1848 Whig National Convention

The 1848 Whig National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held from June 7 to 9 in Philadelphia. It nominated the Whig Party's candidates for president and vice president in the 1848 election. The convention selected General Zachary Taylor of Louisiana for president and former Representative Millard Fillmore of New York for vice president.

1848 Whig National Convention
1848 presidential election
Nominees
Taylor and Fillmore
Convention
Date(s)June 7-9, 1848
CityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
VenueChinese Museum Building
Candidates
Presidential nomineeZachary Taylor of Louisiana
Vice presidential nomineeMillard Fillmore of New York
Voting
Total delegates280
Votes needed for nomination140
Results (president)Taylor (LA): 171 (61.07%)
Scott (NY): 63 (22.5%)
Clay (KY): 32 (11.43%)
Webster (MA): 14 (5%)
Ballots4

Taylor and General Winfield Scott had both emerged as contenders for the Whig presidential nomination after serving in the Mexican–American War, while two long-time party leaders, Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky and Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, also commanded support in the party. With Southern delegates united around his candidacy, Taylor took the lead on the first ballot. Clay finished a strong second to Taylor on the first ballot of the convention, but his support faded on subsequent ballots and Taylor took the nomination on the fourth ballot.

After Webster declined the vice presidential nomination, Fillmore and businessman Abbott Lawrence of Massachusetts emerged as the top choices for vice president. Fillmore clinched the nomination on the second ballot. The Whig ticket went on to win the 1848 presidential election, defeating the Democratic ticket of Lewis Cass and William O. Butler.

The Convention
Illustration of the convention
Illustration of the Chinese Museum Building, the venue of the convention

The convention was held from June 7 to 9 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Every state was represented except for Texas. It was chaired by John A. Collier and John M. Morehead. Taylor had been courted by both the Democrats and the Whigs, but ultimately declared himself a Whig. The platform adopted largely consisted of praise for Taylor, with less attention paid to specific policies.[1]

The venue for the convention was Chinese Museum Building. The building since was destroyed by fire in 1854.[2]

There were 280 individuals seated as delegates to the convention.[2]

Presidential nomination

By 1847, General Zachary Taylor had emerged as a contender for the Whig nomination in the 1848 presidential election.[3] Despite Taylor's largely unknown political views, many Whigs believed he was the party's strongest possible candidate due to his martial accomplishments in the Mexican–American War.[4] Henry Clay initially told his allies that he would not run in the 1848 presidential election, but he was unwilling to support Taylor, a "mere military man.".[5] Although Daniel Webster and General Winfield Scott each commanded a limited base of support in the party, Taylor and Clay each saw the other as their lone serious rival for the Whig nomination.[6]

Taylor led on the first ballot and grew his lead on subsequent ballots. On the fourth ballot, he secured 171 votes and won the presidential nomination.

Candidates
Presidential Ballot
Ballot1st2nd3rd4th
Taylor111118133171
Clay97867432
Scott43495463
Webster22221714
Clayton4410
McLean2000
Blanks11111110


  • 1st Presidential Ballot
    1st Presidential Ballot
  • 2nd Presidential Ballot
    2nd Presidential Ballot
  • 3rd Presidential Ballot
    3rd Presidential Ballot
  • 4th Presidential Ballot
    4th Presidential Ballot

Vice Presidential nomination

Vice Presidential candidates

Withdrawn

Declined

Balloting

Webster was offered the vice presidential spot on the ticket, but declined. Former New York Representative Millard Fillmore was chosen as the vice presidential candidate on the second ballot.

Convention Vice Presidential vote
Ballots 1 2
Millard Fillmore 115 173
Abbott Lawrence 109 87
Not Voting 16 24
Andrew Stewart 14 0
Thomas M.T. McKennan 13 0
George Evans 6 2
John Sergeant 6 1
John M. Clayton 3 3
Hamilton Fish 2 0
Thomas Ewing, Sr. 1 0
Thomas B. King 1 0
John Young 1 0
Rufus Choate 1 0
Solomon Foot 1 0
George Lunt 1 0
  • 1st Vice Presidential Ballot
    1st Vice Presidential Ballot
  • 2nd Vice Presidential Ballot
    2nd Vice Presidential Ballot

See also

References
  1. Havel, James T. (1996). U.S. Presidential Elections and the Candidates: A Biographical and Historical Guide. Vol. 2: The Elections, 1789–1992. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 24. ISBN 0-02-864623-1.
  2. "1848 Whig National Convention". data.philly.com. Philly.com. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  3. Klotter 2018, pp. 337–338.
  4. Heidler & Heidler 2010, pp. 420–421.
  5. Klotter 2018, pp. 342–345.
  6. Klotter 2018, pp. 345–346.

Bibliography
  • Heidler, David S.; Heidler, Jeanne T. (2010). Henry Clay: The Essential American. Random House. ISBN 978-1-58836-995-6.
  • Holt, Michael F. (1999). The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party: Jacksonian Politics and the Onset of the Civil War. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-505544-6.
  • Klotter, James C. (2018). Henry Clay: The Man Who Would Be President. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190498047.

Primary sources
  • Chester, Edward W A guide to political platforms (1977) online
  • Porter, Kirk H. and Donald Bruce Johnson, eds. National party platforms, 1840-1964 (1965) online 1840-1956
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