The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-22
NOMINATING THE PRESIDENT.
Sketch of the First National Conven-
tions.

From an instructive and lengthy arti.
Gle in Harper's Magazine for July, we
make the following extracts concerning
the political history of this country:
Our Presidents and Vice-Presidents
were at first nominated by caucuses COM
posed of the Senators and members OF
the House of Representatives belonging
to each party. This caucus system, al
though we often see it decried by Eng
lish writers and papers, was really de-
rived by our early politicians from Eng
land. 1t became the habit of the Parlia-
ment leaders of the Wings and Tories,
soon after the revolution of 1858, to meet
at taverns or club-houses in order to
provide discipline for the party ranks, to
discuss and decide on measures, and even
on special votes, and to designate the
personnel of new ministries. Many an
entertaining story of these conclaves,
which often partook of festive and lit
ersry as well as deliberate character, has
come down to as in the writings of Addi-
son, Steele, Harvey, and Horace Wal
pole; and although they were not known
as "caucuses," they were such in form
and in purpose.
Even before the Revolution, American
politics had taken distinct party shape,
and what were virtually caucuses were
held in the quiet old inns of Boston, New
York, and Philadelphia, on the part
both of the Tories and the patriots. It
was often decided in these conferences
who should be sent TO the General Court,
who should be made colonel of militia,
who Should be delegated to the Conti-
mental Congress. At the "Green Drag
on" Boston, notable conferences of the
caucus order were wont to be held, in
which Hancock, Adams, Otis, and War
rem were leading and inspiring spirits.
For the first three Presidential eiec-
tions, however, there were no nominating
caucuses of Congressman, for the reason
that the candidates were very clearly des-
ignated by the events of the Revolution
ary and Constitution-forming period.
1t was in the year 1900, when sue
cessor was to be chosen to President
Adams, that the first caucus recorded in
our history was held, It met at Phila-
delphia, was called by the Republican
opposition, and comprised thirty-seven
members of the Lower House and nine
Senators. There was nothing very strict
or formal about the meeting. These
gentlemen met to discuss candidates, very
likely in one of those cofee-houses which
early Congressman used to frequent in
the Quaker City, and there seems to have
been no very sharp rivalry for the places
on the ticket. The caucus was one Of
accord that Jefferson should be presented
to the people for the Presidency. \
The first caucus in which there was a
contest was held in; January, 1908. JEFF
ferson was about to retire from the Pres
idency. 1t was certain that the nominee
of party would be elected. Virginia,
that had already furnished two out of
the three Presidents, supplied the rival
candidates to the Republican caucus
One was James Madison, who, having
begun as a Federalist, had become a
strong political adherent to Jefferson, and
was now Secretary of State. The other
was Colonel Monroe, who had been min.
lister to France. The caucus comprised
ninety-four Senators and members, and
Madison was nominated by SO votes,
George Clinton, the then Vice-President,
receiving a denomination for that Office.
1t was in the year 1881 that the first
national conventions to nominate candi-
dates for President and Vice-President
met. The example was set curiously
enough, not by either of the regular polit-
ical parties, but by the faction which
came into existence solely to oppose the
secret order of Masonry. 1t is worth
while to notice that it was this movement
which gave an opening to the public ca
reers of two men who afterward rose, one
to the Presidency, the other to the Senate
and the Secretaryship of State. These
were William 81. Seward and Millard
Fillmore. The Antimasonic party grew
out of the excitement produced by the
mysterious disappearance of William
Morgan, member of the order who was
supposed to have divulged its secrets. In
September, 1881, national convention
of this party assembled at Baltimore
John M'Lean, of Ohio, since judge of the
United States Supreme Court, was adopt
ed as their candidate for the Presidency,
but he promptly declined. The conven.
ton then rendered the nomination to the
famons Maryland lawyer, William Writ
formerly Attorney General, who accepted
it.; and Amos Ellmaker, of Pennsylvania
was added to the ticket as candidate fol
Vice President.
The caucus system was now evidently
extinct; nc party would have dared te
attempt its revival. The system of ma
tional conventions, exemplifed by the
Antimasons, was seen to be the only fea
sible substitute. As the supporters o
Jackson now called themselves "Demo
crats,n 60 his opponents adopted the des
ignation of "National Republicans" -
The latter party was first in the field tt
call national convention, and this con
vention met at Baltimore in December
1881. It's session was brief, for public
opinion had already marked out Henri.
Clay as its candidate. Clay was nomi
mated on the FIRST ballot, and John Ser
geant was given the second place on tn
ticket. Thus the opposition to jackson
which was strenuous and hot, was yet di
yided at the start of the race between
Clay and Writ.
The Legislature of New Hampshire is
sued the first call at this time for Dem
ocratic National Convention-the first G
that lsng series of powerful and excitfs