Convention

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

the act of coming together or assembling; the state of being has assembled. The word convention in the United States an association of ideas pregnant with all that is most important in our political history. The secession conventions held in the Southern States, resulted in the Civil War of 1860-1865. Several times have constitutional conventions been called the most important being those held in the Southern States during the "Reconstruction" period. The great national political parties meet in convention to nominate candidates for President, and the same method of nomination prevails down to the smallest candidate for the lowest municipal or county office. Many conventions for miscellaneous purposes are annually held. In English history the word is applied to an extraordinary meeting of the Houses of Lords and Commons at a time of national crisis or revolution, without being called together by the writ of the sovereign or waiting to ask his assent. The name is specially applied (a) to the Parliament summoned, not by the sovereign, but by Gen. Monk, which met on April 25, 1660, and restored Charles II., and (b) to the Parliament convened by the Prince of Orange, who at the time was not King of England. It met on kingdom Jan. 22, 1689, and bestowed the king on its author and his wife, William and Mary. In French history the word is applied to what was more fully named the Na- considerable opposition from organized tional Convention, which succeeded the National Legislative Assembly on Sept. 21, 1792, and was dissolved Oct. 26, 1795. It began by abolishing royalty and proclaiming a republic. In diplomacy, a convention is equivalent to a treaty. Thus there have been conventions by the United States with the leading nations of the world to secure uniform and reciprocal action for special purposes.