The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-29
THE CAUCUS.

The power of The caucus seems to be
waning Its nominations have, apparent
", lost their binding force, and the "crack
of the party whip has no terrors. AS
Henry Wilson well said, "there are hun
dreds of thousands in the republican party
to-day who spurned the brides and trowns
of power, and left the wing and demo-
cratic parties for the sake of principles
deemed by them important and sacred.
These men cannot be seduced by the blan-
dishments of power, nor greatly moved by
threats of discipline. Mere politicians,
who think they can govern by the whip OF
party discipline, will find that they cannot
thus reach or control the thoughtful and
independent men who struck the task from
the hand of the slave master" If the dis
aslers of November impressed this lesson,
the record of passing events shows its truth
commentary thereon. AS in November,
Ben Butler, the great latter day apostle OF
caucuscs, found that their nominations
were of little worth, SO others are, every
day, discovering that they may be as
things of naught. This is forcibly Illus
trated in senatorial elections. Commenc-
ing with the election of Ferry, three years
ago, and so continuing all along down to
the present hour, what do these attempts
at caucus dictation, or attempts to reconcile
difficulties thereby, amount to? To go no
further back than the present year, what
do we find g? In Michigan, Chandler re-
ceived an unanimous caucus nomination,
yet, in spite thereof and of the efforts of a
persistent and influential lobby, Isaac p.
Christiancy succeeds him-and every good
citizen, without distinction of party, draws
sigh of relief and awards need of due
praise to the "bolting republicans" who
achieved the result. So in Minnesota ant
Wisconsin, caucus nominations have no,
secured the reelection of Senators Ramsey
and Carpenter, and when the contest il
ended with their defeat, if it shall SO end
the same feeling of thanksgiving will per
wade the country. 1t is not question Of
party politics, but the question of the bes
men in the came party and of the SAINT
politics against the supremacy of thu
caucus, as represented by other men o
less reputc. In Massachusetts and Rhod
Island, too, the caucus was repudiated, ant
Messrs. Dawes and Burnside owe thei
elections not to party discipline but t
heir personal merits. They were eecte
not with caucus nominations but withou
the interference of caucuses. So, too, i
Congress, caucus measures are treated wit
the same freedom as If there had been n
attempt to install them as ''party measures
and rush them through under the whip an
spur of party discipline. A notable il
stance of this was the defeat of til
measure, dictated by caucus, to do ava
with the rule requiring n two-third vote
certain cases, and giving a bare majorit
almost complete control over the legislatio
of the country.
Notwithstanding these instances of Il
Reputation Of the caucus, and the evidel
fact of growing disregard of party tie
we apprehend that the end of the cauc'
is not yet, if it ever comes. Indeed, it
somewhat difficult to see how these bodi,
can be wholly dispensed with. 1t may
and probably is, true that no necessity G
lists for the use of such machinery in legi
lative bodies and that the election OF @
ficers and the disposition of measure
within their sphere of action, could be s
cured and the inter ests OF the country bt
ter subserved without the interpostlon OF
caucus than with it. The caucus is I'M o
shoot of party, and so long ms the count
is divided into two or more political p'
ties, the former, in some form or ONT
will doubtless remain. Its origin was
supposed necessity of concert OF actio
and if party success is desirable, AZ 1t CT
tainly Is, that concert of action is meet
sary TO obtain it. In elective offices, whe
plurality elects, the caucus alone prever
defeat and it has for this cause ever
where supplanted the old custom of pc
sonal proclamation of candidacy. IT, ho
ever, it is TO remain, 1t will be either pu
fed or shorn of its terrors, If indeed a
of its former terrors now remain. It's
rifcation is the first necessity, but 1t
much easier to say this than to accompl
it. II is true that the caucus would beco