Fall of The Whigs
The Whig party had been declining in power for some time before its last national convention in 1856. In the 1850 midterm elections, Democrats strengthened their majority as the Whigs lost 23 seats in the House and 2 seats in the Senate. In 1852, the Whigs lost another 14 House seats and one Senate seat.
A major reason for the Whig party's decline was a loss of its most influential leaders. Whig leaders from Southern slave states joined the Democratic party. Additionally, the Whigs' New York state convention in Syracuse voted to join with the newly-formed Republican party.
On March 10, 1856, the Whig National Committee met and voted to reject the New York Whigs' merger with the Republican party. Whig leaders from Kentucky met and held their state convention in April. There they voted to call a national convention.
In the months leading up to the national convention, Whigs met in convention in several states to select which delegates would be sent to Baltimore in September. Delegates to these state conventions debated several options for the upcoming general election: the party could choose former President Millard Fillmore as its candidate, nominate another Whig, or endorse the Democratic candidate James Buchanan. As the state conventions met, Fillmore emerged as the clear choice.
Read more about this topic: 1856 Whig National Convention
Famous quotes containing the words fall of the, fall of and/or fall:
“To slip upon a pavement is better than to slip with the tongue: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.”
—Apocrypha. Ecclesiasticus 20:18.
“We defy augury. Theres a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, tis not to come. If it be not to come, it will be now. If it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all.”
—William Shakespeare (15641616)
“though the fall cold
surrounds our warm bed, and though
by day we are singular and often lonely.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)