The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-02-24

Il was in the year 1900, when sue
cessor was to be chosen to President
Adams, that the frst caucus recorded in
our history was held. Il met at Phila-
dolphin, was called by the Republican op-
position, and comprised shirty-seven mein-
bers of the Lower House aud nine
Senators There was nothing very strict
or formal about the meeting. These gen-
tlemen 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 Jefferson should Be pre-.
sented to the people for the Presidency.
The first caucus in which there was a
contest was held in January, 1903. Jef.
ferson was about to retire from the Prcsi-
dency. 1t was certain that the nominee
Of his party would be elected. Virginia.
that had already furnished two out Of the
three Presidents, supplied the rival candi.
dates to the Democratic Republican eau.
Gus. One was James Madison, who. hay.
ing begun as a Fcderalist, had become a
strong political adherent Of Jefferson, aud
was now Secretary Of State. The other
was Colonel Monroe, who had been minis.
ter to France. The caucus comprised
ninety-fonr Senators aud members, and
MadisoG was nominated by SO votes.
George Clinton, the then Vice. President
receiving denomination for that Office.
The FIRST NATIONAL CoNyESrIoNs
FOR NOMINATING THE PRRsIDESr,--It
was in the year 1881 that the first national
conventions to nominate candidates for
President and Vice President met The
example was set, curiously enough, not by
either Of the regular political parties, but
by the faction which came into existence
solely to oppose the secret order Of Ma
sonry. 1t is worth while to notice that Il
was this movement which gave an opening
to the public careers of two men who af.
terward rose, one to the Presidency. the
other to the Senate and the Seeretaryship
of State These were William II. Seward
and Millard Fillmore. The Antimasonic
party grew out of the excitement produced
by the mysterious disappearance Of VIM.
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 NJ Lean, Of Ohio, since Judge Of the
United States Supreme Court, was adop-
ted as their candidate for the Presidency.
but he promptly declined. The conven,
tion then rendered the nomination to the
famous Maryland lawyer, William Writ.
formerly Attorney-General, who accented
it; and Amos Ellmaker, Of Pennsylvania,
was added to the ticket as candidate for
Vice. President.
The caucus system was now epidentlv
extinct; no party would have dared 10 at
tempt its revival The system Of national
conventions, exempliied by the Antima-
sons, was seen to be the only feasible sub.
stitute. As the supporters of jackson
now called themselves Democrats, SO his
opponents adopted the designation Of "Na-
tional Republicans" The latter party
was first in the field to call national con.
'SntAohj anu thlo cohFtutlOn met at baltl-
more in December, 1881. Its session was
brief, for public opinion had already mark
ed out Henry Clay as its candidate. Clay
was nominated on the FIRST ballot, and
John Sergeant was given the second place
on the ticket. Thus the onnos;,;on 10
jackson, which was strenuous and hot,
was yet divided at the start of the race
between Clay and Writ.
i"e nssisia'ure oi new Hampshire Is
oueu '''g Mi0s1 n,sS olli AZ enis tine ior Dem.
S,a1'o I.a -'a''cn'i oonsen..on---1,le nrst oil
sn1.is sna' iols se,ieI u powerful ana exciting
sOuo'a,ee ".'ion hare rvs 50 oiteu designated
% Toa5 u'eiS m, si"Ie, T lnls Douy y, met IN May,
.l Aoo1 me democracy rallied IN large
~ oelS .Ls S;a ~ DSisnore, s wnlcn may ne call
eq W sno o.'y VI oSnven.'Ons, as wen as oil
loSaeN' s'N ~ - oi'on mas y peen ehosen
~ 1I! sul 'nce'in P'ace. uenerai Lucas,
nlO, "as onosen resiuent- one oil
'.". .uo a.'s %o.io1s pcsseu " .nis convention
'.a;.I Wa II auoPs 'ue lanious 'Wo-'nlrds rue,
SanSi, sniSh , luOle IN euan once ai1efWara dld
eaJ M TviA ".su cue aspirations o. states
en Pei.;ua. ne aotn q snls RUE as adopted at
i'ui'''lore was as ionows
"ResolUed, That each State be entitled, in
the nomination no. to be made of candidate for
eOn. ene !, ~ nuy 70 number OF votes
10 in tbe Electorai Callsres ~" mnda S ~ Jns,.ieu
apportionment in voting for President mt and and
Vice President; and that two-thirds Of the
whole number Of votes in the convention
Snali DC necessary 70 constitute a choice
There was no doubt at all Of the renomi-
nation Of President jackson and the
wording of the first part Of this resolution
is explained by the fact that the contest
was upon the nominee for Vice President
John Q. Calhoun had occupied this Office,
but had separated from the jackson party,
and had become the apostle Of nullifca-
tion. On the other hand, Martin Van
Buren,, one of the shrewdest Of politicians,
and the Presidents most familiar friend,
had been rejected for minister to England
by the Wing Senate General Jackson