Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Democratic National Convention Official proceedings of the National Democratic Convention, held in Cincinnati, June 2-6 1856. Published by order of the convention.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00267.196 Author/Creator: Democratic National Convention Place Written: Cincinnati, Ohio Type: Pamphlet Date: 1856 Pagination: 78 p. ; 22.3 x 14.1 cm. Order a Copy

Describes in great detail each day's proceedings. Includes a list of delagates from every state, amendments, the minutes for all of the meetings and others. Published by the Enquirer Company Steam Printing Establishment, by the order of the convention. Noted on the title page that the superintendent of the publisher is T. Wrightson. Five gatherings with a sewn binding.

The convention nominated James Buchanan of Pennsylvania, for President and John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, for Vice-President for the 1856 election, which Buchanan won against Republican John C. Frémont. Democrats nominated Buchanan largely because he was in England during the Kansas-Nebraska debate and thus remained untainted by either side of the issue. Although he did not want to run, he accepted the nomination.

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868
Breckinridge, John C. (John Cabell), 1821-1875

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