Broom, Jacob

BROOM, Jacob, (son of James Madison Broom), a Representative from Pennsylvania; born in Baltimore, Md., July 25, 1808; received a classical education; moved to Philadelphia, Pa., with his parents in 1819; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1832 and commenced practice in Philadelphia, Pa.; appointed deputy auditor of the State in 1840; clerk of the Philadelphia orphans’ court 1848-1852; nominated by the Native American Party in 1852 for President of the United States; elected as a candidate of the American Party to the Thirty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1855-March 3, 1857); chairman, Committee on Revolutionary Pensions (Thirty-fourth Congress); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1856 and for election to the Thirty-sixth Congress in 1858; died in Washington, D.C., November 28, 1864; interment in Congressional Cemetery.

Broom chaired the electoral convention of the Native American Party (later renamed American Party) in 1852. The original presidential candidate, Daniel Webster, died just days before the election and Broom was unanimously chosen to replace him. However, with just nine days to campaign, he was largely unknown and received less than 3000 votes. One of the main concerns of the Native American Party was the large stream of Irish Catholic immigrants who they feared were obedient to the Pope and might upset the democratic political system in the US as a result.