1835 Democratic National Convention
1836 presidential election | |
Nominees Van Buren and Johnson | |
Convention | |
---|---|
Date(s) | May 20–22, 1835 |
City | Baltimore, Maryland |
Venue | Fourth Presbyterian Church |
Candidates | |
Presidential nominee | Martin Van Buren of New York |
Vice presidential nominee | Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky |
‹ 1832 · 1840 › |
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.[1]
Proceedings
Andrew Stevenson of Virginia served as the chairman and convention president. Six convention vice presidents and four secretaries were appointed.
Tennessee, Illinois, South Carolina, and Alabama sent no delegates to the convention.
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 Balloting | |
---|---|
Candidate | 1st |
Van Buren | 265 |
Not Represented | 23 |
- 1st Presidential Ballot
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.[2]
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.[3]
Vice Presidential Balloting | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | 1st | Percentage |
Johnson | 178 | 67.17% |
Rives | 87 | 32.83% |
Not Represented | 23 | 7.99% |
- 1st Vice Presidential Ballot
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;[4] Johnson, likewise on June 9.[5]
General 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
- ^ Niles, Hezekiah, ed. (April 4, 1835), "Gen. Jackson's Letter", Niles' Weekly Register, vol. 48, H. Niles, pp. 80–81
- ^ Witcover, Jules (2014). The American Vice Presidency. Smithsonian Books. pp. 90–91.
- ^ Irelan, John Robert (1887). "History of the Life, Administration and Times of Martin Van Buren, Eighth President of the United States". Chicago: Fairbanks and Palmer Publishing Company. p. 233. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ Niles, Hezekiah, ed. (June 13, 1835), "Mr. Van Buren's Acceptance", Niles' Weekly Register, vol. 48, H. Niles, pp. 257–258
- ^ Niles, Hezekiah, ed. (July 11, 1835), "Col. Johnson's Acceptance", Niles' Weekly Register, vol. 48, H. Niles, pp. 329–330
References
- Proceedings of the convention, Niles' Weekly Register, Volume XLVIII, March 1835 to September 1835
Preceded by 1832 Baltimore, Maryland | Democratic National Conventions | Succeeded by 1840 Baltimore, Maryland |
- v
- t
- e
- 8th President of the United States (1837–1841)
- 8th Vice President of the United States (1833–1837)
- U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom (1831–1832)
- 10th United States Secretary of State (1829–1831)
- 9th Governor of New York (1829)
- U.S. Senator from New York (1821–1828)
- Attorney General of New York (1815–1819)
- Bucktails
- Albany Regency
- Tammany Hall
- 1821 United States Senate election in New York
- United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
- Tariff of Abominations
- Democratic Party
- 1828 New York gubernatorial election
- Petticoat affair
- Kitchen Cabinet
- 1832 Democratic National Convention
- 1832 United States presidential election
- 1836 United States presidential election
- 1835 Democratic National Convention
- Second Party System
- Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
- 1844 Democratic National Convention
- Barnburners and Hunkers
- 1848 Democratic National Convention
- Free Soil Party
- 1848 United States presidential election
- Reformed Dutch Church
- Inauguration of Martin Van Buren
- Panic of 1837
- Specie Circular
- Independent Treasury
- Treaty of New Echota
- Emerson's letter to Martin Van Buren
- United States v. The Amistad
- List of federal judges appointed by Martin Van Buren
- Gold Spoon Oration
- 1840 United States presidential election
- 1840 Democratic National Convention
- Recarving Rushmore
- List of memorials to Martin Van Buren
- Mount Van Buren
- USS Van Buren (1839)
- Burr
- Amistad
- "The Van Buren Boys"
- Family of Martin Van Buren
- Abraham Van Buren (father)
- James I. Van Alen (maternal half-brother)
- Abraham Van Buren (son)
- Angelica Singleton Van Buren (daughter-in-law)
- John Van Buren (son)