The 1852 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that met from June 1 to June 5 in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. It was held to nominate the Democratic Party's candidates for president and

vice president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

in the 1852 election. The convention selected former Senator

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. A northern Democratic Party (United States), Democrat who believed that the Abolitionism in the United States, abolitio ...

of New Hampshire for president and Senator William R. King of Alabama for vice president. Four major candidates vied for the presidential nomination – Lewis Cass of Michigan, the nominee in 1848, who had the backing of northerners in support of the Compromise of 1850;

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He also served as the United States Secretary of State, secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvan ...

of Pennsylvania, popular in the

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

as well as in his home state; Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, candidate of the expansionists and the railroad interests; and William L. Marcy of New York, whose strength was centered in his home state. Cass led on the first nineteen ballots of the convention, but was unable to win the necessary two-thirds majority. Buchanan pulled ahead on the twentieth ballot, but he too was unable to win a two-thirds majority. Pierce won votes for the first time on the 35th ballot, and was nominated almost unanimously on the 49th ballot. King was nominated on the second vice presidential ballot, defeating Senator Solomon W. Downs and several other candidates. The Democratic ticket went on to win the 1852 election, defeating the Whig ticket of Winfield Scott and William Alexander Graham.

Convention proceedings

The convention took place at the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts and was called to order by

Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal executive leadership board of the United States's Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. According to the party charter, it has "general responsibility for the affairs of the ...

chairman Benjamin F. Hallett. Romulus M. Saunders served as the temporary convention chairman and John W. Davis served as the permanent convention president. Delegates at the convention approved a platform that largely mimicked the one adopted in 1848. Two notable additions were the denouncement of a national bank and an endorsement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

Presidential nomination

Dark horse candidates

File:George Peter Alexander Healy - Franklin Pierce - Google Art Project.jpg, Former

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

Image:Henry Cruse Murphy.jpg, Former Representative
Henry C. Murphy
of New York

Major presidential candidates

File:Lewis Cass crop.jpg,

Lewis Cass
of

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

File:JamesBuchanan_crop.jpg, Former Secretary of State

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

File:William Learned Marcy.jpg, Former

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

William L. Marcy
of New York File:BradyHandy-StephenADouglas restored.jpg,

Stephen A. Douglas
of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

Minor presidential candidates

Image:WilliamOButler.jpg, Former Representative
William O. Butler
of

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

Image:JosephLane.png, House Delegate
Joseph Lane
of

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

Image:SHouston 2.jpg,

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two indi ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

Image:Henry Dodge portrait.jpg,

Henry Dodge
of

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

Declined

Image:Daniel Dickinson NY.jpg, Former

Daniel S. Dickinson
of New York
(Endorsed Cass)

Balloting

As Democrats convened in

in June 1852, four major candidates vied for the nomination – Lewis Cass of Michigan, the nominee in 1848, who had the backing of northerners in support of the Compromise of 1850;

of Pennsylvania, popular in the

as well as in his home state; Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, candidate of the expansionists and the railroad interests; and William L. Marcy of New York, whose strength was centered in his home state. Throughout the balloting, numerous favorite son candidates received a few votes. With a two-thirds majority required to win, Cass led on the first 19 ballots, with Buchanan second and Douglas and Marcy exchanging third and fourth places. Buchanan took the lead on the 20th ballot and retained it on each of the next nine tallies. Douglas managed a narrow lead on the 30th and 31st ballots. Cass then recaptured first place through the 44th ballot. Marcy carried the next four ballots.

of New Hampshire, a former Congressman and Senator, did not get on the board until the 35th ballot, when the Virginia delegation brought him forward as a compromise choice, selecting Pierce as their dark horse by one vote over former New York Congressman and

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

Mayor Henry C. Murphy, and then supporting him as a unit. After being nominated by the Virginia delegation, Pierce's support remained steady until the 46th ballot, when it began to increase at Cass's expense. Pierce's support was consolidated in subsequent voting, and he was nominated nearly unanimously on the 49th ballot. According to Edward Stanwood, there was "no doubt that the nomination of General Pierce was carefully planned before the convention met. The originator of the scheme was James W. Bradbury, then a senator from

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

, a college mate and lifelong friend of Pierce." Source:
1st Day of Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 3, 1852) File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination1stBallot.png, 1st Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination2ndBallot.png, 2nd Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination3rdBallot.png, 3rd Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination4thBallot.png, 4th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination5thBallot.png, 5th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination6thBallot.png, 6th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination7th8thBallots.png, 7th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination7th8thBallots.png, 8th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination9thBallot.png, 9th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination10thBallot.png, 10th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination11thBallot.png, 11th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination12thBallot.png, 12th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination13thBallot.png, 13th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination14th15th16thBallots.png, 14th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination14th15th16thBallots.png, 15th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination14th15th16thBallots.png, 16th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination17thBallot.png, 17th Ballot
2nd Day of Presidential Balloting / 4th Day of Convention (June 4, 1852) File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination18thBallot.png, 18th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination19thBallot.png, 19th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination20thBallot.png, 20th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination21stBallot.png, 21st Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination22ndBallot.png, 22nd Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination23rdBallot.png, 23rd Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination24thBallot.png, 24th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination25thBallot.png, 25th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination26thBallot.png, 26th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination27thBallot.png, 27th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination28thBallot.png, 28th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination29thBallot.png, 29th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination30thBallot.png, 30th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination31stBallot.png, 31st Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination32ndBallot.png, 32nd Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination33rdBallot.png, 33rd Ballot
3rd Day of Presidential Balloting / 5th Day of Convention (June 5, 1852) File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination34thBallot.png, 34th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination35thBallot.png, 35th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination36thBallot.png, 36th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination37thBallot.png, 37th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination38thBallot.png, 38th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination39thBallot.png, 39th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination40th41stBallots.png, 40th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination40th41stBallots.png, 41st Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination42nd43rd44thBallots.png, 42nd Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination42nd43rd44thBallots.png, 43rd Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination42nd43rd44thBallots.png, 44th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination45thBallot.png, 45th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination46thBallot.png, 46th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination47thBallot.png, 47th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination48thBallot.png, 48th Ballot File:1852DemocraticPresidentialNomination49thBallot.png, 49th Ballot

Vice presidential nomination

Vice presidential candidates

File:William Rufus DeVane King 1839 portrait.jpg,

William R. King
of

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

Image:Solomon Weathersbee Downs.jpg,

Solomon W. Downs
of

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

Image:John B Weller by William F Cogswell, 1879.jpg,

John B. Weller
of

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Image:David Rice Atchison by Mathew Brady March 1849.jpg,

David Rice Atchison
of

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

Image:General Gideon Johnson Pillow.jpg, Major General
Gideon J. Pillow
of

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

Image:NC-Congress-RogerStrange.jpg, Former

Robert Strange
of

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

Declined

File:WilliamOButler.jpg, Former Representative
William O. Butler
of

File:TJRusk.jpg,

Thomas J. Rusk
of

File:President-Jefferson-Davis.jpg, Former

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the only President of the Confederate States of America, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the Unite ...

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

File:Howell Cobb-crop.jpg,

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Howell Cobb
of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

In a peace gesture to the Buchanan wing of the party, Pierce's supporters allowed Buchanan's allies to fill the second position, knowing that they would select Alabama Senator William R. King, to whom Pierce had no objections. King won the nomination on the second ballot. During the ensuing campaign, King's

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

, which he believed he had contracted while living in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, denied him the active behind-the-scenes role that he might otherwise have played, although he worked hard to assure his region's voters with the statement that New Hampshire's Pierce was a "northern man with southern principles." File:1852DemocraticVicePresidentialNomination1stBallot.png, 1st Vice Presidential Ballot File:1852DemocraticVicePresidentialNomination2ndBallot.png, 2nd Vice Presidential Ballot

References

External links

Democratic Party Platform of 1852
at ''The American Presidency Project'' {{Authority control 1852 United States presidential election 1852 in Maryland 1850s in Baltimore Political conventions in Baltimore Maryland Democratic Party Political events in Maryland Democratic National Conventions 1852 conferences June 1852 19th-century political conferences Franklin Pierce William R. King James Buchanan Stephen A. Douglas Sam Houston

Convention proceedings

Presidential nomination

Dark horse candidates

Major presidential candidates

Minor presidential candidates

Declined

Balloting

Vice presidential nomination

Vice presidential candidates

Declined

See also

References

External links