New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-20
GAYS THE SPIDER TO TIE Fly

"S4YS THE SPIDER TO TIE Fly"
The facts that the Editor of this journal did
not attend the late meeting of the Republican
National Committee at Washington. and did
not sign the call issued therefrom for Ma
tional Convention to meet in Philadelphia In
June next, have been widely commented on.
The letter in which Mr.. Greeley declined to
sign that call has been called for by several
journals, but not given. He kept no copy OF
it, and cannot recall its language but Mr. W.
f. Chandler, to whom it was addressed, Is
fully authorized to give a copy to any one who
may see fit to ask him for it,
And now a few words Oh the general SUBJ
ject:
1t may surprise many to be told that National
Nominating Conventions are of modern origin.
The founders of our Republic, the men who
made and ratified the Federal Constitution,
contrived to get on without them. A Penn
sylvania Dutchman il said to have excused
his inability to answer question as to his
course at the pending election, by stating
that "The man who tells u5 how
"to vote has not been around this
Fall" Our fathers appear TO have
been left i'll that benghted condition through
lowed tho formation of our more perfect
"Union." Considering their lack of our
larger and more abundant newspapers, our
overland and underwater teleNaphs, and our
admirable provisions for providing them with
ready made candidates, they got on surpris-
ingly well, however; the Presidents they thus
elected having been George Washington, John
Adams, and Thomas Jefferson.
At length the dominant party, then known
as Republican, devised the expedent of
caucus of its Members OF Congress to desg-
nate candidates for the highest Federal offices.
As we recollcct, the first of these assembled to
designate Vice president only-GeOrge Gin
ton, to run with President Jefferson in 1904,
vice Aaron Burr, fallen from grace. The thin
end of the wedge having thus been inserted,
candidates for President also were afterward
presented-the caucus dutifully naming for the
higher Office whomsOeyer the outgoing Presi
dent had chosen "a his Secretary of State.
In 1924, there was a New Departure. Will
liam II. Crawford of Georgia, then Secretary
of the Treasury, who had just missed nOmi
nation eight years previously in place of James
Monroe Ga man of quite inferior capacity, was
now presented by the caucus for President,
with Albert Gallatin Of Pennsylvania for Vice
President.
The masses revoltcd. So long as the Fed
eIal party had remained embodied, they had
supported-nOt without occasional grumbling-
the Republican caucus candidates now that
the Federaists had dropped out of the arena,
they saw no reason for being restricted to the
caucus programme. Pennsylvania, Kentucky,
Tennessee, and several other States which had
hitherto swallowed the caucus nominees with
out grimace, now gave them no countenance
whatever Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay,
John G.. Calhoun and John Quincy
Adams-the two former Republican Mem
bers of Congress; the two latter Re-
publican members of President MOnrOe's
Cabnct-became candidates for President in
defiance of the caucus. Mr.. Calhoun finally
withdrew, and received the votes of nearly all
the anti-caucus men for Vice-President
whereby he was overwhelmingly elected. The
others ran the race through Gen. Jackson re-
ccving the electoral votes of most of the
Southern and Western States; Mr. Adams
those of all the Eastern States; Mr.. Clay
being supported by Ohio, Kentucky, Mis-
souri,, and few of the New-York
Electors; Mr.. Crawford having the votes of
Virginia. 9 of the 8 votes of Delaware
(an invetcrately Federal State), Georgia,
ard few of the New York votes. This sent
the election to the House Of Representatives,
wherein Jackson, Adams and Crawford 0he
three highest in the electoral colleges) were
the only constitutional candidates. Mr.. Clay
and his supporters here cast their. votes for
Mr.. Adams and elected him-he having the
votes of 10 States, while voted for Jackson
and for Crawford.
That result gave death blow to caucuses
of Members of Congress to nominate candi-
dates to be supported by the People. Mr.
Adams and Gen. Jackson were the rival can
didatcs for President at the next election, but
they were the nominees of no Congress
caucus and no National Convention.
In 1886, the Jackson Democratic party held
the first National Convention. Its object was
to concentrate the party upon Martin Van
Buren, for Presidcnt-he being obnoxious to q
considerable part of it. Pennsylvania had in
1892 refused him her votes for Vice President,
casting them for William wilkins. Several
States neglected or refused to send delegates
to this first National Convention; among them