U.S. political event held in Chicago, Illinois
The 1892 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, from June 21 to 23, 1892. and nominated former President Grover Cleveland, who had been the party's standard-bearer in 1884 and 1888. Adlai Stevenson I of Illinois was nominated for vice president. The ticket was victorious in the general election, defeating the Republican nominees, President Benjamin Harrison and his running mate, Whitelaw Reid.
Preconvention.
David B. Hill, a U.S. Senator who had served as Cleveland's lieutenant governor, won the support of the New York delegation at the state convention on February 22, 1892. Hill rose to the governorship after Cleveland's election to the presidency in 1884, and won reelection despite Cleveland losing New York in 1888. Hill's presidential ambitions were supported by Tammany Hall. He conducted a tour of the south in an attempt to gain its support. Hill's tour was regarded as a failure. Henry Watterson, editor of the "Louisville Courier Journal", wrote that his tour was "imprudent and ill-started" and that his movement had "nothing beneath it".
Anti-Hill Democrats in New York unsuccessfully tried to postpone the state convention. After failing to stop the convention, they called their own convention to be held in Syracuse on May 31 in order to send a competing delegation. They formed the Democratic State Provisional Committee and unveiled 120,000 signatures in favor of their convention.
The California, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin parties bound their delegations to Cleveland. Connecticut, Maine, Nebraska, and Vermont sent uninstructed delegations that were sympathetic to Cleveland. New Hampshire's delegation was sent without instruction due to a close division between the Cleveland and Hill forces, but the delegation endorsed Cleveland on May 11. Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming sent uninstructed delegations that were sympathetic to Hill. Indiana committed its delegation to Cleveland, but instructed it to support Isaac P. Gray should Cleveland fail.
South Carolina was the only southern state to oppose Cleveland. Kentucky endorsed Cleveland's administration and sent an uninstructed delegation. Virginia sent a delegation composed of 12 Cleveland delegates, 10 Hill delegates, and 2 uncommitted. Georgia sent a delegation with 20 Cleveland supporters and 6 Hill supporters. Tennessee and Texas bound their delegates to Cleveland.
A resolution at the Colorado convention calling for the delegation to only support free silver presidential and vice presidential was tabled. William Jennings Bryan unsuccessfully proposed a free silver plank at the Nebraska convention. Bryan opposed Cleveland and instead supported Boies.
Horace Boies, James E. Campbell, John G. Carlisle, Roswell P. Flower, Gorman, John R. McPherson, John M. Palmer, William E. Russell, William F. Vilas, and Watterson were put forward as dark horse candidates. Watterson supported Carlisle, who supported Cleveland.
Convention.
The Democratic National Committee met on January 21, 1892, to select a city to host the national convention. Chicago was selected as the host of the convention on the 15th ballot. Hill's supporters, including Calvin S. Brice and Arthur P. Gorman, wanted Chicago selected. At the convention William Claiborne Owens was temporary chairman before William Lyne Wilson was made permanent chair; both men were Cleveland supporters.
Hill's supporters focused on preventing Cleveland from receiving two-thirds of the delegate vote. Richard Croker, William F. Sheehan, and Edward Murphy Jr. were the leaders of Hill's campaign. Wilson S. Bissell, D-Cady Herrick, Francis Lynde Stetson, and William Collins Whitney led Cleveland's campaign with Whitney as its manager. Cleveland's campaign established a headquarters at the Palmer House on June 17.
Whitney convinced Gorman to abandon Hill, who Gorman saw as no longer being able to win the nomination, and instead support Cleveland. Indiana U.S. Senator Daniel W. Voorhees, a former Hill supporter, ended his attempt to push Gray's nomination and gave his support to Cleveland. Palmer was able to prevent support for William Ralls Morrison rising and brought the Illinois delegation behind Cleveland.
The New York delegation maintained its support for Hill in a letter signed by 71 of its 72 delegates, with Albany Mayor James Hilton Manning refusing. The anti-Hill New York delegation decided to not push a credentials fight due to a lack of support from Cleveland and Whitney not wanting to divide the party.
The Montana delegation attempted to unify the free silver states in opposition to Cleveland.
By the end of Harrison's term, many Americans were ready to return to Cleveland's hard money policy on the currency question. As Democrats convened in Chicago from June 8–June 11, 1892, Cleveland was the frontrunner, but faced formidable opposition. He had come out against the free coinage of silver, thereby earning the enmity of Western and Southern Democrats. Cleveland's cause was aided by his position on the tariff, his perceived electability, a strong organization, and the weakness of his rivals' candidacies.
Cleveland was nominated by Leon Abbett and was seconded by the California delegation. Hill was nominated by William C. DeWitt and seconded by John R. Fellows; both were New York delegates. Boies was nominated by John F. Duncombe and seconded by Watterson. Cleveland won on the first ballot with 617.33 votes, ten more than the required two-thirds.
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Vice presidential nomination.
Allen G. Thurman, Cleveland's running mate in 1888, supported Cleveland for president in 1892, but was not a candidate for vice president.
Gray was nominated by John E. Lamb. Gray's candidacy was weakened by his prior opposition to Cleveland, his past as a Republican, and the belief that Cleveland would carry Indiana in the election no matter what. Walter Q. Gresham suggested to Whitney and Thomas F. Bayard that somebody from Illinois should be selected to help Cleveland win it. Adlai Stevenson I was nominated by the Illinois delegation.
Stevenson finished ahead of Gray on the first ballot. Revised first ballot totals gave Stevenson enough votes to obtain the nomination, after which delegates made the selection unanimous.
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Platform.
The 1892 convention adopted a platform:
References.
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