The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-12
HOW OUR PRESIDENTS ARE MADE.
History Of the Old Caucus and Modern
Convention Systems.
TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE NOMINATIONS.
The Rise and Progress Of tho Federal, Re-
publican, National Republican, Demeera-
tie, WING, AntI-1asonie, Abolition, L.
herty. Know Nothing and Niger
Worshipping Parties.
Interesting Chapter in the Political Annals
Of the United States,

Of the United States,
Gc., &c &c.
II TO have been the po icy Of certain numbsr Of
wirepulieN the seat Of vercment to monopoise
for themselves the duty Of selecting proper persons to fill
the highest Offices in the ei Of the psopie 1t is this
policy which has removed the choice OF Pfeident almost
entirely feom the people aud given cocr to the assertion
Of competent foreign authority that the election of the
supreme executive officer Of thi repuSic Is settled
matter org before the cast. l. is simply
matter Of counting noses and parcspg of districts In
order to give the people ie insight into the polhcs
machinery by which they have been rued and y dte,t
public attention TO the necessity Of DOING away with the
convention system atoge her. we have prepared an his
toIeal sketch Of caucuses and conventions which had
bearing upon the Presidential elections.
The origin of the present application of the word
t. unknown The first regular this country
OF members of Congress- who borro we'd the ea from the
whig members of the House Of Commons, who early
1895 introduced the system by holding meetings ut various
taverns to perfect the organization and discipline Of the
party then insoent majority flushed with prosperity
and drunk with success.
Irregular both Of wings ard tories were held
here anterior the Revolu n the Green Dragon
in Boston has historic fame the place Of
meeting Of the Otises Warrecs, Hsncocks Prssoots,
Pcherngs and other leaders o. the popular cause From
shis time uniA after the Revolution hardly hear the
name Of caucus and the term lion then
used to designate the collection Of mob of politicians,
appointed by another mob Of politicians the appoint
ing power holding authority ffcm the Of all
,pover-the people.
The last administration Of President Washington
an exceedingly storny one. He during his second
term in continual with the democratic republi-
party in Congress and the mos portant admins
tIaton o.y earrid through Congress by
bare neorites For the third election Of President it
does appear that there set caucusng to put
Messrs. Adams and JeHerson before the people. Mr..
Adams recognized tie great leader Of the federal
ists and although the South cid prefer Mr. Pinckney,
there to have been great difficulty in combinng
the strength of the party By gviog the last named gea
t}eman tho second place ths ti;ket Mr.. Jefferson
beaten for the first ps,e but obtained the second
The usual Of naming cAnodates at that time was
trial OF votes in the State Legislatures Virginia being
then the Empire State had great deal to say about the
nomination. which nay account for her being the Mother
OF Preside nts.
The first Congressional caucus 10 nominate candidates
for President and Vice President that have any
count Of sad to be held PhadetphfA IN the year
1850. We quote from q newspaper Of that day, which
states that thirty representa- ives and nine Senator'S
pre- ent and nominated MesHrs Jefferson and Burr
Is imp ,r.snt to note here that the SYSTEM which is
intensely exclusive and astocrac originated by the
leaders of the democratic then called the republican
party 1t also proper to say that the first caucases
like info NAL iDgs OF certain number Of
gentlemen to express their preferences for candidate
1t WAS not until tae democratic party had be.ome pued
up with continued success that is leaders dared to die
tate to the people In later years the whip
nost eEes!ivey used, ad il democrat b,lted from the
nomination, he obliged to leave the party at the
same time.
The first regular caucus record he'd at Wash.
tngtsn the 18th Of Jsnuay 1908. The ohiet Of
xhs meeting WAS dispute in VI gnia as to the success
SION The Legislature OF nat State divided between
Mr.. Madison, then Secretary Of sa'e and Mr.. Monroe,
then Minister to England. Our readers viii notice that
these were the "gooA cid times" when the Old Domi-
nion furnished an the high officers Of state Tie
then met to decide when vrginau should be Pres
dent of the United States for Mr. Jefferson went out Of
Office In such blaze Of glory that the nomination OF his
party was equivalent to election At this time the whole
numeer of members OF Congress 176, and of these
only about 20 fe.erslsts The republicans demo
Gratis now numbered 1856. OF these o. being majority
OF the two houses attended the Some OF those
who stad away dsapproved Of SYSTEM aud others were
almost bold enough to whisper that vrgiaa had monopo-
Hzed everything quite long enough. Mr.. Madison WAS
the choice OF the Caucus receiving SS votes the remain
The people also chose Mr. Madison whose administration
vas popular although when his term mad nearly expired
the North declared against him and in favor OF De Witt
Clinton who nominated oy the Legisllture Of New
York
The administration members Of C,ngress still largely in
the majority, called to meet in ct Washing
ton en- the 18th May, 1872 TIE whole number Of men,
bers WAS 1T6democrats 33 Present at the caucus 49,
all Of whom named Mr. Madison for reelection. One
two democratic members from Marvland and the msori
ty Of the New York and Massachusetts members did not
give In their adhesion to the domination In September
of the year, the first convention Of tile opposition
or federast party was held in New York. when seventy
members from eeyen States appeared and nominated Mr.
Clinton. The opposition excl cd by the ant!war senh
ent proved very stropg but Mr. Madison reelected,
recsving 12S votes In the electoral colleges TO SO for Mr.
Clinton.
After Mr.. Madison's second there grow
n0 prejudice against these In the Of the
party aud unsuccessfu attempt made in the arst
ssucus held thereafter to declare that Presidential nom
nstons by members Of Congress inexpedent This
was deesed by the friends Of Mr. Monroe who consider
cd that he had natural right to the sue session. being
Virpinau He had been in Madsons Cabinet during the
whole Of his administration. Mr. Monroe denounced
by largo number of the eemocrac leaders incompe
tent and tho caucus system declared cxceptonable
There was also . growing feeling against this Virginia
domination which had already monopnized the entire
executive department. Of the government during twenty
four years out ths twentv Of Its existence Colo
ne Burr desired General Andrew Jackson to be brought
forward at that time and said that II he had had re-
spectacle nomination the Virginia caucus would have
been beaten. D. D. Tompkins, Of New York. vas also
proposed
The members Of Congress now numbered 213, of which
number 1a8 were republicans. The whole power Of the
administration was used to carry the for Monroe
and no means were spared 10 procure that end. The
opposition had united upon William H. Crawford Of
Georgia, sort Of compromise candidate He had safe
In the Senate was republican, bat favored bank and
In Mr. Ia haa haa.