North American National Convention, 1856 |
| | |
Temporary Chairman VP Nominee | Permanent Chairman | Presidential Nominee |
Former Gov. William F. Johnston PA |
Philadelphia Mayor Robert T. Conrad PA |
Former U.S. Senator John C. Fremont CA |
Formation of the North American Party
Near the end of the American Party National Convention, delegates from Free States walked out of the convention. On 2/25/1856, they met in the Merchant's Hotel in Philadelphia to discuss their situation. They called a new national convention, to be held on 6/12/1856 in New York City. [New York Times 2/26/1856]
During the spring and summer, state conventions in the North discussed how to proceed. The Ohio convention received word that it had been dissolved by the national chairman, so it specifically repudiated the Fillmore ticket [New York Times, 3/25/1856]. New Hampshire repudiated the Fillmore ticket on 5/6/1856 [New York Times, 5/7/1856], followed by Rhode Island on 6/3/1856 [New York Times, 6/4/1856]. The state parties in MA and IL had small Fillmore majorities, so at the time of the following state party conventions, divisions took place [NYT 5/7, 9/1856].
The North American Party National Convention
The North American Party National Convention assembled in a building called the the "Apollo Rooms" on Broadway in New York City.
Temporary Chairman: William F. Johnston PA
The convention appointed Credentials and Permanent Organization committees at its first session. The evening session was taken up with speeches. The Committee on Permanent Organization also reported.
Permanent Chairman: Robert Conrad PA [NYT 6/13/1856]
The convention appointed a committee to work with the upcoming Republican National Convention to try to find a suitable ticket to be supported by both parties.[NYT 6/14/1856].
Presidential Nomination
On the following day, the committee working with the Republican Party reported that the convention should proceed to nominations. George Law NY addressed the convention and mentioned the importance of the party working with the Republicans as "one solid phalanx" against slavery.
Nominations followed. William Halstead NJ placed Robert F. Stockton into nomination. The only other contender officially placed in nomination at this time was John McLean.
When the chairman announced that the balloting would begin, Gov. Johnston objected to a roll call by states. He recommended that each delegate be called by name to state his preference. The convention passed the motion.
When the first ballot was taken, Banks led with just over one-third of the delegate vote. His support was based in New York, the Plains States, and the Pacific west. Fremont placed second; his support was based in New England. McLean carried Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Two additional ballots were taken, with little change among the leading contenders. The Chairman then allowed the delegates to state the qualities of the candidates they were voting for. During this discussion, Gov. Johnston was officially placed in nomination by a delegate from PA and Fremont was placed in nomination by a delegate from CT. After the presentation of the qualities of the candidates, the convention adjourned for two days. [NYT 6/16/1856]
When the convention re-convened, the New Jersey delegation withdrew Stockton from the race and seceded from the convention. That delegation believed the convention was headed to a joint ticket with the Republicans when they had the opportunity to place their own ticket in the field. After their departure, Gov. Johnston repeated his hope that the convention would nominate a candidate the Republican Party could also endorse.
As additional delegates began to secede, the balloting resumed. On the fourth ballot, the vote of the non-Banks and Fremont candidates was consolidated by McLean. Fremont’s totals began to drop slowly, as his supporters began to identify themselves as Republicans and not as North Americans. He fell into third place on the 5th ballot. The drain of Fremont delegates pushed Banks’s total up from 41% to 46% on the 9th ballot, though his delegate support only increased by four. The convention took a brief recess.
When the convention assembled, the 10th ballot took place. Banks was nominated with 56% of the delegate vote, though the number of participating delegates had dropped by 13 since the previous ballot. The support for the three candidates was similar to that on the first ballot. Banks was supported by the large New York delegation, with scattered support elsewhere. Fremont’s vote came almost entirely from New England. McLean received the vote of PA and OH and six votes from New England.
North American Party Convention 1856, Presidential Balloting |
Candidate: Ballot | 1st | 2d | 3d | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th |
John C. Fremont CA | 34 | 36 | 37 | 37 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 18 | 92 |
Nathaniel P. Banks MA | 43 | 48 | 46 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 53 | 0 |
John McLean OH | 19 | 10 | 2 | 29 | 33 | 40 | 41 | 40 | 30 | 24 | 0 |
Robert F. Stockton NJ | 14 | 20 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
William F. Johnston PA | 6 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scattering | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Vice Presidential Nomination
The convention then proceeded to the VP ballot. Gov. Johnston was nominated on the first ballot with 59 votes to 16 for Gov. Ford, 12 for Fremont, and 21 scattering. Almost half of the vote for candidates other than Johnston came from New York State.
Govs. Johnston and Ford then addressed the convention. A new committee was appointed to work with the Republican National Convention, and a platform was approved before the convention adjourned for the day.
[NYT 6/17/1856]
Last items of business; Fremont nominated
When the convention re-assembled, it heard a report that the Republican National Convention was not willing to work with the North American Party and had nominated candidates without input from the committee. The delegates were disappointed with the RNC, and several stated that they would support Fillmore over Fremont. [6/20/1856]
On the last day of the convention, 6/20/1856, Banks withdrew from the race. Several delegates regretted the treatment of the NAP delegation to the Republican National Convention, but the convention unanimously nominated Fremont for President and Johnston for VP. A new national committee was appointed, as was a committee to draft an address to the naiton. The convention then adjourned sine die. [NYT 6/21/1856].
The End of the North American Party
In the following weeks, the North American Party worked locally with the Republican Party to field strong slates of Presidential Electors. The two parties worked in unison.
Although the NAP operated under the impression that William L. Dayton would withdraw from the Republican ticket, to be replaced by Gov. Johnston, he never took that action. Johnston, not wanting to divide the northern anti-slavery vote, withdrew from the race on 8/29/1856 [NYT 8/30/1856]. With this action, the NAP officially ceased to exist as a separate entity from the Republican Party.
Popular Vote of 1856
Electoral Vote of 1856
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