the old Confederation; and they regarded the as •-overeign in all l'\I reine of that word. (‘:ce CoNsritt clIoNtsrs.) the an•e of the Federalist Party (q.v.), 1.11(•re gradu ally appeared N11111111 the only party then active. two groups, oll• Of which bevalue 1:11oWl 01111 the other of which retained the old name of lbotni•ratie blepubli i The info the \\lig let v• • 11• palter was rontoaetly orgauti/.0d as the Democratic Party, which has, since 152S, maintained au unbroken existence. This party, when thus organized by Jackson, adhered to the orthodox tenets of the old Anti-Federalists, the strict construction of the Constitution, and the limitation of the powers of the Federal Govern ment. As slavery, however, became the most vital question in national politics, and as the Democratic Party was largely controlled 1 its Southern wing, it became finally the party of conservatism, in opposition to the new Repub li•an Party's progressive platform of free men and free soil. The two sectional wings of this party became naturally separated during the course of the Civil War, and the subsequent pro cess of rehabilitation was so prolonged that the party was not again able to elect a President (leaving out of aCeount the disputed election of 1576) until 1554, when entirely new• issues were involved. In its later course the party, in ac cordance with its old traditions, became parti•u larl• as the advocate of tariff re form, and upon that platform its only post-bel lum President, Grover Cleveland, The founding of the present Democratic Party, although in hirge 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 signiti cant changes iu the American political system. Thus, the practice, which had been thitherto uniformly observed, of having the Presidential electors chosen by the State was in some States abandoned, 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 ]'residential can didates to a caucus (q.v.) of the members of a party in Congress was vigorously attacked in IS•4, 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 -ante 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 .Jacksonian Democracy, there was given full sway to the principles of equality and of thorough democracy, which were best illustrated in the region of which Jaekson was the natural product. Tit large measure, the fist eonfliet, in addition to being a largely personal one between the followers of Adams and those of Jackson, became a struggle between the old aristocracy of the East and the new democ racy of the in which the latter. having ahnost won in the campaign of 1S24, triumphed decisively in 1S2S, 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 \V. II. Crawford, but also the strong forces of the Al bany Regency (q.v.). under the lead of his 'eeretary of State, Martin Can Buren. Accord ingly, the Democratic eonvention—the first na tional convention of the party—which met at Baltimore, Slay 21, 1S32. had little more to do than to name a eandidato for the Viee-Presi deney, and in that step they followed the will of their leader and named Can Bilren. This •on vention originated the so called 'two-thirds rule.' I he election which followed indicated clearly that Jackson's polio) as to the tariff and as to the National Bank had been approved, inasmuch 219 while Clay reeei%ed only 19. .1aeK,on carrying beside. the Southern state•. excepting Kentucky, the States of Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and New York. •h, next convention of the party, that at Baltimore on May 20, Is3.5, was peculiar in having some 6•6 of whom 422 came front four States, _Maryland, for in stance, sending as delegates every member of the State Democratic ronvention. As was com monly expected, Can Buren was given the nom ination, Richard 31. Johnson, of Kentucky, being' named for the Vire-Presideney. The vote of the Whig candidate, William II. 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 26 votes which were east for .Judge White, of Tennessee, and the 11 votes which were east for Mangum by South Carolina. The whole responsibility for the re sults of the financial policy of Jackson and Van Buren was placed upon the Democratic Party, with the result that in 1540 General Harrison received 234 electoral votes and Can Buren re ceived only 60. The Democratic convention of May 4. 1S40, had lieen especially uncertain in its action because of a pronounced difference of opinion as to the claims of Vice-President R. 31, Johnson. The convention adopted, in a series of resolutions. what was substantially a 'plat form,' expre••ing their view of the limited authority of the Central Government. and of the impropriety of Federal 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 Slav 27. 1S44, 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. Upon the first ballot, Van Buren received a majority of the and, although in the lead for four ballots, for the four subse quent ballots the leading candidate was Gen eral Cass, of 31ichipun, but on the ninth ballot the convention was 'stampeded' for an in conspicuous candidate, possibly advanced to pre serve harmony, K. Polk. of Tennessee. George 31. Dallas, of Pennsylvania, was nom inated for the Vice-Presidency, and this ticket received 170 electoral as against 105 votes cast for Henry Clay. The failure of Can Buren to seeure the party's nomination in 1544 and the choice by Polk of William l.. 3Iarey (q.v.), of New York, as his Secretary of State, brought into prominence the factional contro versy between the 'llarnIcarners' (q.v.) and the (9.v.), in New York. Both of these factions sent 411.10p1i1011.: to the convention of Slav 22, ISIS, at Baltimore. and both delegations were admitted to the vote of the State b•ile• divided equally between them. Neither delegation took thereafter any part in the con ventitm, although the Hunkers and 3Iarey sup ported the .kdministration and the party's nom inee. On the fourth ballot, Gencral Lewis of Michigan, was nominated for the Presidency: and for tie Gen. William 0. Butler. of Kentucky, was named, the convention also 11 .1.1.1.1 il.g t-talitially the plat forill of IN It. the secedite. 'IlIaniburners" hell at State contentioti in June, iu which tour other were present. and nominated \ an Buren tor the and in August they took part in the national •ttiVention of the Free soil Party at 111111IIIII, tthieh nominated their leader rot the Presidency. and Charles 1:rancis Adam- tor the Vice-Presidency. eumbinatioil and 'Da rtilitirners' effected such a di%ision I I the Democratic vole in New Yorl: that Ta%lor carried the State and seemed in the ag gregate electoral title., while received
127. Bct %%evil 1S4s and 1S52 political eontlit materially changed. part 'villa rly through t he progress of events attending the Compromise of IS50 and also through the eircet upon the \Vhig Party of the ditlerenee. hetNNeen the 'Conscience' 1VIlig, and the 'Cotton' 11 hig... _\I the Baltilliore vollvellt ion of June I, Is.12, Cass. Buchanan. and 1)ouglas were prominent candidates, but on the forty-ninth ballot Franklin l'ieree, of New Hampshire. was named. King. of .Alabania, being nominated for the Vice-Presidency. The platform was similar to that of IS4S, the addition of the 'finality' plain:, with an approval of the doctrines of the •irginiit auil and wish a declaration of the justness of the Ivan• again.t -Mexico. The Free-Soiler. nominated John I', Hale (q.v.), of .New Hampshire, while the \\*Iligs, for what was the last campaign of the party. nominated lien. \\infield Scott (q.v.), who received only 42 elec toral rules, as against. 2.14 east for Pierce. 111 the convention of 'rune 2, IS56, Pierce again at candidate, being supported largely by South ern delegates, while the Northern delegate, sup• ported James Buchanan. of who was chosen on the seventeenth ballot, John C. Breckenridge being nanwd for the Vice-Presi tleney. The platform introduced it declaration in favor of insuring the ascendency of the l'itited states in the tItilf of ,1Iexi•o, and contained a declaration of the right of the Territorial govern ments of Kansas and Neliraska to allo‘v shivery in those Territories. The convention of the American Party nominated ex-Presilent Fill more, who •t••eived the eight electoral votes of Alaryland, and the new Hepublicati Party (q.v.) nominated John C. Fr(Innint. who se. cured 114 eleetoral votes. while Ittichanan was 0•4•1'41 with 17-t electoral votes. The year 181;11 was to the organi•ation of the 1)enio• eratie Party. inasmuch as it had 1114'0111V linpos to hold all fuel ions of the party to the support of any one plat forin. Thin, the of the laity. W1111•11 11114. at Cliarle.t on, 2:1, adopted ‘thiell rep resented the middle view lo -Livery rather than the tli-1 Met ively Southern view. and this led to the withdrawal from the eonNention of the rolml of Alabama, Nlissksippi. Flor ida, and Texas. as well as of many delegates from IIeorgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina. trksinsas. 111111 1 /via \Vil 1'1.. The portion of the eoliVetit Mil remaining in adopted a lon dint a vote equal to hvo thirds of an full convention should be nee•ssary for at nom ination, and after several of ineffectual balloting. in which Stephen 1. (Tv.) was easily in the lead, adjourned lit meet ut on It t11111 111111' the places of t he ha 'lest on :weeders were tilled su uni• formly with followers of 1)oughts that a new secession took place, miller the lead of some of the \ irgittia delegates. whose example fol. It_\ ed by of the delegate, from the Southern States. Finally, the delegates .till remaining virtually teseinded the two-third, rule, and declared 1)onglas to be their nominee fur the Herschel V. Johnson. of l;corgia. was nominated for the \ ice-Presideney. The delegates who had N? U1141E:1\111 trom the Balti more convention. representing in some manner itrovectlett to 111(1111111alv for the l'resideney John C. Dreel:inridge. of 1.entucky. and for the Joseph Lane, of Iregon. furthermore, were adopted by those who had seceded at Charles• ton, and had later nu• fit coli‘t•Illion ;It Melt 111011d. III the following election the combined popular vote of Ihniglits and lircekinridge ex ceeded the popular Note of Lincoln by more than 350,t101), aid glt the electoral vote of Lincoln was ISO, while that of Itreckinridge was 72, and that of Douglas 12. Douglas seemed the whole electoral vote Id Ali•souri, and three cute; front New Jersey. The Const itut Union Party tarried Kentucky, and Tennessee, and the rest of the South went solidly for lIreekinridge. The strength of the Democratic rartY tea. l'131111Y in the 011,1 the effee•t of the N‘a• was naturally to remote the party, fur the time being, from its position as a factor in national polities. Even in IStiS the Southern States were still in such relation to the National tIoverninent as to lose their elee toral votes entirely. In the campaign of 1864 \leClellan (q.v.), standing as a candi date in the North 011 a platform which declared the War was a failure, secured only 21 electoral votes as against the 212 given to Lincoln. The party having taken an attitude of criticising both the conduct of the war and results, it, defeat was at,"111.vil by the IZelulblicall nomination in Ist;s of Ceneral (Irani. who received 214 electoral vote., while his opponent. Horatio Seymour. retched only So. of which 33 were from his own State of New York. The in trenehment of the Bepahlicans in power was emphasized in the following campaign. when Grant's vote rose to 2.stl, and Thomas .1. Ilend rieks (the F)emocratie candidate, llo•ave Greeley having died before the casting of the electoral votes) received only 42 votes. The cha•arter of the Ilepubliean administration. and the vigor ous attack, upon it (see rttf:nrr .loitiLIErt), made the return to effeethe act \ of the 1)entlieratss particularly as they laud at the Om hire an esiweially strong leader in the man who, as the reform I:mentor of New York. and as the opponent of •weed tl.V. I. had b(*("Ille the of 11 1111y. The energetic campaign of however. while -44.111 tug to give Tilden substantial sit•••ss., resulted in the election of Haves, through the intervention of tine abnormal proves, of tin. Electuta I l'ottintk• sign (41.%.). In the of VOIC, t he following election was to lie 1:artield exceeding that of Ilancoek bt fewer than 111.noit, II:1141.1d. how ever. recei‘ed vote., W11111' 11:111Cflek received only 15:1. In the ensuing campaign the Itentoetats were able to take advantage of the fail lona' conditions within the Itepubliean Party, and this advantage was greatly increased, on the one hand, by the Republican nomination of James G. Blaine, and the immediate develop ment of the so-called Itig,wunip opposition to him (see Mutmusie), and. on the other hand, by the Democratic nomination of the reform Governor of New' York, Grover Cleveland. A revolt against the alleged Republican corruption, and other unusual elements, conspired to bring about, for the first time since the war. the election of a Iktuocratie President; although in ISSS Cleve land himself was defeated by Benjamin Harrison. only to be even more strikingly successful in IStr2. receiving 376 votes to the 144 given to Harrison. The plank of tariff reform had thus within a decade carried the party through two successful campaigns. but the greatly increased power of the protectionists (see TARIFF) made doubtful any further success in that line by the Democrats, while at the same time a faction in the party forced to the front a new issue, seemingly a sectional issue, and, hay ing, secured control of the convention of 1890, introduced the 'free silver' plank into the plat form, nominated William J. Ilrvan for the Presidency. and thus made the beginning of what threatened to become an entire revolution in the character of the party. In spite, however, of the aid given to the Democrats by the Popu lists (q.v.), the principles of the gold standard and a high tariff were indorsed in the election of William McKinley (q.v.). Four years later the Democratic Party once more nominated Mr. Bryan, and was still more decisively de feated. President McKinley receiving 292 elec toral votes—more than ever before given to a candidate at any election. The defeat hail the effect of lessening the induenee within the party of the silver and Populi:tic faction.
Consult : Gillet, Democracy in the United fates (New York, H-af,S): Van Buren, Political Parties in the roiled States (New York, 1S67) John:ton, in Lalor. ryelop•dia of Political Prience, Political Economy, and rnitcd States History (Chicago. 1S41) : id. American Politics (last ed., New York. 1900).