1860 Democratic National Convention

The 1860 Democratic National Convention was one of the key events prior to the American Civil War. It was initially held in Charleston, South Carolina from April 23 to May 9, 1860. While in Charleston, the convention was torn apart by sectionalism within the Democratic Party. Delegates to the convention were split over the issue of slavery. The southern wing of the party demanded the adoption of a platform which explicitly protected the institution; however, the north refused to acquiesce. As a result, southern delegations stormed out of the convention hall in protest. The platform issue was not resolved when the convention began voting for the presidential candidate. After 54 ballots, Stephen A. Douglas, the frontrunner, failed to capture the two-thirds majority needed for the nomination. Douglas was opposed by the south because he continued to support popular sovereignty, instead of explicitly supporting slavery. The failure to nominate a candidate in Charleston required the convention to be reconvened in Baltimore, Maryland on June 18. Sectional differences remained, and when Douglas officially received the nomination, the southern delegates nominated a rival candidate, John C. Breckinridge. This outright split in the party made it possible for the Republicans, who ran Abraham Lincoln as their candidate, to win in November, by tipping key swing states, such as Pennsylvania to the Republicans. As a result of Lincoln's election, some southern states turned to secession.

See also

• Democratic National Convention
• List of Democratic National Conventions