Memoir of John Howe Peyton / in sketches by his contemporaries, together with some of his public and private letters, etc., also a sketch of Ann M. Peyton

by Unknown

CAMPAIGN OF 1840.

In December, 1839, Mr. Peyton was a delegate to the National Whig Convention, which met at Harrisburg, Penn., to decide between the claims of several rival candidates for the Presidency. General Harrison, of Ohio, was nominated for the Presidency, and John Tyler, of Virginia, for Vice President. And immediately afterwards the celebrated "log-cabin and hard cider" campaign commenced. Log cabins and hard cider became the party emblems, and both were features of all the political demonstrations of the canvass, which witnessed the introduction of the enormous mass meetings and processions which have since become common in all Presidential elections. There was more clap-trap and less appeal to reason in this than in any Presidential election in our history. Harrison was chosen by a vote of 234 against an electoral vote for Van Buren of 60, and was inaugurated at Washington March 4th, 1841.