Show union convention at baltimore I 1 the national convention of the american constitutional union party held at baltimore on the ath of mayeas called to order at noon by hon J G crittenden of kentucky and lion hon washington hunt of new york was chosen temporary chairman delegates 0 from every state in the union were in attendance excepting oregon and south carolina rol following C the fashion of the day the rev john mccalib was called upon tipon to officiate as chaplain and opened the session of the convention by prayer A committee on permanent organization and also on credentials was appointed and an adjournment journ ment then taken till 4 pm the convention assembled at 4 pm when the committee on permanent organization reported the name of washington hunt mint for president marshall P wilder ind and and eight others for vice presidents and the names of eleven secretaries ret aries the announcement of the names was received with applause and the nomi nominations nomination natio as were confirmed by acclamation mr hunt returned thanks in a pertinent address mr lathrop of pennsylvania moved to proceed to ballot for a can candidate bdate for president mr shipper of pennsylvania offered a substitute that each state nominate a candidate for president and the convention proceed to ballot and drop each candidate having the smallest number of votes on each ballot botill till a result is reached mr hams of maryland desired an opportunity to confer with til the delegations of the various states and find out who was the best man to put forward ile he wanted time for in therefore thought the proposition to proceed to ballot premature mr pendleton of ohio was fully satisfied that the action would be more harmonious if the delegates were allowed to consult together he moved an amendment that a comm committee attee of one from each state be appointed to whom I 1 I 1 each delegation indicate its preferences so as to secure amity of action mr grayson of pennsylvania thought thong bt when he came here they had a more important work work than the presidency they had to organize a great national party and when it triumphed he wanted it do so soi upon principle ile he could not agree to take any man no matter what his antecedents were who wha did not stand fairly on the platform of recognized principles the interpretation and in meaning banin of f the constitution were introduced inthe tite contest between the two existing parties r they differed as to whether congress had power to legislate in regard to slavery inthe territories he was not going into this subject eject what he meant ii mas vas as that this union party should ignore that destructive issue asue therefore before they nominated they tiley should plant plan themselves on a platform of dional tio al principles mr coombs was so thoroughly impressed with the importance of a platform that bhat prepared three one for the democrats one for the one for the constitutional union party for the harmonious democracy he would present the virginia resolutions of 1798 9 with two resolutions on slavery one to keep it out of the territories and one to force slavery iava lava ry into them it to be adopted under the previous question and andrio no questions asked afterwards ter w wards ards for the irrepressible conflict and philanthropists he proposed the blue lawa laws of connecticut with two modifications with regard to kissing wives on sunday and burning witches it being bein understood that all the pretty wives mj might lit ve be kissed and all the old witches burned for the constitutional union party he proposed ged sed tle tha the ile constitution as it is and the walon union now and forever the chair announced that the delegation from texas had just arrived and wa waiting at the door the delegates wele were wera were received with three cheer cheers geni benl coombs begged leave to introduce the chairman of the texas delegation ai althema aa thi thema jn n with the hair on his face and head he had sworn twelve years ago not to have his beard or hair cut till henry clay was elected president the delegates generally wanted no platform the pending resolutions were adopted and a c committee ommittee of one from each state to prepare for the convention was appointed and the convention adjourned till next day at 10 am may loth convention met pursuant to adjournment journ ment the committee on business reported the following t resolution which was adopted by acclamation resolved that both patriotism and duty require that we should ze no policy or principles but those resting on the broad foundation of the constitution of the country the union of the states and the enforcement of the laws and that as representatives of the constitutional union party and of the country they pledged themselves to maintain maint alil aill protect r 0 hect and defend those principles thus affording fd i ding security at home and abroad and securing r the blessings of liberty to themselves aad posterity after fter some considerable debate as to the martner ma iner of voting mr buell of new york moved to proceed to a ballot for tand continue to vote until some one receives a majority the resolution was adopted and mr brooks of new york hackett of pennsylvania watson of mississippi and rockwell of conn were appointed tellers on the first ballot houston received 57 votes bell 68 12 1 2 everett 25 mclean 22 graham 22 gaggin baglo oin gin 3 botts 9 12 1 2 and reeves 5 on motion the nomination of john bell of tennessee was made unanimous the convention took a recess till 5 pm and and on assembling edward everett of mass i was nominated for vice president by accia mation matlon mr little moved that that president communicate muni cate the nominations to bell ans and ever everett ett on motion the chair was authorized to ap point a national executive committee of oni one one from each state C C lashmore Lath more moved mored the appointment of an executive committee to reside at washington during 0 the campaign 0 which wa wab waa carried earned 0 oh motion the present national committee was retained the usual vote of thanks to the president i and officers was adopted on motion the national Committe committee ewas was authorized zed to select the place of meeting of the next national convention mr hunt in a few remarks tendered his acknowledgment for the courtesy and kindness with which lie he had bad been I 1 as presiding officer and congratulated the convention on the happy issue of their labors the co convention n bention then adjourned sine die |