Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-05
The Old System Of Presidential Nom.
ffrs.s inatiOD.

Our Presidents and Vice Presidents
were at first nominated by caueuses
composed OF the Senators and mem bers
ef the House Of Representatives be-
longing to each party This caucus
system although We often see it de
cried by English writer's aud papers,
was reslly derived by our early pol.
iticaos from England 1t became the
habit of the parliamentary leaders OF
the Wings and Tories, soon after the
revolution of 1858, TO meet at taverns
or club-houses in order to provide dis
clplne for the party ranks, to discuss
aud decide on measures, and even on
special votes, and to delegate the per-
sonnet of new ministries. Many an
entertaining story of these couclaves.
which often partook of a festive and
literary as we'll as deliberatve char
acter, has come down to us in the
writings of Addison, Steele, Hervey
aud Horace Walpoe; aud although
they were not known as "caucuses, 2
they were such in form and purpose.
Even before the Revolution, Ameri
can politics had taken distinct party
shape, and what were virtually eau.
cuses were held in the quaint old inns
of Bos on, New York, aud Philadel-
phla, Oh the part Of both of the Tories
and the patriots 1t was often decide
In these conferences VINO should be
sent to the General Court who should
be made Colonel of the militia. who
should be delegated to the Continenf-
al Congress AT the Green Dragon y
in Boston. notable conferences of the
caucus order were wont 10 be held in
which Hancock. Adams. Otis and
Warren were leading aud in spring
spirits.
For the first three Presidential cleo
tions, however, there we're no nomi-
mating caucuses of Congressman, for
the reason that the candidates were
very clearly designated by the events
OF the revolutionary aud constitution
forming period. x
1t was in the year 1900, when a
successor was to be chosen to Presi
dent adams, that the first caucus re-
corded in our history was held. It
met at Philadelphia, 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 coffee 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
of one accord that j Jefferson should De
presented to the people for Presidency.
The first caucus in which there was
contest was held in January in 1908.
Jegerson was about to retire from the
Presidency. 1t was certain that the
nominee OF his party would be elected.
Virginia, that had already furnished
two out of the three Presidents, sup
piled the rival candidates to the Re-
publican caucus One was James
Madison, who having begun a Fede-
ralist, had become strong political
adherent of Jefferson, and was now
Secretary of State. The other was
Colonel Monroe, who had been Minis
ter to France. The caucus comprised
ninety-four Senators ard members,
and Madison was nominated by 83
votes, George Clinton, the then Vice
President, receiving denomination
for that Office George NJ. Towle IN
Harper's Magazine for July. 9aa 80.