2d American National Party Convention

This small political party used several different names, often with different names in different states. It was a continuation of the Anti-Masonic Party that met in 1872 and nominated Charles F. Adams for President. When Adams declined to run, the party did not contest the 1872 election.

Very little is known about the 1875 national convention. No newspaper in the newspapers.com database carried stories on it. What little is known comes from a short article in James T. Havel's U.S. Presidential Candidates and the Elections, vol. 1, pp. 47-48.

The convention was held 6/8-10/1875 in Liberty Hall, Pittsburgh. B.T. Roberts of New York served as chairman, and Jonathan Blanchard was the keynote speaker.

Havel reports that the platform supported the Reconstruction Amendments, international arbitration, the reading of the scriptures in public schools, specie payments, justice for the American Indians, abolition of the Electoral College, and prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages. It declared the first day of the week to be a day of rest for the United States. The platform opposed secret societies and monopolies.

The convention considered three potential presidential nominees: Charles F. Adams, Blanchard, and James B. Walker. When Blanchard declined to run, Walker was unanimously nominated. The convention then nominated Donald Kirkpatrick

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2d American National Party Convention

This small political party used several different names, often with different names in different states. It was a continuation of the Anti-Masonic Party that met in 1872 and nominated Charles F. Adams for President. When Adams declined to run, the party did not contest the 1872 election.

Very little is known about the 1875 national convention. No newspaper in the newspapers.com database carried stories on it. What little is known comes from a short article in James T. Havel's U.S. Presidential Candidates and the Elections, vol. 1, pp. 47-48.

The convention was held 6/8-10/1875 in Liberty Hall, Pittsburgh. B.T. Roberts of New York served as chairman, and Jonathan Blanchard was the keynote speaker.

Havel reports that the platform supported the Reconstruction Amendments, international arbitration, the reading of the scriptures in public schools, specie payments, justice for the American Indians, abolition of the Electoral College, and prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages. It declared the first day of the week to be a day of rest for the United States. The platform opposed secret societies and monopolies.

The convention considered three potential presidential nominees: Charles F. Adams, Blanchard, and James B. Walker. When Blanchard declined to run, Walker was unanimously nominated. The convention then nominated Donald Kirkpatrick NY unanimously for VP [Havel, 1:47-48].

The 1876 Campaign

The Walker-Kirkpatrick ticket first appears in the newspapers.com database on 9/16/1875. On that date, the Kansas Chief, published in Troy, Kansas, reported the team as the ticket of the "Anti-Secret Society" party. Walker and Kirkpatrick were involved in organizing Christian associations against secret societies in late 1875 (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 11/30/1875).

Then on 6/22/1876, the National Christian Association Opposed to Secret Societies held a national convention in Farwell Hall, Chicago. At the end of the business, delegates were welcomed to remain seated for a national political convention of the "American Party." S.B. Allen of Westfield College in Ohio served as chairman of the convention, and C.B. Remington of Detroit was the secretary. The Walker-Kirkpatrick ticket was endorsed by the convention. During a follow-up decision, a delegate pointed out that although Gov Hayes was not a Mason, he was supported by the Grange, which was a secret society (Chicago Tribune, 6/23/1876).

In the campaign of 1876, the name most associated with the Walker-Kirkpatrick ticket was the American National Party. It fielded slates of Presidential Electors in six states, winning 459 votes.

Anti-Masonic National Convention (1872)

American Party National Convention (1880)

Popular Vote of 1876

Electoral Vote of 1876

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