60.]

[Footnote 530: M. Halstead, _National Political Conventions of 1860_,
p. 85.]

Little enthusiasm developed over the naming of candidates. Six were
placed in nomination--Douglas of Illinois, Guthrie of Kentucky, Hunter
of Virginia, Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, Lane of Oregon, and
Dickinson of New York. George W. Patrick of California named
Dickinson, and on the first ballot he received two votes from
Pennsylvania, one from Virginia, and four from California, while New
York cast its thirty-five votes for Douglas with as much eclat as if
it had not just made his nomination absolutely impossible.[531] The
result gave Douglas 145-1/2 to 107-1/2 for all others, with 202
necessary to a choice. On the thirty-third ballot, Douglas, amidst
some enthusiasm, reached 152-1/2 votes, equivalent to a majority of
the electoral college; but, as the balloting proceeded, it became
manifest that this was his limit, and on the ninth day motions to
adjourn to New York or Baltimore in June became frequent. The
fifty-seventh ballot, the last of the session, gave Douglas 151-1/2,
Guthrie 65-1/2, Dickinson 4, and all others 31. Dickinson had
flickered between half a vote and sixteen, with an average of five.
Never perhaps in the history of political conventions did an ambitious
candidate keep so far from the goal of success.

[Footnote 531: "After the vote of New York had decided that it was
impossible to nominate Douglas, it proceeded, the roll of States being
called, to vote for him as demurely as if it meant it."--M. Halstead,
_National Political Conventions of 1860_, p. 84.]

It was now apparent that the convention could not longer survive. The
listless delegates, the absence of enthusiasm, and the uncrowded
galleries, showed that all hope of a nomination was abandoned,
especially since the friends of Douglas, who could prevent the
selection of another, declared that the Illinoisan would not withdraw
under any contingency. It is dreary reading, the record of the last
three days. If any further evidence were needed to show the utter
collapse of the dwindling, discouraged convention, the dejected,
despairing appearance of Richardson, until now supported by a bright
heroism and cheery good humour, would have furnished it. Accordingly,
on the tenth day of the session, it was agreed to reassemble at
Baltimore on Monday, June 18. Meantime the seceders had formed
themselves into a convention, adopted the platform recently reported
by the