Malcolm Rivera
The Constitutional Union Party was a political party that stood in the 1860 United States elections. It was formed in 1859 by former Whigs and members of the Know-Nothing Party, and it nominated John Bell of Tennessee as its presidential candidate and Edward Everett as its vice-presidential candidate. The party's platform was to defend the Constitution, the Union, and the law, and it sought to avoid the issue of secession and the debate over slavery. The party's message did not sway enough voters, and Bell lost the election to Abraham Lincoln.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1860 |
| Party | Constitutional Union Party |
| Nominees | John Bell |
| Edward Everett | |
| Election | 1860 United States presidential election |
| Outcome | Lost to Abraham Lincoln |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Union Party was formed in 1859 by former Whigs
The Constitutional Union Party was a political party that stood in the 1860 United States presidential election. It was formed in 1859 by former Whigs and members of the Know-Nothing Party, also known as the American Party. The Constitutional Union Party was created in response to the collapse of the Whig Party in the 1850s due to a series of crises over slavery. Many former Whigs had joined the new anti-slavery Republican Party, but others joined the nativist American Party, which declined after the 1856 elections.
The Constitutional Union Party consisted mostly of conservative former Whigs from the Southern United States who wanted to avoid secession over slavery and refused to join either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. The party campaigned on a simple platform: "to recognize no political principle other than the Constitution of the country, the Union of the states, and the Enforcement of the Laws". The party sought to rally support for the Union and the Constitution without regard to sectional issues, particularly attempting to ignore the slavery issue. This platform appealed especially to border states, where the party won 39 electoral votes.
The Constitutional Union Party was led by Senator John J. Crittenden of Kentucky, Henry Clay's successor in border-state Whiggery. Crittenden led a group of conservative unionist congressmen in forming the party. At his behest, fifty former and current members of Congress met in Washington, D.C., in December 1859, where they agreed to form a new party dedicated to preserving the Union and avoiding debates over slavery. The party received the blessing of the respective national committees of the Whig Party and the American Party and was officially formed on February 12, 1860.
In the 1860 election, the Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell of Tennessee for president and Edward Everett of Massachusetts for vice president. Bell won the nomination over Sam Houston, with 68.5 votes to Houston's 57 on the first presidential ballot. Houston refused to endorse Bell and did not back any candidate in the 1860 election. Everett, a former Whig senator from Massachusetts, was selected as the vice-presidential nominee to provide sectional balance to the ticket.
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The party's platform was to defend the Union and the Constitution
The Constitutional Union Party was a political party that stood in the 1860 United States elections. It was formed in 1859 by former Whigs and members of the Know-Nothing Party, including Senator John J. Crittenden of Kentucky. The party's platform was to defend the Union and the Constitution, with a particular focus on avoiding debates over slavery.
The party's full campaign slogan was "the Union as it is, the Constitution as it is." This reflected their desire to muster popular sentiment in favour of the Union and against southern secession. The party's platform stated that they would "recognize no political principle other than the Constitution of the country, the Union of the states, and the Enforcement of the Laws." This meant that they took no official stance on slavery, positioning themselves between Lincoln's Republican Party, which campaigned against extending slavery, and Breckinridge's Southern Democrats, who favoured allowing slavery in all territories.
The Constitutional Union Party's platform was designed to appeal to border states, and the party won 39 electoral votes in these regions. However, the party's refusal to take a stance on slavery damaged its standing in the North, and Bell's ownership of slaves further alienated Northerners. Ultimately, the Constitutional Union Party was short-lived, disappearing from the political scene with the coming of the Civil War.
In the 1860 election, the Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell of Tennessee for president and Edward Everett of Massachusetts for vice president. Bell was selected over Sam Houston of Texas, who was the favourite of the American contingent, and Everett was selected for the vice-presidential nomination despite not wanting the role.
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The party's presidential nominee was John Bell of Tennessee
The Constitutional Union Party was formed in 1860, primarily consisting of former Whigs who wanted to avoid the issue of slavery and preserve the Union. The party's platform was based on a commitment to the Constitution and the Union, and they aimed to appeal to voters across the North and South who wanted to set aside sectional differences and restore harmony to the nation. As the party sought to unite the country and avoid the growing tensions over slavery, their nomination of John Bell of Tennessee for president reflected this goal.
Bell, a veteran politician, had served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and had also been the Secretary of War under President William Henry Harrison. Bell was a slaveowner himself, but he had a reputation as a moderate on the slavery issue, which the party hoped would appeal to voters in both the North and the South. He was also known for his strong commitment to the Union and his opposition to secession, which made him an ideal candidate for a party focused on preserving the nation.
As the party's nominee, Bell ran on a platform of "the Constitution of our fathers, the Union of our fathers, and the enforcement of the laws." He argued that the Constitution should be interpreted as it was originally written and that any attempts to restrict slavery in the territories, such as the Wilmot Proviso, were unconstitutional. While Bell did not support the expansion of slavery, he also opposed any efforts to interfere with it where it already existed, a position that he believed would help bridge the divide between North and South.
Bell's running mate was Edward Everett of Massachusetts, a former Whig who had served as Secretary of State, Governor of Massachusetts, and President of Harvard University. Everett was a strong supporter of the Union and had a reputation as a gifted orator, which the party hoped would balance the ticket and appeal to voters across the country.
The Constitutional Union Party hoped that by nominating Bell and Everett, they could provide a moderate alternative to the more extreme positions of the Democratic and Republican parties on the issue of slavery. While they ultimately did not win the election, their nomination of Bell reflected the party's commitment to finding common ground and preserving the Union.
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Edward Everett was the party's vice-presidential nominee
The Constitutional Union Party was formed in 1859 by former Whigs and members of the Know-Nothing Party. The party's main goal was to preserve the Union and avoid a civil war by finding a middle ground on the divisive issue of slavery. The party nominated John Bell of Tennessee as its presidential candidate for the 1860 election.
The Constitutional Union Party's platform appealed primarily to border states, and the party won 39 electoral votes in the 1860 election. However, the party failed to sway enough voters to win the election, and Bell lost to the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. The Constitutional Union Party was short-lived, collapsing by the start of the Civil War.
The party's nomination process was marked by a split in the Democratic Party, with northern and southern Democrats unable to agree on a candidate due to their differing stances on slavery. This division ultimately led to the nomination of two separate Democratic presidential candidates in 1860. The Constitutional Union Party's own stance on slavery, or lack thereof, further damaged its standing in the North.
The party's goal of preserving the Union and preventing secession over slavery attracted former Whigs and unconditional Unionists who refused to join the Democratic or Republican Parties. The Constitutional Union Party's nomination of John Bell and Edward Everett as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively, reflected its desire to find a compromise and bridge sectional divides.
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The party failed to win the 1860 election
The Constitutional Union Party was a political party that stood in the 1860 United States presidential election. The party was formed in 1859 by former Whigs and members of the Know-Nothing Party, and it nominated John Bell of Tennessee for president and Edward Everett for vice president. The party's platform was to defend the Constitution, the Union, and the law, and to avoid the issue of slavery. However, the party failed to win the 1860 election.
The Constitutional Union Party's greatest support came from border states, where it won 39 electoral votes. The party's leaders did not expect to win the election outright but sought to win states in the Upper South and the Lower North, particularly Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. They hoped to deny an electoral vote majority to any one candidate and force a contingent election in the House of Representatives, where they believed their nominee would be chosen as a moderate alternative.
However, the party's message of defending the Constitution, the Union, and the law did not resonate with enough voters. Additionally, the party was damaged by its association with slavery. A split in the Democratic Party led to the nomination of two separate Democratic presidential candidates, and the Constitutional Unionists' failure to take a clear stance on slavery alienated Northerners. Bell's ownership of slaves further hurt the party's standing in the North.
The 1860 election ultimately came down to two separate campaigns, and the Constitutional Union Party was unable to compete with the Republican Party, which nominated Abraham Lincoln, or the Democratic Party, which was divided between northern and southern factions. Lincoln won the election, causing a popular movement for secession in Texas and the South. The Constitutional Union Party had already split along former partisan lines before the election, and it collapsed entirely with the growth of secession sentiment.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell of Tennessee as its candidate for president in 1860.
Edward Everett was the vice-presidential nominee.
Potential candidates included Winfield Scott, Edward Bates, and Sam Houston.
The party, made up of former Whigs and Unionists, wanted to avoid secession and the issue of slavery.
