presidential candidates was demanded. On September 26, 1831, 113
delegates of the Anti-Masonic party, representing thirteen
States, met in a national convention in Baltimore. This was the
first national nominating convention held in America.

In February, 1831, the Whig members of the Maryland legislature
issued a call for a national Whig convention. This was held in
Baltimore the following December. Eighteen States were
represented by delegates, each according to the number of
presidential electoral votes it cast. Clay was named for
President. The first national Democratic convention met in
Baltimore on May 21, 1832, and nominated Jackson.

Since that time, presidential candidates have been named in
national conventions. There have been surprisingly few changes in
procedure since the first convention. It opened with a temporary
organization, examined the credentials of delegates, and
appointed a committee on permanent organization, which reported a
roster of permanent officers. It appointed a committee on
platform--then called an address to the people; it listened to
eulogistic nominating speeches, balloted for candidates, and
selected a committee to notify the nominees of their designation.
This is practically the order of procedure today. The national
convention is at once the supreme court and the supreme
legislature of the national party. It makes its own rules,
designates its committees, formulates their procedure and defines
their power, writes the platform, and appoints the national
executive committee.

Two rules that have played a significant part in these