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]

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 edit

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

Vice Presidential candidates edit

•  
  Comptroller
  Millard Fillmore
  of New York
•  
  Former Representative
  Abbott Lawrence
  of Massachusetts
•  
  Representative
  Andrew Stewart
  of Pennsylvania
•  
  Former Representative
  Thomas McKennan
  of Pennsylvania
•  
  Former Senator
  George Evans
  of Maine
•  
  Former Representative
  John Sergeant
  of Pennsylvania
•  
  Senator
  John M. Clayton
  of Delaware
•  
  Lieutenant Governor
  Hamilton Fish
  of New York
•  
  Governor
  John Young
  of New York
•  
  Former Senator
  Thomas Ewing
  of Ohio
•  
  Speaker
  Robert C. Winthrop
  of Massachusetts
•  
  Publisher
  Thurlow Weed
  of New York

Withdrawn edit

•  
  Former Governor
  William H. Seward
  of New York
•  
  Representative
  Thomas B. King
  of Georgia

Declined edit

•  
  Senator
  Daniel Webster
  of Massachusetts

Balloting edit

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.

•  
  1st Vice Presidential Ballot
•  
  2nd Vice Presidential Ballot

• U.S. presidential nomination convention
• 1848 United States presidential election
• 1848 Democratic National Convention

Bibliography edit

• 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 edit

• 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

• <http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=58512> Accessed: June 11, 2016