The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 19, 1896, Page 9

would save it without slavery if necessary. The first proclamation of emancipation was not issued until September 22, 1862, That was practi- & cally a notice Eo the The Proclamations States bearing arms of i against the Govern- Emancipation. ment of the United States that their slaves would be lost to them if these States failed to re- turn to the Union. The second proc- lamation was issued January 1, 1863, in which all persons held as slaves in the designated States were declared to be free, and the Government of the United States was pledged to preserve their freedom. The next step in this direction was the passage in the House and Senate of the thirteenth amendment to the constitution prohibiting slavery in the United States. This measure was adopted by the Senate in April; 1864, and by the House in January, 1865. All the Republicans in Congress voted for it without exception, and nearly all the Democrats voted against it. Abraham Lincoln was renominated for President at the Union National Conven- tion at Baltimore in 1864 by acclamation, Andrew Johnson of Tennessee being made the nominee for the Vice-Presidency. Some time prior to this a convention hos- tile to Lincoln was held at Cleveland,Ohio, at which John C. Fremont wasnominated for President and John Cochrane for Vice- President. The Cleveland convention made several radical declarations. The delegates adopted a platform which called for suppression of the rebellion without compromise; declared for the election of President for one term only; and finally advocated the confiscation of the lands of | rebels and their distribution among the | soldiers and actual settlers. General Fremont accepted the nomina- tion but repudiated the platform and attacked the Lincoln administration. A mass-meeting was also held at New York, fhe purpose of which appeared to some to be the advocacy of General Grant as a Presidential candidate. The Baltimore convention was called to order by Governor Morgan of New York, who advocated a constitutional amend- ment to abolish slavery. Dr. Robert T. Breckinridge of Kentucky was the tem- porary chairman, and ex-Governor Denni- son of Ohio was elected president. The Government was pledged support in carrying on the war. The ‘‘determination of the Government not to compromise with the rebels nor to offer them any terms of peace except such as may be based upon an unconditional surrender of their hos- tility and a return to their just allegiance to the constitution and laws of the United States,” was approved. The Government was exhorted to use sall its vigor and called on for a constitutional amendment which shall terminate and forever prohibit the existence of slavery within the limits or jurisdiction of theé United States. President Lincoln was commended for wisdom, patriotism and figelity. There were other declarations, among which was one of particular interest to the Pacific Coast, in favor of the speedy construction of a Pacific railroad. Abraham Lincoln received all the votes of the convention with the exception of twenty-two from Missouri, which were cast for General Grant under instructions. The Democrats met at Chicago. The war measures of the administration were denounced and emancipation was cen- sured, while an armistice was proposed. The second resol ution in the platform was as follows: Resolved, That this convention does explic- itly declare, 8s the sense of the American people, that after four years of failure to re- Emancipation store the Union by the et experiment of war, 2 during which, un- by Democracy. der the pretense of a military necessity of a war power higher than the constitution, the con- stitution itself has been disregarded in every part, and public liberty snd life alike trodden down and the material pros- perity of the country essentially impaired, justice, humanity, liberty and the public wel- fare demand that immediate efforts be made fora cessation of hostilities with the view to an ultimate convention of all the States or other peaceable means, to the end that at the earliest practicable moment peace may be re- stored on the besis of the Federal union of the States. General George B. MoClellan was nomi- nated for President, and George H. Pen- dleton of Ohio for Vice-President. General McClellan repudiated the platform. Gen- eral Fremont soon withdrew his candi- dacy. The Union successes at Fort Mor- gan, Atlanta, and in Mobile Bay came at this time, and the battles of Winchester, Fishers Hill and Cedar Creek followed closely. “With reverses in the field,” gaid Presi- dent Lincoln, “the case is doubtful at the polls. With victory in the field the elec- tion will take care of itself.”” Twenty-two States took part in.the elec- tion, of which General McClellan received the electoral votes of only three. He car- ried only one free State—New Jersey—and two slave States—Kentucky and Delaware. Maryiand, Missouri and West Virginia voted for Lincoln. The popular vote was as follows: Lincoln, 2,213,665; McClellan, 1,802,237. Lincoln had 212 electoral votes against 21 cast for McClellan. The policy of the administration was indorsed. ‘What immediately followed is of general knowledge. The armies of the South surrendered. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated not long after his second in- aguration. Andrew Johnson became President by the death of Lincoln. The The ‘‘reconstruction Reconstruction period” came. The Period. South dealt with the negro question by passing laws, which were met by laws passed by the Republicans in Congress, allowing every man to vote, black or white, who had not taken part in the war against the United States after having taken an oath of allegiance to the United States. These laws were known as the recon- struction acts and they were vetoed by President Johnson. They were subse- quently passed over the President’s veto. The Republicans had at this time & two- thirds majority 1n both of the houses. Hostility between the Republican Sena- tors and Congressmen and President John- son resulted in 1mpeachment proceedings against President Johnson. The proceed- ings rested upon the President’s removal of Edwin M. Stanton from the position of Secretary of War. In the month of June, 1866, the four- teenth amendment to the constitution, which made citizens of the United States and of the States in which they lived of ihe freed negroes was .adopted by Repub- lican votes exclusively in both houses. The amendment also providea for dis- qualifying persons who had taken the oath to support the Government of the United States and had fought against the Government from holding office, and had other provisions to prevent payment for losses by the emancipation of slaves, and forbade also the payment by the United States of or any State of any debt incurred in aid of the war by the se- ceding States, In 1865 the civil rights bill was passed, providing penalties for any at- tempt to deprive freedmen of equal rights. known. The financial experience of the Goyernment during the period immedi- ately following the'close of the war is pro- nounced by students ; of national finances Reduction of to bave been without the Big precedent. The Na- War, Debt. tional debt on Janu- ary 1, 1866, amounted to the sum of $2,793,491,475. In four years following the war this debt was reduced by the sum of mnearly $300,000,000, while, at the same time, the Government reduced its revenue to the amount of §140,000,000 per annum by repealing & long series of internal rev- enue taxes. During this period also $35,- 000,000 had been paid from the treasury toward the construction’of the Union and Central Pacific railroads, and $7,200,000 was paid to the Russian Government on account of the purchase of Alaska. The expenses included the disbandment of the Union army and a very large addition to the pension list, The Republican convention of 1868 met at Chicago, May 16. It was a foregone conclusion that General Grant would be Presidential nominee of the party. Gen- eral Hawiey was made permanent chair- man of the gathering. The platform ad- vanced as conspicuous issues equal suf- frage and the maintenance of the public faith. The past policy of the party was indorsed. President Johnson was severely condemned for his acts. The nomination of General Grant was made by General John A. Logan. General Grant was unanimously nominated when the roll was called. Schuyler Colfax was nom- inated for Vice-President. The letter of acceptance written by General Grant will always be famous by reason of one sen- tence it contained: “Let us have peace.” The Democratic convention met at New zens in the United States.” Thisledto the adoption of the fifteenth amendment. For the purpose of giving a clear understanding to the younger voters of The Three the work of the Re- Great puplican party in Amendments. this direction, three amendments are briefly summarized as follows: Thirteenth—This provided that neither slavery nor involuntary servi- tude shall exist in the United States, or in any place subject to National jurisdiction. Fourteenth—Advanced the negro to the status of a citizen, but did nothing affirmatively to confer the right of suffrage upon him. Fifteenth—Forbade the United States or any State to abridee the right to vote on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude. The fitteenth amendment was men- tioned by General Grant in his inangural address. He expressed the hope that it would be ratified and settle tbe question of suffrage. The first year of General Grant’s administration made James G. Blaine Speaker of the House. The prin- cipal interest in General Grant's first term centered in the negotiations for a treaty for the annexation of San Domingo, which treaty was rejected by the Senate by a tie vote, 28 to 28. In 1870 Virginia, Mississippi and Texas were once more admitted to the privileges accorded to the ‘other States of the South, having fulfilled all the require- ments vrescribed by legislation. The Legislature of Georgia having expelled colored men from seats in the State Legis- lature, Congress enacted that before the Senators and Representatives of Georgia could be seated the fifteenth amendment to the ‘constitution must be ratified by that State and this was done. General Grant presided during a period of much York July 4, 1868, and nominated Horatio | excitement incident to the natural after- the suprem tary authorities; declared that mo Presi- dent ought to be a candidate for re-elec- tion; denounced re- pudiation, opposed Greeley as further land grants the Demooratic and demanded a Candidate. speedy return to spe- cie payments. Mr. Greeley had recom- mended himself to the South by his readiness to go upon the bail bond of Jefferson Davis. The Democratic Na- tional Convention at Baltimore, meet- ‘ing July 9, adopted the Liberal Republican platform, in which it was declared that ‘‘we remember with gratitude the heroism and sagrifices of the soldiers and sailors of the Republic.” Greeley was,also adopted as the Democratic candidate, he receiv- ing 686 votes. James A. Bayard had the voies of Delaware and New Jersey; Jeremiash S. Black bad 21 votes from Pennsylvania, which State also gave William S. Groesbeck 2. Gratz Brown received 713 votes out of 732 cast. The National election gave General Grant the votes'of all the Northern States and of all the Southern States with the exception of Georgia, Kentucky, Mary- land, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. The popular vote was: Grant, 8,597,070; Greeley, 2,834,079. Horace Greeley died before the electoral college met. ‘‘All the people,” wrote Mr. Blaine, “remembering only his noble impulses, his great work for humanity, his broad impress upon the ags. ‘When the Forty-fourth Congress was or- ganized, March 6, 1875, the Democrats controlled the House, as was disclosed by the vote for Speaker, Michael C. Kerr of | Indiana receiving 173 votes and James G, Blaine 106. The Senate remained Repub- lican. The panic of 1873 stimulated the discussion of financial measures. Con- gress fixed the maximum limit of United in South Carolina and Lou ard, the Republican Governor, haa a com- plete State government installed in the State House at New Orleans, but there it Hayes' was held a close Commission to prisoner. In South New Orleans. Carolina Governor Chamberlain and Wade Hampton both claimed the office of State Executive. The United States troops were with- drawn from the support of Chamber- lain and Hampton’s government took charge of the State. A commission was sent to New Orleans by President Hayes and it was arranged that the Democratic government, headed by Nicholls, should continue; that the troops should be with- drawn from the defense of Packard and that Republicans should not be subject to prosecutions for political reasons. Pack- ard tben withdrew. These events gave rise to what was known as the *‘stalwart Republicans,” who disapproved of the President’s course. During the Hayes administration civil service reform became a subject of discus- sion. General Grant had in .the executive chair created a commission by which rules were prescribed for the examination of candidates for office. President Hayes tried to carry out civil service reform and issued an order directing office-holders to avoid taking part in party work. The last session of the Forty-fifth Con- gress found the Democrats in control of both branches of Congress for the first time since 1856, the Congress chosen coincidently with the election of James Buchanan. An amendment was added by the Democrats to the army appropriation bill at this session which provided ‘‘that no money appropriated in this act is ap- propriated or shall be paid for the sub- sistence, equipment, transportation c® declared that vided by the peaceful agency of the ballof The Democratic National Convention nominated General Hancock for Presi- The Garfield dent and William H. and Hancock English of Indiana Campaigns. for Vice - President. The Democratic platform declared for ©ga tariff for revenue only,” and op- posed Chinese immigration. The cam- paign was made one of protection ver- sus free trade. The fraudulent ‘‘Morey letter,” concerning Chinese immigration, which was made public when it was too late for investigation, lost some electoral votes for Garfield. Hecarried every North- ern State except New Jersey and Nevada. He had one electoral vote in California. General Hancock carried every Southern State. The feature of this election was the consolidation of the SBouthern vote. The popular vote was as follows: Garfield, 4,449,- 053; Hancock, 4.442,035; Weaver, 307,306; scattering, 12,576, of which Neal Dow, the Prohibition candidate, received 10,305. The quarrel between the ‘‘stalwarts” and “half-breed” Republicans in New York State was very bitter during the Gar- field administration. An open rupture was caused between President Garfield and the “stalwarts,” who were led by Sen- ator Conkling, by the appointment of W. H. Robertson to be Collector of Customs at the port of New York. Roberison was a “thalf-breed” of prominence. Senator Conk- ling and Senator Platt resigned their sent.s and proceeded to Albany to secure their re-election as an act of vindication. In this they were disappointed. The politi- cal quarrel was proceeding when Guitean, a semi-lunatic, shot President Garfield as he was passing to take a train to carry him to Elberon, New Jersey. President Gar- field died from the bullet wound some S SCHUYLER ——ed o Ve B & i 4 E}@a«-o’@-u-m_uh_. ...EOLFAEV GEO.F. EDMUNDS Beymour of New York for President and Francis P. Blair of Missouri for Vice- President. Governor Seymour was the permanent president of the comvention, General Grant's He denounced the First nomination of Gen- Election. eral Grant and spoke as follows: “Having declared that the principles of the Declaration of Inde- pendence should be made a living reality on every inch of American soil they (the Republican party) put in nomination a military chieftain who stands at the head of that system of despotism which crushes beneath its feet the greatost principles of the Declaration 6f Independence.” There were two planks in the platform which attracted more than passing comment. The first declared “that all oblizations of the Government not payable by their express terms in coin ought to be pzid in lawful money.”” The second declaration denounced the recon- struction acts of Congress. General Grant carried all the States with the exception of Deiaware, Georgia, Ken- tucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Oregon. Three States had not passed through reconstruction— Virginia, Mississippi and Texas—and they had no vote. Grant had 214 electoral votes and Seymour 80. The popular vote was as follows: Grant, 3,012,833; Seymour, 2,703, 249. New York City gave Seymour a ma- jority of 60,000 votes over Grant. The Re- publicans carried at this election North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ala- bama, Arkansas and Florida. On the 30th of January following, namely, 1869, the House passed the pro- posed amendment, which provided: “The right of any citizen of the United States to vote shall not- be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of the race, color or previous condition of The history of reconstruction is weulservitnda of any citizen or class of citi- math of the civil war. He had the Ku Klux Klan to cope with in the South and the writ of habeas corpus was suspended by him i five coun- ties of South Caro- Colored lina where nearly Men as Delegates three hundred of the in 1872. Ku Klux were held imprisoned by his order at one time. The story of the various occurrences in the South during the progress of recon- struction are of common knowledge. ‘‘In the course of eignt years of President Grant’s administration,” says Smalley, ‘“the white Democrats of the South suc- ceeded in getting possession of all their States except South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana—overcoming the Republican majorities by a system of intimidation, violence and fraud.” General Grant was renominated for President at Philadelphia in June, 1872 For the first time colered men sat as dele- gates in a Republican National Conven- tion. The renomination of Grant, like his first nomination, was unanimous. Henry Wilson of Massachusetts was nominated for Vice-President. The platform set forth that the amendments to the constitution should be sustained ‘‘becanse they are right; not merely tolerated because they are the law.” It advocated civil-service reform, opposed further land grants to corporations, approved further pensions, sustained the protective tariff and indorsed General Grant. A split in the Republican party owing to controversies concerning the conduct of affairs in the South principally led to the holding of the Convention of Liberal Republicans at Cincinnati on May 1, 1872, Horace Greeley was nominated for Presi- | dent and Gratz Brown for Vice-President. The platform declared that local self-gov- ernment with impartial suffrage would guard the rights of citizens more securely than any centralized power: insisted upon A > 1) it JOHN SHERMAN A e O/ DN e et . States notes at $400,000,000 and made an enlargement of the circulation of the Na- tional banks. The bill was vetoed by General Grant. The bill reported by Sen- Hayes ator Sherman to re- Nominated at sume specie pay- Cincinnati, ments was adopted in the Senate by a vote of 32 to 14 on December 21, 1874. Not a single Demo- cratic member of the Senate voted for it and only two Republicans voted in the negative, The House passed the bill on the 7th of January, 1875. 2, Rutherford B. Hayes became the Presi- dential nominee of the Republican party at the Cincinnati convention, which was held June, 1876, James G. Blaine was considered the leading candidate before the convention assembled. Other promi- nent candidates were Oliver P. Morton of Indiana, Roscoe Conkling of New York, Benjamin F. Bristow of Kentucky and John F. Hartranft of Pennsylvania. Blaine wag defeated by a combination between the followers of Morton, Conkling, Hart- ranft and Hayes and a part of the Bristow following, resulting in the nomination of Hayes on the seventh ballot. William A. Wheeler of New York was nominated for Vice-President. The Democrats put in the field a ticket, naming Samuel J. Tilden of New York for President and Thomas H. Hendricks of [ndiana for Vice-President. The Prohibitionists and the Greenback party had tickets also in nomination. This election occasioned a very lively controversy, but the electoral vote, as de- ¢tided by a commission which was elected to settle disputes concerning the reiurns, was as follows: Hayes 185, Tilden 184, The popular vote in full was as follows: Tilden, 4,284,757; Hayes, 4,033,950; Cooper, 81,740; Smith, 9522. The country accepted the decision of the Electoral Commission, When President Hayes entered into office there were rival State governments compensation of any portion of the army of the United States to be used as a police force to keep peace at the polis at any election held within any State.” The bl Republican as so amended re- Convention ceived the signature of 1880. of the President.’ During this administration the resump- tion of specie payments became an accom- plished fact. The restriction of Chinese immigration began to attract the atten- tion of Congress. The first bill passed was vetoed by President Hayes. The movement by which it was planned to nominate General Grant for a third term as President, in 1880, attracted great attention. General Grant had made a re- markable tour around the world and his name was before the public constantly. Senators Conkling, Cameron and Logan strongly favored a renomination. ‘The struggle which took place at the Republi- ean National Convention is memorable. It is not proposed to give an account of that conyention here in detail. ‘The ‘304" who voted for General Grant on the first ballot were 306 on the last or thirty-sixth ballot, which insured the nomination of James A. Garfield. The first ballot stood: Grant 304, Blaine 284, Sherman 93, Ed- munds 34, Washburne 30, Windom 10, Gar- field 1. On the thirty-sixth ballot the Blaine and Sherman delegates changed toGarfield. Garfield’s nomination was made unani- mous on motion of Roscoe Conkling. Chester A. Arthur was nominated for Vice-President. The platform which was adoptea repeated the avowal of 1876 con- cerning a protective tariff, approved the restriction of Chinese immigration, fav- ored civil service reform, accused the Democrats of sustaining fraudulent elec- tions, with unseating members of Con- gress who had been lawfully chosen, and with viciously attaching partisan legisla- tion to appropriation bills. It was also weeks later, and Chester A. Arthur be- came President by succession. The country had reached a new era with the opening of the campaign of 1884, Blaine Slavery having been the Logical long abolished, the Candidate. *‘irrepressible con- flict” having been fought to its conclu- sion and the Southern States baving been restored to particivation in the Government of the United States, sec- tional differences had, to a large extent, disappeared. John Sherman had brought about a brilliant success by resuming specie: payments; the Chinese question was tortuously progressing toward a final settlement; “Protection to American in- dustries’ was pushing to the frons. The logic of events foreshadowed that James G. Blaine, who was among the most brilliant and indefatigable exponents of- the “tariff for protection to American in- dustries,”” would be the Republican standard-bearer. His acts as Secretary of State under Garfield added Iuster to his already great reputation. He con- ceived the 1dea of a peace congress of all independent governments of North and South America to meet at Washington to agree, if possible, upon some comprehen- sive vlan for averting war by means of arbitrating, and for resisting the intrigues of European diplomacy as a measure toward closer relationship with our conti- nental neighbors. That this Congress was not held was due to causes beyond Mr, Blaine's control. He instructed Mr. Lowell, United States Minister to Great Britain, to apply to the British Government ’ior its consent to the mutual abrogation of certain clauses in the Clayton-Bulwer treaty of 1850 which in his opinion con- t]::ided to Great Bll:ihin the control of the caragua canal. He B himseif in throwing Allll:mfl::’n mm around the control of that proposed work. ! ‘He devised the plan of recipros mercial dealings with other countries, so that a mutual benefit was insured and an extended foreign trade of the United Republican States became a fact. Convention of John Sherman, in June, 1884. his “Forty Years in the House, Senate and Cabinet” wrote that be considered Mr. Blaine to be the anatural candidate” in.1834. He always opposed Chinese immigration. The Republican National Convention of 1884 assembled in Chicago June 3. The preliminary canvass demonstrated his personal popularity, which had made him a formidable candidate before the conven- tions of 1876 and 1880, His principal com- petitor for the nomination was Arthur., On the first ballot Blaine received 3341/ votes; Arthur received 278, Edmunas 93, John A. Logan 63}, Hawley 13, Sherman 30, Robert T. Lincoln 4, General Sherme 2. Blaine gained steadily and was nom nated on the fourth ballot, receiving 539 votes. Arthur had 207 on this ballot Logan’s friends went over in a bod Blaine on tbe fourth ballot, which mad, the result certain. “His nomination,” says Smalley, ‘‘was a triumph of positive, practical statesman ship in domestic affairs and of a cours, ous, intelligent Americanism in the r tions of this country with other nati John A. Logau was nominated for Vice- President on the first ballot, receiving 77) votes to 6 for Gresham, 3 for Fairchild ot Wisconsin and 1 for Foraker. The plat- form spoke in no uncertain tone about the tariff. The fourth plank was as follows: Itis the first duty of a good government to protect the rights and promote the interests of its own people. The largest diversity of i dustry is the most productive of general p perity snd of the comfort and independen of the people. We therefore demand that t imposition of duties on foreign imports shall be made, not for revenue only, but that in raising the requisite revenues for the Govern- ment, such duty shall be so levied as to afford security to our diversified industries and pro- tection to the rights and wages of the laborer, to the end that active and intelligent labor, es well as capital, may have its just reward end the laboring man his full share 1n the National prosperity. The platform also favored the regulation of railway corporations, opposed Chinese immigration, indorsed civil service reform, approved of the eight-hour system jor labor, and asserted that itis the duty of the Nation to secure all rights to all citizens. The Democratic National Convention, which met in Chicago July 8, nomi- nated Grover Cleveland for President and Thomas A. Hendricks for Vice-President. A vart of the Democratic platform 1s here- with given because the issue between the two great parties was the tariff. The ex- tract is as follows: Sufficient revenue to pay all the expenses of the Federal Government, economically admin- istered, including pensions, interest and prin- cipalof the public debt, can be got under our present system ot taxation from Custom-house taxes on fewer imported articles, bearing heaviest on articles of luxuryand bearing lightest on articles of necessity. We, there- fore, denounce the abuses of the existing tariff, and, subject to the preceding limita- vions, we demand that Federal taxation shall be exclusively for public purposes and shall not exceed the needs of the Government, economicaily administered. The popular vote for the candidates of the two great parties was close. Cleveland, who was elected, received 4,911,017, Blaine 4,848333. The plurality for Cleveland was only 68,683. The electoral vote was: Cleve- land 219, Blaine 182. The country had four years of Demo- cratic rule under the first Democrat elected to the Presidency since James Buchan- Nomination an. He was succeeded of General as chief executive by ~ Harrisotin Benjamin Harrison. The Kepublican National Convention of 1888 met at Chicago June 19. Morris M. Estee of California was the permanent chairman. Tke chairman of the platform committee was William McKinley of Ohio, who was well known as the protective tariff champion in the House of Repre- sentatives. Blaine, in his famous Florence letter, had told his friends that he did not wish the nomination for the Presidency. The names now prominently mentioned were.Sherman, Allison, Harrison, Gresham and Depew. The first ballot developed votes for fourteen candidates and three successive ballots showed little change. Depew withdrew his name. Harrison was nominated on the eighth ballot, receiving 544 votes to 283 cast for all other candi- dates, and his nomination was made unan- imous. Levi P. Morton of New York was nominated for Vice-President. Once more the party spoke decidedly for protection as follows: We are uncompromisingly in favor of the American system of protection; we protest against its destruction as proposed by the President and his party. They serve the inter- ests of Europe; we will support the interests of America. We accept the issue and con- fidently appeal to the people for their judg- ment. The protective system must be main- tained. Its abandonment has always been followed by general disaster to all interests, except those of the usurer and the Sheriff, We denounce the Mills bill as destructive to the general business, the labor and the farming interests of the country and we heartily in- dorse the consistent and patriotic action of the Republican Representatives in Congress in opposing its passage. Civil service reform, pensions, the Mon- roe doctrine and other issues were treated. The following was adopted concerning bimetallism: The Republican party is in favor of the use of both gold and silver as money and eon. demns the policy of the Democratic adminis- Clev , tration in its efforts to elad’s demonetize silver. Second Grover Cleveland Nomination. was renominated at the Democratic National Convention at St. Louis which met June5. Allen G. Thur- man of Ohio was made the Vice-Presiden- tial candidate. The attitude of the Demo- crats toward the tariff, which continued to be the main issue, was the same as had been four years earlier. Harrison was elected President, getting 233 electoral votes; Cleveland 168. The popular vote was: Harrison, 5,440,216, Cleveland 5,538,233. Only the vote of the two great parties is given. It is not necessary to recall the political events of the past eight years in detail, as the facts are known to all men. Through- out this period the Republican party has stood stanchly for the pratective tariff and the protection of American industry. Benjamin Harrison served out his term and in 1893 the Democrats returned to power.’ During the last two years the tariff policy of the Democrats, as exempli- fied by what is known as the Wilson tariff bill, has been in operation. The bond issues which the administration has made and the other expedients to keep up the treasury reserve are, familiar facts. It18 only necessary to recapitulate the princi- pal facts of the campaign of 1892 to bring the record of the two parties to the present- The Republican National Convention of 1892 met June 7 at Minneapolis. William MeKinley was the permanent chairman- In his opening speech he said: “The platform of the first Republican National Convention of thirty-six years ago reads to-day more like inspiration than the affir- mation of s great political party: VT