Election of 1860

Democratic National Committee:

Chairman, AUGUST BELMONT, of New York. Secretary, FREDERICK O. PRINCE, of Massachusetts.

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

Charleston, S. C., April 23, 1860.

Chairman pro tem., FRANCIS B. FLOURNOY,

Chairman, CALEB CUSHING,

of Arkansas.

of Massachusetts.

Every state was represented by full delegations. After being in session for 10 days and having taken 57 ballots without reaching a nomination, the convention adjourned to meet in Baltimore on June 18, 1860.

The following is a summary of the ballots taken :—

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR. LENOX

FOUNDATIONS.

On May 30 a platform was agreed to, for which see the resolutions of the Baltimore convention of 1860.

NOTE. After the adoption of these resolutions many of the Southern delegates withdrew from the convention. These seceders met in another hall in Charleston, and organized a convention by electing Senator James A. Bayard, of Delaware, as Chairman; and, after adopting resolutions [see the Democratic Platform (Breckinridge), Baltimore, June 18, 1860], adjourned to meet in Richmond, Va., on June 11, 1860.

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, Adjourned Meeting.

Baltimore, Md., June 18-23, 1860.

Three whole days were occupied in the preliminary organization; and as soon as the organization was completed, many of the Southern delegates withdrew, including the presiding officer, Mr. Cushing.

Governor Tod, of Ohio, took the chair, and then the convention proceeded to ballot for a candidate. On the second ballot Mr. Douglas was declared nominated. Here follow the ballots:

For Vice-President, Benjamin Fitzpatrick, of Alabama, was nominated on the first ballot. Mr. Fitzpatrick afterward declined, and the National Democratic Committee substituted Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia.

The convention ratified the platform adopted at Charleston, S. C., on Monday, May 30, 1860, and added a further resolve, being No. 7 as herein printed. The following is the platform as agreed upon by the convention:

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

1. Resolved, That we, the Democracy of the Union, in convention assembled, hereby declare our affirmance of the resolutions unanimously adopted and declared as a platform of principles by the Democratic Convention at Cincinnati in the year 1856, believing that Democratic principles are unchangeable in their nature when applied to the same subject-matters; and we recommend, as the only further resolutions, the following:-Inasmuch as differences of opinion exist in the Democratic party as to the nature and extent of the powers of a territorial legislature, and as to the powers and duties of Congress, under the Constitution of the United States, over the institution of slavery within the territories,—

2. Resolved, That the Democratic party will abide by the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States on the questions of constitutional law.

3. Resolved, That it is the duty of the United States to afford ample and complete protection to all its citizens, whether at home or abroad, and whether native or foreign.

4. Resolved, That one of the necessities of the age, in a military, commercial, and postal point of view, is speedy communication between the Atlantic and Pacific States; and the Democratic party pledge such constitutional government aid as will insure the construction of a railroad to the Pacific coast at the earliest practicable period.