Wilmington journal., 1872-08-09
From the Baltimorean.
History of National Conventions.

the House OF Commons Introduced SyS
TEN now known as the caucus system, by
holding meetings at various tayernS TO
perfect the organization and discipline of
the party. The thing, however, was rot
known by that name. The idea was bor-
rowed here from England, but the Oldest
written use Of the word is i'll passage III
John Adams diary, dated Boston, Feb
ruary, 11G3, referring TO a "caucuS club"
that met i'll thaG town. This club, it is
thought probable, was originally a me
chanic's club, called from the leading
trades in it, the calker's club, which name,
with a variation, it still retained after it
had passed into the hands Of politicians.
Meetings held To provide nominating and
canvassing machihcry soon received the
name OF caUlcuSeS. -'
AT length Congressional caucus, the
first that we have any account of, was held
in Philadelphia in the year 1900, to nOnIi-
nate candidates for President and Vice
President. Thirty-seven Representatives
and nine Senators were present, and nOmi-
mated Jefferson and burr. The first caU-
cuseS, however, We're like Informal meet
ings Of a certain number Of gentlemen to
express their preferences for Il candidate.
On the 10Th of January, 1903, regular
caucus was held i'll Washington, attended
by ninety -four Democrats, being ajority
of the two houses, which nominated for
Presidency James Madison, who was after
wards elected by the people.
In 1912 another caucus of Administration
members was held in Washington, which
nominated Mr.. Madison for reelection.
Mr.. Monroe was also brought before the
people by the same instrumentality. About
this time COngres 3iOnal caucuses fell into
disfaVor. That held i'll 1928, to nominate
a successor to Monroe, was slenderly at
tended, and its nomination was extensively
disregarded, SO that Mr.. Crawford, its
nominee, was behind both Jackson and
Adams in the popular vote. At the Prcsi-
dental election of 1888, Jackson became
the candidate of one party, and Adams OF
the other, without any formal nomination.
The Congressional caucus system was
thus finally exploded. We now come to
the Convention system.
The first Convention for the nomination
of a President and Vice-President was the
anti Masonic meeting held at Baltimore, il
Semptember, 1881. This faction il was
which brought Mr.. Seward and Mr.. Fill
more into public life. Mr.. Clay would
have received the nomination of the Con
vcntiOn, but that he was himself a member
Of the Masonic order The opposition &c
Gen. Jackson had now assumed the name
of National Republicans, and the Balti-
more Convention W rs called TO concentrate
all the parties against the Democracy
VIM. Writ, of Maryland, was nominated
for President, and Amos Ellnaker, OF
Pennsylvania, for ce-President.
In December, 1891, the first NatiOna
| Republican Convention was held in Balti
more, and nominated Henry Clay, OF Ken.
lucky, for President, and John Sergeant, ol
PENNSYLVANIA, for Vicc-Plesidcnt. Thus
Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Writ were placed in the
field to lead the opposition, and it was
hoped that the election would be thrown
i'll the House.
Gen. Jackson's position was strong
one, and the administration party thought
of no one else for the succession. MIR. Cal
hoIn, then Vice president, and il was i'm
portant to select some strong man for the
second place on the ticket for the success
sion. jackson was accordingly nominated
by the administration members Of thC
| New y Ork Legislature, and the State O
New Hampshire has, in add ton to tho
| glory OF presenting Il President III the per
| son OF Franklin Pierce, the fIuthcr Gem il
her political crown Of having originated tll,
system of National Conventions. The
| Legislature of New Hampshire sent ont tie
first call for Democratic National Con
vemtiOn, to nominate a candidate for Vice
President. No number Of delegates being
mentioned, each State sent aS many -
could afford the time, aud on the 2iSt T.,
May, 1882, the Democracy mustered il
great force at Baltimore, and this may bC
called the first n National Convention WORTHY
of the name that was ever held. Genera
Robert Lucas, of Clio, presided over the
deliberations Of this body, which adopSet
the celebrated twO-thirds rule, drawn ~
by Mr.. Saunders, Of North Carolina, Il.
follows
ResOlrcd, That each State be entitled il
the nomination to be made Of candidate
| for the Vice presidency, to number o
votes equal to the number Of that they viii
be entitled to i'll the Electoral Colleges
under the new appointment i'll voting foI
President and Nice-Presidcnt, and that
two-thirls Of the whole number of votes il
the Convention shall be Necessary to COLI
stitute choice.
This is the celebrated machine which has
been used to execute adj the best men il
the party, aud which has killed OIL Mr.
CaSs.
The total number Of electoral votes al
that time was two hundred and eighty
eight, OF which two hundred and eighty
three were represented. Mr.. Van BureI
received two hundred and three Mr.. Bar
bour, of Virginia, forty-ninc (bOth had as
sisted i'll the ObscqlIics Of King Caucus
and both were sincere mOurncrs); Richard
NJ. Johnson twenty six. The Convention
thcr adopted Il platform, which, in point
Of brerity, Is a model. This ticket was
chosen, receiving two hundred and nine
teen electoral votes TO forty-nnc for Mr.
Clay.
The anti-Masonic ticket received the
electoral vote of Vermont (7D South Car
olina voted for John Floyd. PENNSYLVANIA
gave its vote for William Wilkins. In this
election pledged electoral tickets became
more firmly established. When the time
approached for the next National COnven-
ton, which was to nominate for the Sic
cession, the Democratic party was united,
while the opposition, though numerically
powerful, was politically weak, being split
up into various factions. The Southern
anti-JacksOn candidate was Hugh l.. White
OF Tennessee, nominated by the Alabama
Legislature. lie was also supported by
the Tennessee Legislature, and by the del
egatiOn from that State in Congress, ex-
cept Messrs. Polk and johnson. An OPP
position meeting at Harrisburg, Pa, put
General w. Ii. Harrison, of Ohio, in nom
ination. The Wings in the Massachusetts
Legislature nominated Daniel Webs ter,
and John Mclean was brought forward in
the same manner in Ohio.
The Convention question seriously aoi-
tated the Democratic party. Mr. Van
Buren and his friends were strongly in
favor of a Convention. General Jackson,
III February, 1885, came out in favor OF a
National Convention to nominate candi-
dates for President and Vice President.
None but the friends of Van Buren, favored
National Convention, and none but his
friends appeared in the body which met at
Baltimore on the goth of May, 1885. More
than six hundred delegates were present,
representing twenty-five States. Mr.. Van
Bnren was unanimously nominated re-