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Show Cll.A.PTER XVI. NATIONAL CONVENTIONS. TnE first National Conventions of rlelegates elected by the people to nominate candiuates for President and VicePresident, weL·e held in 1840. Both the Whig and Democratic parties nominated in that way for that campairrn. Previous to that period nominations were made by cancnses called by the members of Concrress, in which they only were admitted to vote. Alleged abuses and intrigues led to the change of nominating, by delegates chosen from each congressional district. Up to 1848, no issue in reference to slavery seems to have been raised between the parties in their platforms ; or, rather, up to that time no ncce sity seems to have arisen for the conventions to take particular notice of the subject. In the midst of the slaver·y agitation of that year, the two parties held their conventions. The Whig party nominated Gen. Zachary 'raylor for President, and Millard Fillmore for Vice-President, and adjourned without laying down any platform. The Democratic convention nominateu General Lewis Cass for President, and General William 0. Butler for Vice-President, and passed the following resolution on the question of slavery : u R esolved, That Congress has no power under the Const itution to interfere with or control the domestic institutions of the several States, and that such States are the sole and proper judges of everything appertaining to their own aff3.irs, not prohibited by the Constitution; that all efforts of the abolitionists, or others, made to induce Congress to interfere with qnestions of slavery, or to take incipient (4.8R) ' NATIONAL CO.NVENTIONS. 489 steps in relation thereto, are calculated to lead to the most alarming and dangerous consequences ; and that all snch efforts have an inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the people, and endanger the stability and pcnnanency of the Union, and ought not to be countenanced by any friend of our political institutions." In 1852, the Democratic convention at Baltimore nominated General Frank1in Pierce foL· President, and William R. King for Vice-President, and adopted the following resolutions referring to slavery: "Resolved, That Congress has no power under the Constitution to interfere with or control the domcHtic instil utions of the several States, an<l that such States arc the sole and proper judges of evcrythinrr appcrtaiuing to their own affairs, not prohibited by the Constitution ; that all c[urts of the abolitionists, or others, made to induce Congress to interfcL·e with questions of slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation thereto, arc calcu lated to lead to tbc most alarming and dangerous consequences ; and that all sucl.1 cfl'orts have an inevitaulc tendency to diminish the happ111ess of the people, and endanger the stability and permanenc! of the Union, and ought not to be countcnancecl by any fncnd of our public institutions. 11 Resolved, That the foregoing proposition covers, and was intended to embrace, the whole subject of sln.vcry agitation in Congress, and therefore the Democratic party of the Union, standing on this national platform, will abide by, and adhere to, a faithful execution of the acts known as the compromise measures, settled by the last Con~ress-the act for reclaiming fugitives from service or labor Included ; which, being designed to carry out an express pro,ision of the Constitution, cannot with fidelity thereto be repealed, or so changed as to destroy or impair its efficiency." . The Whicr convention, at Baltimore, soon after, nominated Genc;al Winfield Scott for Presideut, and William |