Constitutional Union party

Constitutional Union party, in U.S. history, formed when the conflict between North and South broke down the older parties. The Constitutional Union group, composed of former Whigs and remnants of the Know-Nothings and other groups in the South, was organized just before the election of 1860. Delegates from 20 states attended the party convention at Baltimore in May, 1860, and John Bell, of Tennessee, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, were nominated for President and Vice President. The party recognized “no political principle but the Constitution of the country, the union of the states and the enforcement of laws.” The party carried Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia in the election.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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