, 1861-10-30

caucus or convention system. When the
t}nc approached th4t be should commence
the campaign, he found no national party az
listing, excepting jackson men" or antt-
able to public morality, which hope may
not be smoEhered in history, Mr.. Y. B.
wormed himself Into the gosd graces Of Pres
ident Jackson, and that Was all that WAS necee-
cary to become his successor. But to sail un-
der The nag Of The Jacks y party" did not St
probably despa!red Of his own name for
party attaining the potency Of that Of Jack
eon. He therefore got up a convention for
ocratic."
Nor Is your correspondent entirely correct
IS to the origin of caucusing in Illinois. The
first convention OF caucus ever held IN this
State, WIS at EdwardsYi1lc IN 1924 q: which
time, it has been seen, there were four Presi-
dental candidates in the field. The election
Of electors in this S.ate IVES by districts, not
aa st present by general ticket Mr: Cra1..
all, notwithstanding many Of the most promi-
nent politicians we're in his favor. The pro5a-
bility was that MT, Adams would get the vote
of the upper district, which included Ed
WardEyile and all the country north Off To
defeat hin, caucus Of hi: Cra#ford's friends
VI -ckson man, Was nominated as non COM
initial elector; who was to remain unpledged
b=tween Crawford, jackson and Clay, untilthe
meeting OF the electoral college. But the
nick is1led. An account Of this af.:r ia coa-
tained in Memoir OF the honorable Daniel
?. Cook, /" read before the Chicago Historical
Society, By Vim a Brown, Esq, its Presf-
dsnt, In 1857,
Another Convention Was held in the South
err part of the State in 1928 Its object Ea3
| to nominate jackson electorin each district.
| f remember rightly, the Hon. Richard NJ
! Ycr1g presided Mt this Convention. It WAS
| caltd fer the purpose Of choking eff all the
| eelineminated Jackson candidates, which
| were numerous. There was no caucusIng for
! State or county ofacera at this time. 70 &C
| cuse candidate fer the Legislature or county
| cft1ce Of caucneirg, would be fatal, unless the
allegation should be disproyed.
! The first attempt at caucustng for members
Of the Legislature, IVES begun at Chicago In
1854, when thai city, waR mainly peopled BY
Van Bueenites, fresh from Tsmmany Hall.
They held a Convention and nominated
t-cHe OF their number, Dr.. Kimberly,
as candidate for the State Senate, n opposi-
ton to john Hnn9lin. Of Peoria, seltnomina
this cne Including the three great points Of
Peoria, Galena and Chicago. The Doctor ap-
peared at the term OF the Circuit Court at
| Hennepln, Putnam county, previous to the
! election, to set forth to the people assembled
the beauties Of st. Tammany. Mounting q
bog at a store corner, he announced that the
| D.mocraic Ccnytntion had nominated him
for the cf1ce Of State Senator for thus district;
| and he proceeded quite glibly for minute or
| tTo with aspeech, when all at once hestopped
! AFo!cE z:Dg to the audience that he had lost
| the thiead Of his discourse, he Jumped from
| the boz. The Chicago Politicians were taken
| ell aback, On fading that their caucus nonina-
| ton do not sEccted. The msjority for Mr,
| Hamhn Wls overwhelming.
| According to icy recollection, the next and
| successful attempt to establish the conTeu-
| ton system in Illinois, was made st Chicsgo
| in 1888 4 meeting was held, at which justin
Bntfeifeld vas chair nan, and Alr. Beer4
+ secretary. a resolution was offered that it
WIS t1pedient to call convention tor the
| purpose Of nomiuatiug q Whig candidate for
| Congress. John 7, Staart, Of Spring ield, had
already announced himself on that side The
resolution Was earnestly opposed by the old
settlers in a'terdance az the meeting.
| But Mr.. William Stewart, q law
yer from New York, aud edi-
! tor Of the i" Chicago american" put forth all
his strength in its laVor and carried it The
| Convention was accordingly held, but that 1t
might not prove an abortion, it nominated
| Mr. Stuart, OF Springfield, who WAS already on
| the track, eelfnominated. He Fas elected BY
! Emal! majority over Stephen A. Douglas
| l witt with impatieuce the appearance of
| No. nrin which the essayist promises to show
how parties can Earmol.ze without the inter-
Sertion Of caucuEe5 and conventions.
| henry, Marshall Co., Oct %, 1861.