New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-08-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
POLITICAL HISTORY or NETWORK STATE
CONVENTIONS.
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.r:ise IN Tie 4pags Eres.ss Jo.rga, q RESI- q 20
the orgn Of safe Csays-aors for ias uoIr s..on o.
s,s.e efcs:s As tsys 70: se.n tie sfGe;s s.i.iei
&c, IL Tia Esssiss Josrga. e-rn0; pretend 70 sise
OF Its sccuIscv.
Hsvirg ryse.f ri re scoo-, through TIE pr ist.y
G; 10y fisni,. Of berg u.sueer Of re Lsg s,ta,e
kon 1900 1872 ,ncln.'se. member Of tie Assembly
n 1924. and iees.e 70 .he U:ics Convection, held
he same year ~ re nomits''0n q Governor :ni
Ltu;.b&tGoSsrnor, ! propose 70 9 .'e some o. ny
perorsl reco.ec.cns oi Ice Poi s. events o. 'aose
times which ed to he e. u ~sA sss gensraly esen
ccrs.deled the frt, sac Corvec-ou ~ The nonoa'
tor Of safe ctiice.s.
Ura.r me .yo fr ccrs,i.a.ors o. tbs S:s.e rs Of
III and 1921. a Governor sd sa.ers-ttoye-ror
were he crly S,se off s-s e'sc.ei by the peops.
Previous TO 1877 and as sr bsck psrasps ssthe old
est nh4btsrt scolec., tue no niast'on OF those
officers was made by whsi was called GAUGES o. TIE
members Of the Legislature, each psT-y holding sep
s'ste caucus, and escn naming their own c.nddates'
In 1871, Governor Tonpkins, vho hsd o:,up'ed the
Governors chair since $780, resigned the oics, hsyIog
beer eeced Vice Piesiieu. o. he Uci.ed S.ses lac
Republican party Of tbs. d.y were divided IN opinion
as to VINO should be the Of Of the s.e popu-
ar Governor. Dewitt. CEator. whose splendid talents
were admitted al hands, wss the favorits OF ore
portion Of the members OF the Legislature, but lie wa
violently opposed by smother. Inc Republican party
bsiDg thus divided in opinion, al botl branches Of L
berg alke doubtful o. the resa. Of caucus Of tho
members of the Legiss.ure mutually agreed 80 cal in
de gates from the counties represented by teteralists
in the Assembly. who, together with the msmoe.s OF
tie legislature were 10 constitute convention to
ron iua,e successor Of Gov. Tompkns. Inc decision
of this conve,t or WAS to be- ns snd conclusive, and
the moe, prominent members o. both sections
nomination as sanctioned by unsority OF the Coz
venton. Mr.. Clinton a. 1t is well known, was nomi,
ps.ed and mos of his Republican opponents supported
the nomination m good iann. Gen. fe.ef %. for,sr'
the opposing candidate received few thousand votes
mostly in the Southern Dstric. OF the State, bG, re-
ceved no regular nomination from the opponents OF
Mr. Clinton. TIE Federal party made no nomination
az this time, bu. generally supported MIR. Chnton.
Gov. Clinton's second nomination was not made 10y
a le,islstve caucus, nor by Convention, but by
meeting in the City OF Albany, at which c.izens
OF other parts OF the Sse and Members OF the Leg
islatu-e attended. The opponents o. GOV. Chnt)n,
who now claimed to be the Republican party, coatn-
ued to nominate their candidates by egislstve eau
Gus until 1896 when they held their first regular Safe
Convention al IIerkimer, which being their hEs Con
ventiop, was long spoken OF as - ne he'kimer @on
yentioL. ,,, -
After the adoption CT the Constitution Of 1871, Gov
Clint retired TO private life and the Federasis never
sgan organized az party IN the state OF New iorR'
The Republicans Therefore Mere lei. IN gs as pSc
Yates Governor in 1872, without any serious opposi-
top. and aso every Member Of the Senate, and mos.
of the Members Of the Assembly. The election In
1898 resulted in e similar manner, o9t when tley cah'
dertsl question was likely to interrupt the harmony
which had tor short time prevailed In tue Demo
cratic ranks. Since the election OF Mr. ensrson, 10
1900, the Congressional caucus system MAJ wo.1eu
remarkably, and almost without hsnds Tne Secretary
of State had been considered the heir apparent, ard
in this manner the President practically appointed MS
successor, aud this line of " safe preceden's o.
was sometimes called, rendered the acaon OF Con
gressional caucus mere continuation OF . ioregone
conclusion" Mr.. Madison, Secretary oil ots'e nhder
Mr. Jefferson succeeded for eight years to the Pfes-
dency, ana Mr.. Monroe, Secretary to Mr.. Madison,
,osk bs Mace for ike term and, according TO this
lore established usage, Mr.. John Quincy Adams, VINO
hsd bee Il Secretary during MIR. Monroe term, ougnt
70 have taken the place OF Mr.. Monroe. But ina,
woud not have satisfied the Southern wing OF the he
nnblcsn party who had ruled the country for twenty
our successive years. Mr.. Crawford tue secretary
of the Treasury, was therefore, brought foIwaru oy
the Southern men, and supported oy Maitln van Du-
rem ard a portion of the Northern Repu6hcans. Mf,
Adams as the favorite of most Of the New.Eagand
Republicans, and Mr.. Clay had numerous friends ID
all parts Of the country Gen. jackson ard his ifends
bid up for recruits from ali parties, ana askei no Ia
yors from Cong selonal caucuses-
Mr.. Crawford received Congressional nomination
from the Congres siona caucus, but majority of the
Democratic members kept on. Ct the csucus
Under this state of things the Legislature OF New
Yoik assembled in January, 1924. This Legislature
was Nc silly Republicans before staed, and we're d.
Weed 10 their Presidential preferences between MI
Crawford, Mr.. Adams ard Mr.. Clsy-Gen Jackson
having a. that time no open advocates 10 the L7gis
leture of this State, with one single exception.
1t was scon sscertained that the friends OF Mr..
Crawford was the strongest of tue three parties out
the friends of Mr.. Adams believed themselves tbs
strongest with the people they therefore pressed
subject of law giving the choice of the electors to
the people, the Legislature having exercised the pow
er OF appointing the electors ever since the ADOPTION
Of the Constitution.
The law however, for giving the cooics oil elect DTS
10 the people failed Of pssssge 10 tlne 10 give the
choice CT electors to the people, till after the Pfesden
tal election Of 1894, and the Legislature TOR the last
time chose the electors for that year.
The friends of Mr.. Adams Percevlng early 10 the
session that law for the election Of electors by the
people was not likely to pass determined TO persevere
ar keep up their organization under the cognomen OF
"The Peoples Party" and make nomination Tor
Governor and Lieutenant Governor and 90 before tne
people with the electoral law a. the main point IN their
platform.
But how 70 get up nomination 10 manner &C
ceptabe to the people, WA question frequency ds
cursed in the meetings Of the party Their friends at
Washington had repudisted legislative conventions,
and Il was we'll known that this system Of nomination
was growing unpopular, and had been frequently az
tsoi ed by stump orators and others: lhey Ane" ao
that the friends Of Mr. Crawford and those OF Mr. Clay
had resolved to unite and make legislative noniins
top with an array of one hundred members or more,
While they could count but little over fifty: noni
nation by tie members of the legislature who weIe OF
the Peoples party was not therefore 70 10 thought
OF. After talking Of the various ways by wMcn
nomination might be made, and rot fully agreeing oa
any, meeting was appointed upon future day, vnen
final conclusion should be made Of the course 70 10
pursued in getting up nomination. u
When this meeting took place the lste Henry Wnea-
ton, who was then member OF Assembly, and nncs
Miniiter to Denmark and Prussia, got up and rateo
that frierd of his, a member of the Assembly, naa
suggested to him the plan OF getting up staH Eo.
vtLon composed Of delegates from 81 me ..srn
who should meet at Utcs or some Othef "s''''N
town. and make a nomination for Governor.
The meeting which was composed vi uieuoet VI