Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-10-12
From, Niles U,cekiy Register.
HE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEopLE,

Having disposed of the caucus of 1916, I shall
proceed TO au examination of that of 1924, ate
having offered few preliminary remarks.
| 4 he act OF the minority in wear first NAMED
above, was deprecated by every republican il
the United States, Except, perhaps, some in tin,
state OF Georgia. that was out of the range o
the immediate influence of the gentlemen who
attended. The 'sdeedn was one i'm which ia.
people had no part They were completely dis.
gusted with it-and with the SYSTEM for they
saw how easy it was that, to use The language o
the editors of the s'Nat:onal Inteili~eucer.
''pubic sentiment may not always be clearly OF
correctly indicated by majority of those mem
bers OF congress who choose to attend. such
| meetings." than winch nothing can be more
true. AS 10 myself, 1 never had been favoial
bic to the system, except when greatspu5iic
imcasufeS were to be supported by the concen-
trahon OF public opinion on persons to carry
them into effect; and it was on that account
only, as we stated at the time, that felt willing
to favor the caucus of 1912. But as i'll 1916,
land IN 1924 no public measures were put forth
as the reason why that caucus was held, or To-
justify the strange proceedings had in it, re-
garded IT, and so did nearly all my fellow cit-
zens, as a practice that ought no longer to be
tolerated. TIE pcopie caiaaot desire to haze Jug
| giles aJom men.
| Yet MIR. Richie has said, awe have shown
that he, 1.-THE editor of the ''Register,"l i'll 1916,
was one of the most decided advocates of eau
Gus" &c. | will not call this a con=eaient ms
| take, but the assertion is untrue. He ;,lliles
10 1872 tour yeas before, when our country
was at war, and union was Indispensable to the
safety of the republic; forgetting that si,, ,ca,
The irtcs silent" and dsreeardine the ,ya-'
| son on which my support of the proceeding was
founded, which was, TO sustain the measures
| then adopted and in operation, for the recovery
OF our rights by appeal 10 force. IL was !,
time At which would no more have taken a
stand against the proprictv of CAUCUS thc ,nen-
sures being supported by MatI approccd oi,
than would hesitate to make u violent en-
trance into neighbours house, when ii was in
flames, to rescue one Of his children from hor-
.ibe death. by the fear that might get wet and
catcha cold, or soil pair of white cotton stock
ipgs. But admit that was a ''Iecided adyo-
cate' of the caucus of 1912, though indeed
was not, what then? Is experience 10 WELD no
!ruts' Is the operation of causes on effects To
be disragarded: 1t may be there are persons
IN the Virginia pentcntiary, for iDfi;mous crimes
who were respected by AIR. Il. as honest and
gooa men, much less than twelve years ago
reputable to the state lii which, tii;:y lived and
useful to their families. No one woud be fool
| enough to prefer an accusation against him be-
cause OF MS former regard for those persons.
though he might well be rcprove,i ii lac silOul
Justify and support them after full and perfect
conviction Of the depravjty of then tefgts. So
1t was proved 10 be bad in 1876 and BY the
enquirer" and ece,y other Republican, J,rint ia
the United states, condemned, unless by the or
gan of the present @TciG1.;-'' N.-t. ~
perhaps, by one or two editors in Georgia
| II was tried before ''thc bar OF the public rea-
| son" and sent 10 the penten,iary of The nation
for ever; but, being parlonod on account oil lis
| apparent reformation, IT has again ventured "a
trespass on the rights of tie people, and VIII "a
| gain be tried and condemned to be chai..ed iii
the "black hole" without the hone OF being
| permitted to eE9jy the light of the sun any
| more!
Previous to special examination ofthe late
congressional Caucus" h?lcf notice Of all
those which have been i.ei,s, THAT the respec-
| tive force of each be contracted with the O.
Tiers respectively may be useful.
| 1909. in account of the meeting of 1900
never was o8;ciat!.' .nblished though the natne-
of some who attended = have recently been
made known. If correctly given. -i2 repnbi;-
can members oil congress, were present, and
he,,::z2.gc a!-9 that many distinguished citizens,
| who were not meEIDers. attended Il. Il is said
TO have been held a, ''.Nurche'S bonding hoaee,'
in Philadelphia. The object OF it was only IL
have understanding as To- the cico preSidcn-
cy AT this time there were but SO senators aut
l05 representatives. 30 all told; and a dccidcc
ma jority in both ilolses was '.fedcra.n a
1904. The caucus of 1904. was held a
" ashinGtOn OH the 15th Febrnary-and, iilSt
f the preceding, had respect only to the rice PFC
sidency-;o supply the place of MIR, Burr
whom the former caucus had selected, he bciD.
now politically dead.
1908. This was the first irregular caucus
to the presidency. at this time there were 3
senators and presentatves---to@ethcr ~
members of congress. of whom n considerable
number were ''.cdcralists." Yet 81 member
attended the meeting, though only one gentle
sive of the members from that state. the meet
ing must have consisted of about three fourth
or forr lifths of all the republicans III congress
and 81, at any rate, IcnS decided Dinjority Q
I he Whole Hunber Of nc memLerS. MIR. Madi
sou was agreed upon, with very few dissenting
votes, on the 9th Jan in the year above given
1912. This meeting was held on the 1Gtl
May. In this congress there were, all told
, 1873 republican members, II of wloFn from "
York and the eastern states abscnted themselves
yet 81 gentlemen were present, being tiircc
6ftlis of the whole, and they all supported tiic
reelection Of Mr.. Madison.
1916. At this time there were 11t rcpubl
can members in congress, and iI9 tall mt trim
Ify-f,ro OF that political character) attended
The vote stood 90 for Mr.. Monroe and 81 TO
MIR. Crawford.
1890. No caucus was held at this presidcn
! tial term, though orc was proposed, in the fol
lowing oi7icialnotiCe;
Z" The subscriber, having presided at tho can
Gus which las; recommended persons cardi
da tcs for the Offices Of president aud vice prcsi
,op4 # tl,s, TIuifpd S.atca md bovintr been RI