1868 Democratic National Convention

U.S. political event held in Tammany Hall in New York City February 2026 1868 Democratic Hon. Horatio Seymour, N.Y - NARA - 528568 (cropped).jpg 113 Francis P. Blair, Jr.png 110 NomineesSeymour and Blair July 4–9, 1868 Tammany Hall headquarters building New York City, New York Horatio Seymour of New York Francis Preston Blair Jr. of Missouri Seymour (New York): 317 (100%) Blair (Missouri): 317 (100%) 1864 1872 22 The 1868 Democratic National Convention was held at the Tammany Hall headquarters building in New York City between July 4, and July 9, 1868. The first Democratic convention after the conclusion of the American Civil War, the convention marked the return of Democratic Party politicians from the Southern United States. Venue thumb|right|350px|Illustration showing the interior of the Tammany Hall headquarters decorated for the convention The convention was held at the new Tammany Hall building on East 14th Street in Manhattan, New York City, which replaced the organization's earlier headquarters.Golway Terry Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the creation of modern American politics 2014 New York 9780871403759 Introduction, 84 First en-us For the convention, the hall was elaborately decorated.The Democratic Convention https://www.newspapers.com/image/25530203 The Times-Picayune New York Associated Press Dispatches Newspapers.com 19 July 2022 en subscription July 4, 1868 Convention officers Horatio Seymour, the former governor of New York, served as the permanent chairman of the convention. Each state delegation had a vice president and secretary to the convention.The Conventions https://www.newspapers.com/image/843808168 The New York Daily Herald Newspapers.com 19 July 2022 en subscription 7 Jul 1868 Henry L. Palmer of Wisconsin served as the convention's temporary chairman, after the convention voted on the opening day to appoint him after he was nominated by Democratic National Committee Chairman August Belmont. Events of the convention On July 4, 1868, coinciding with the first day of the Democratic National Convention, the Soldiers and Sailors National Convention was held at the Cooper Institute, also in New York City.The Soldiers' and Sailors' Democratic Convention. https://www.nytimes.com/1868/07/02/archives/the-soldiers-and-sailors-democratic-convention.html The New York Times 19 July 2022 2 July 1868 On July 6, a committee from that convention was granted privilege to address the Democratic National Convention. On July 6, an address from the Woman's Suffrage Association was presented and read before the convention. During the convention, many delegates utilized the catch phrase, "this is a white man's country, let white men rule".The Worst Convention in U.S. History? https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/07/rnc-2016-worst-convention-historians-214091/ Politico November 21, 2019 July 22, 2016 Presidential nomination Presidential candidates The front-runner in the early balloting was George H. Pendleton, who led on the first 15 ballots, followed in varying order by incumbent president Andrew Johnson, Winfield Scott Hancock, Sanford Church, Asa Packer, Joel Parker, James E. English, James Rood Doolittle, and Thomas A. Hendricks. Three-fourth of the delegates from southern states gave their support to Johnson.Black Black 1992 84 The unpopular Johnson, having narrowly survived impeachment, won 65 votes on the first ballot; the second-highest number of votes after Pendleton, but less than one-third of the total necessary for nomination, and he thus lost his bid for election as president in his own right. His vote tally rapidly dropped away thereafter, and from the eighth ballot onwards, he would only receive votes from his home state of Tennessee. thumb|Admission ticket to the convention thumb|right|350px|Sketch by Theodore R. Davis for Harper's Weekly of the convention in session Meanwhile, the convention chairman Horatio Seymour, former governor of New York, received 9 votes on the fourth ballot from the state of North Carolina. This unexpected move caused "loud and enthusiastic cheering," but Seymour refused, saying, I must not be nominated by this Convention, as I could not accept the nomination if tendered. My own inclination prompted me to decline at the outset; my honor compels me to do so now. It is impossible, consistently with my position, to allow my name to be mentioned in this Convention against my protest. The clerk will proceed with the call.They Also Ran, Irving Stone, pg. 280 After numerous indecisive ballots, the names of John T. Hoffman, Francis P. Blair, and Stephen Johnson Field were placed in nomination. This raised the number of names placed into nomination to thirteen. None of these new candidates, however, gained much traction. For twenty-one ballots, the opposing candidates battled it out: the East battling the West for control, the conservatives battling the radicals. The two leading candidates were determined that the other should not receive the nomination; because of the two-thirds rule of the convention, a compromise candidate was needed. Seymour still hoped it would be Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, but on the twenty-second ballot, the chairman of the Ohio delegation announced, "at the unanimous request and demand of the delegation I place Horatio Seymour in nomination with twenty-one votes-against his inclination, but no longer against his honor." Seymour had to wait for the rousing cheers to die down before he could address the delegates and decline. I have no terms in which to tell of my regret that my name has been brought before this convention. God knows that my life and all that I value most in life I would give for the good of my country, which I believe to be identified with that of the Democratic party... "Take the nomination, then!" cried someone from the floor. ...but when I said that I could not be a candidate, I meant it! I could not receive the nomination without placing not only myself but the Democratic party in a false position. God bless you for your kindness to me, but your candidate I cannot be.Official proceedings of the National Democratic convention, held at New York, July 4-9, 1868 (Pg. 153) Seymour left the platform to cool off and rest. No sooner had he left the hall than former representative Clement Vallandigham, a member of the Ohio delegation and one-time ally of Seymour, rose and proclaimed that the delegation would not accept Seymour's refusal, and that he was the only man who could break the deadlock at the convention, much less win the presidency. The chairman of New York's delegation then stood and, while bound by the convention rules not to switch its votes (which it had already cast for Hendricks) until the round of balloting had concluded, made a passionate speech in support of Seymour. The roll call continued, with Seymour only picking up one additional vote (from Tennessee), but the final state, Wisconsin, cast a blank ballot which it then immediately switched to Seymour. This started a stampede with all the remaining states quickly throwing their support behind Seymour, eventually leading to his being nominated unanimously. In 1868, the States of Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana were readmitted to the Union. Nebraska had been admitted to the Union on March 1, 1867. Texas, Mississippi and Virginia had not yet been readmitted to the Union. Balloting Presidential ballot (1st day)1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6thSeymour000900Pendleton 105104119.5118.5122122.5Hendricks 2.529.511.519.530Hancock 33.540.545.543.54647A. Johnson 655234.5322421Church 343333333333Packer 262626262727English1612.57.57.576Parker1315.513131313Doolittle1312.512121512Field000000Blair0.510.54.529.55R. Johnson8.5811800Chase000000T. Seymour000000Hoffman000000Ewing 00.51100McClellan 000000Adams 000010Pierce 000000Blank 000000.5 Presidential ballot (2nd day)7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18thSeymour000000000000Pendleton 137.5156.5144147.5144.5145.5134.5130129.5107.570.556.5Hendricks 39.57580.582.58889 8184.582.570.58087Hancock 42.52834.53432.53048.55679.5113.5137.5144.5A. Johnson 12.565.565.54.54.505.55.5610Church 3300000000000Packer 262626.527.5262626260000English666000000000Parker777777777773.5Doolittle1212121212.512.5131312121212Field000000000000Blair0.50.50.50.50.50.50.500000R. Johnson000000000000Chase000000.50.50000.50.5T. Seymour000000000000Hoffman000000000033Ewing 000000000000McClellan 000001000000Adams 000000000000Pierce 000000100000Blank 0.500.500.50.50.50.5110.50 Presidential ballot (3rd day)19th 20th 21st 22ndbefore shifts 22ndafter shiftsSeymour00022317Pendleton 00000Hendricks 107.5121132145.50Hancock 135.5142.5135.5103.50A. Johnson 00540Church 00000Packer 220000English6161970Parker00000Doolittle12121240Field159800Blair13.513000R. Johnson00000Chase0.50400T. Seymour42000Hoffman000.500Ewing 00000McClellan 000.500Adams 00000Pierce 00000Blank 11.50.5310 1st day of presidential balloting / 3rd day of convention (Tuesday, July 7, 1868) 2nd day of presidential balloting / 4th day of convention (Wednesday, July 8, 1868) 3rd day of presidential balloting / 5th day of convention (Thursday, July 9, 1868) Vice-presidential nomination Vice-presidential candidates thumb|right|350px|Seymour/Blair campaign poster Exhausted, the delegates unanimously nominated General Francis Preston Blair Jr. for vice-president on the first ballot after the names of Augustus C. Dodge and Thomas Ewing Jr. were withdrawn from consideration. Blair's nomination reflected a desire to balance the ticket east and west as well as north and south.Frank Blair: Lincoln's Conservative, William E. Parrish, pg. 254 Blair had worked hard to acquire the Democratic nomination and accepted second place on the ticket, finding himself in controversy.Frank Blair: Lincoln's Conservative, William E. Parrish, pg. 260 Blair had gained attention by an inflammatory letter addressed to Colonel James O. Broadhead, dated a few days before the convention met. In his letter, Blair wrote that the "real and only issue in this contest was the overthrow of Reconstruction, as the radical Republicans had forced it in the South."Stewart Mitchell, Horatio Seymour of New York, Harvard University Press, 1938, p. 448 Vice presidential ballot1stFrancis Preston Blair 317 Vice Presidential balloting / 5th day of convention (Thursday, July 9, 1868) See also History of the United States Democratic Party List of Democratic National Conventions U.S. presidential nomination convention 1868 Republican National Convention 1868 United States presidential election References 30em Works cited Black Earl Earl Black (political scientist) Black Merle Merle Black The Vital South: How Presidents Are Elected Harvard University Press 1992 https://archive.org/details/vitalsouthhowpre0000blac 0674941306 Bibliography Coleman, Charles Hubert. The election of 1868 : the Democratic effort to regain control (1933) online Primary sources Chester, Edward W A guide to political platforms (1977) pp 86–89 online Official proceedings of the National Democratic convention, held at New York, July 4-9, 1868 External links Democratic Party Platform of 1868 at The American Presidency Project 1864Chicago, Illinois Democratic National Conventions 1872Baltimore, Maryland Category:1868 conferences Category:1868 in New York (state) Category:1860s in New York City Category:19th century in Manhattan Category:19th-century political conferences Category:1868 United States presidential election Category:July 1868 in the United States 1868 Category:New York State Democratic Committee Category:United States presidential nominating conventions in New York City Category:Tammany Hall Category:Andrew Johnson Category:Thomas A. Hendricks