1835 Democratic National Convention

U.S. political event held in Baltimore, Maryland February 2026 February 2026 1835 Democratic Martin Van Buren circa 1837 crop.jpg x125px Richard Mentor Johnson A29919 (cropped 3x4).jpg x125px Nominees Van Buren and Johnson May 20–22, 1835 Fourth Presbyterian Church Baltimore, Maryland Martin Van Buren of New York Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky 1832 1840 1836 The 1835 Democratic National Convention was held from May 20 to May 22, 1835, in Baltimore, Maryland. The convention nominated incumbent Vice President Martin Van Buren for president and Representative Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky for vice president. Former Speaker of the House Andrew Stevenson served as the convention chairman. With the support of President Andrew Jackson, Van Buren won the presidential nomination unanimously. Johnson narrowly won the two-thirds majority necessary for the vice presidential nomination, overcoming a challenge from William Cabell Rives of Virginia. The Democratic ticket of Van Buren and Johnson went on to win the 1836 presidential election. Background On February 23, 1835, President Andrew Jackson wrote to James Gwin of Tennessee and claimed a preference for someone who would "most likely to be the choice of the great body of republicans" in regard to his successor. He expressed the desire to hold another national convention to nominate candidates for the presidency and vice presidency. He instructed Gwin to show the letter to the editor of the Nashville Republican. The newspaper later reprinted the letter.Niles Hezekiah Hezekiah Niles Gen. Jackson's Letter Niles' Weekly Register 48 80–81 April 4, 1835 https://books.google.com/books?id=JOUMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA80 H. Niles Proceedings Andrew Stevenson was selected as temporary and then permanent chair of the convention. Six vice presidents and four secretaries were selected as well.Bain Parris 1973 21 A dispute existed over which group would represent Pennsylvania at the convention. The convention decided to have the two groups combine and divide the state's votes between themselves.Bain Parris 1973 21 Alabama, Illinois, South Carolina, and Tennessee did not send any delegates to the convention. Tennessee was represented by one person who was in Baltimore on business and they were given the voting power of fifteen people. The other three states had no representatives at the convention.Bain Parris 1973 21 DelegatesBain Parris 1973 21StateTotal delegatesVoting powerArkansas Territory10Connecticut68Delaware143Georgia311Indiana119Kentucky1315Louisiana35Maine1610Maryland18810Massachusetts1814Michigan Territory20Mississippi24Missouri24New Hampshire207New Jersey638New York4242North Carolina1515Ohio1821Pennsylvania6030Rhode Island84Tennessee115Vermont77Virginia10023 Presidential nomination Presidential candidates President Jackson had long planned for Vice President Martin Van Buren to succeed him, and Van Buren was the unanimous choice of the delegates for the presidency. Presidential BallotingCandidate1stVan Buren265Not Represented23 Vice Presidential nomination Vice Presidential candidates Jackson and other major Democrats had settled on Richard Mentor Johnson, a Kentucky representative who had fought in the War of 1812, as Van Buren's running mate, but many Virginia Democrats backed William Cabell Rives, the former Ambassador to France.Witcover Jules The American Vice Presidency 2014 Smithsonian Books 90–91 A man from Tennessee, Edward Rucker, who was present at the convention but was not sent as a delegate, cast all 15 votes Tennessee was entitled to for Van Buren, and for Johnson for the vice presidential nomination. Johnson was nominated for vice president after winning one vote more than the two-thirds majority required. The delegation of Virginia declared that it had no confidence in Johnson's character and principles, and would not support him.History of the Life, Administration and Times of Martin Van Buren, Eighth President of the United States Irelan John Robert https://books.google.com/books?id=_g4_AQAAMAAJ&q=History+of+the+Life%2C+Administration+and+Times+of+Martin+Van+Buren%2C+Eighth+...+By+John+Robert+Irelan&pg=PA3 Fairbanks and Palmer Publishing Company Chicago 1887 233 March 6, 2017 Vice Presidential BallotingCandidate1stPercentageJohnson17867.17%Rives8732.83%Not Represented237.99% Letters went out on May 23 from the convention president and vice presidents asking for the acceptance of the nominations by the nominees. Van Buren replied and accepted the nomination on May 29;Niles Hezekiah Hezekiah Niles Mr. Van Buren's Acceptance Niles' Weekly Register 48 257–258 June 13, 1835 https://books.google.com/books?id=JOUMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA257 H. Niles Johnson, likewise on June 9.Niles Hezekiah Hezekiah Niles Col. Johnson's Acceptance Niles' Weekly Register 48 329–330 July 11, 1835 https://books.google.com/books?id=JOUMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA329 H. Niles General election 1836 United States presidential election The Whigs did not put forward a national ticket nominated by national convention. Van Buren defeated his many competitors for the presidency in the general election. While the electors of Virginia supported Van Buren for the presidency, they cast their vice presidential votes for William Smith. Consequently, Johnson received a plurality, but not a majority, of the electoral votes for the vice presidency. In the subsequent contingent election in the Senate, Johnson was elected vice president. See also History of the United States Democratic Party List of Democratic National Conventions U.S. presidential nomination convention 1836 United States presidential election Notes References Proceedings of the convention, Niles' Weekly Register, Volume XLVIII, March 1835 to September 1835 Works cited Bain Richard Parris Judith Convention Decisions and Voting Records Brookings Institution 1973 0815707681 1832Baltimore, Maryland Democratic National Conventions 1840Baltimore, Maryland Category:1836 United States presidential election Category:1836 in Maryland Category:1830s in Baltimore Category:United States presidential nominating conventions in Baltimore Category:Maryland Democratic Party Category:Political events in Maryland Category:Democratic National Conventions Category:1836 conferences Category:May 1836 Category:19th-century political conferences Category:Martin Van Buren